Natural Light Network

Thoughts on Mothers Day

Mothers Day reminds me of how much I miss my mother’s healing sense of humor, her sincere hugs, and her ability to make everybody she talked to feel special.

For those of us who have witnessed the home-going departures of our mothers, I say: Take heart! For just as our mothers endured the pains of delivering us into this world of suffering and sin, so shall they also be present to celebrate with open arms our rebirth as infant citizens into our Heavenly Father’s Kingdom.

And to those who are still blessed with your mother’s presence on Earth, I say: Give her a big hug for me!

Paul Howard Nicholas

 

A Prayer for Snooki

Some have called her

a high voltage, micro-flash of lightening

crackling fiercely inside

the furious, curious funnel winds

of a non-stop masquerade.

But we see her as our sister.

And we ask, Heavenly Father, that You

grant her a safe landing

when the propellers pushing

her whirlwind stall.

©2012 Paul Howard Nicholas

When the Fast Girl Went Too Far: Overdose/Dead on Arrival

Dedicated to another casualty caught up in the costly race to chase the ultimate high.

I hope you're okay.

You departed so suddenly...

I'm only glad we had a chance to talk

before you left.

I pray our Creator understands the

bondage from which your soul

has finally risen free

and that He forgives your misguided attempts

to cope with an irrational world.

May your spirit ultimately achieve

the level of happiness and peace that

eludes so many of us in this life.

For in the name of God and everything holy...

I do hope you're okay.

© Paul Howard Nicholas

National Urban League Summer Internship Program: Deadline March 1, 2012

Submitted by Earl Nero

January 24, 2012

Talent Management Services Bulletin

Summary:

The National Urban League Summer Internship Program provides an insight into the world of non-profit management for college students, from the New York City metropolitan area and in
Washington, DC. The National Urban League is looking for candidates interested in a career in the not-for-profit sector, or in understanding the connection between non-profits, corporations,
and government in the work of our nation.

This is an eight week paid program (June 11^th through August 3^rd,
2012). We are interested in students from a variety of academic backgrounds and majors who:

- Have demonstrated academic achievement

- Have strong interpersonal and communication skills

- Are eager to learn about the National Urban League

- Are involved in extracurricular and community-related activities

Why Participate?

The National Urban League offers valuable work experience in a professional, fast-paced environment. Some highlights of this summer’s activities include:

- Behind the Business Tours with corporate partners in the tri-state area

- Special Assignments at the National Urban League Annual Conference in New Orleans, LA

- Lunch with the Presiden and CEO, National Urban League

- Interns day on the Hill, a visit to the National Urban League Policy Institute in Washington, D.C. and the opportunity meet a legislator

• Work on The President’s Project - a special assignment from the President and CEO presented to Senior Leadership of the National Urban League at the end of the program
• Participate in the Black Executive Exchange Program Leadership Conference in Orlando Fl.
• Visit a National Urban League Affiliate
• Lunch with National Urban League’s “Women of Influence”
• Lunch with National Urban League’s “Men of Influence”

Requirements:

• Official current academic transcript (minimum 2.8GPA)
• Resume
• Cover letter
• Two academic letters of recommendation
• One page essay expressing interest in the program

Deadline:

• March 1^st, 2012

PLEASE SEND ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS TO:

National Urban League Internship Program

Attention Dale Y. Johnson, Talent Management Dept.

120 Wall Street, 8^TH Fl.

New York, NY 10005

Fax 866-532-4638

Email: recruitment1@nul.org

The National Urban League is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Foreclosed Husband to Wife

I see your dreams reflected in my own

whenever sunlight parts the clouds,

still strong, undaunted by our struggle

to love and live as we should.

And in darkness I hear you walking

beside me, resisting the winds

that would scatter our hopes,

unafraid of the journey

that must one day set us free.

Paul Howard Nicholas

 

Princeton University Summer Journalism Program

Submitted by Earl Nero

To Whom it May Concern,

We are writing to inform you about an all-expenses-paid summer program for high school student journalists from low-income backgrounds that will take place for10 days in August on the campus of Princeton University.

The program is entering its 11th year; since 2002, more than 200 students from high schools
across the country have been selected to participate in the program. They were taught by journalists from The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Miami Herald, The New Republic and The New Yorker; they covered Yankees, Mets, Jets and Liberty games and held a press conference with New Jersey's secretary of state; they met with Princeton University's president and dean of admissions; they received counseling on their college applications from our staff, which consists of Princeton University alumni and
undergraduates; and they published their own newspaper.

We hope that you will consider nominating some of your students to participate in this exciting
program for aspiring young journalists. To learn more about the Princeton Summer Journalism Program and to read previous editions of our publication, The Princeton Summer Journal, and to read testimonies from our students, please visit our website: www.princeton.edu/sjp.

To be eligible for the program, students must meet the following qualifications:

- They must currently be juniors in high school.

- They must live in the continental United States.

- They must have at least an unweighted 3.5 grade point average (out of 4.0).

- They must have an interest in journalism.

- The combined income of their custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) plus
child support payments, if any, must not exceed $45,000.

Note: This program is for students from low-income backgrounds. If the combined income of the custodial parent(s)/guardian(s) plus child support payments, if any, exceeds $45,000 and a student still wishes to apply, he or she may attach a letter explaining why his or her family qualifies as financially under-resourced.

We ask that you encourage students to apply to this all-expenses-paid program at Princeton University. If you are an administrator, we ask that you help us spread the word by publishing an announcement to teachers or other administrators who might know students who
would be interested in applying. See below for more information.

Please feel free to nominate as many students as you have who are interested. We will happily accept several students from the same school, so there is no need to worry about your own students competing for slots in the program. We have not determined the exact dates, but the program will run for 10 days from a Friday to a Monday at the end of the July through the first week in August.

The application process will take place in two parts. For the first part, students should fill out the application, which can be found and submitted online here: https://fs4.formsite.com/pusjp/form1/secure_index.html.

We must receive the application by 11:59 p.m. ET on Wednesday, February 15, 2012. No extensions will be given for any reason. Please do not mail a hard copy of the application to Princeton University.

In the second round of the application process, finalists will be interviewed by the program directors—either in person or over the phone—and they will be asked to provide printed copies of the following items via U.S. mail: an official transcript; the first page of the 2009 (or 2010, if available) income-tax return form (the 1040 or 1040EZ form) of their custodial
parent(s)/guardian(s), or a signed statement by their parent(s)/guardian(s) saying that their income is below the level at which they would be required to file income tax returns; a recommendation letter from a teacher; and clips from their high school newspaper or other publication (optional).

A final word: We know that the process of applying to any selective program can be stressful, not to mention a lot of work—for students as well as their teachers. But, over the years, the students we have had come through our program have told us that, ultimately, the work they put into their application was worth it.

If you have questions, the best way to reach us is via email at sjp@princeton.edu. All
application materials—as well as additional information about the program—are available at www.princeton.edu/sjp.

Thanks so much,

Program Staff

Casing California

 
Photo by Paul Howard Nicholas

Gamblers prayed and played their hands.

A DJ played his own song.

Children played at being adults

but they played it all wrong. 

Dreamers played the horses.

An actor played a king.

Rockers played a few loud chords.

Jazzmen played the whole thing. 

A jokester played an audience.

An angler played a shark.

Golfers played beneath a midday sun.

Lovers played in the dark. 

A beggar played it by ear

while the con man played to win.

And those who played it safe simply paid

the portly piper and followed the play again.

© Paul Howard Nicholas

Religious Rites of Spring, Part One: Passover

Photo by Paul Howard Nicholas

Spring is a glorious time of year. Tree blossoms magically explode from branches that had pretended to be dead for months. Bees flitter from flower to flower, bartering pollen for nectar. Butterflies soar over patches of land they once inhabited as crawlers. Birds celebrate the end of winter with jubilant chirps, coos and chatter. And the cycle of rebirth in the natural world begins anew.

Spring also brings us two religious holidays that are of immense importance to Jews and Christians all over the world: Passover and Easter. The themes of these widely observed holy days are similar in that they both tell stories of new life made possible by brutal violence: the liberation of enslaved Jews after a massive slaughter of Egyptians, and the salvation of mankind following Jesus' bloody crucifixion.

Both of these episodes in religious literature provide believers with inspiring examples of "good" ultimately prevailing over "evil." But they also raise vexing questions about the true nature of God.

In this first part of a two-part installment, we will examine the Passover story as it relates to God's alleged frequent use of deadly force to further His will.

(Part two will focus on the Easter story's account of God's willingness to accept the blood sacrifice of one for the salvation of many.)

Passover, or "Pesach" in Hebrew, was originally an agricultural festival celebrated in ancient Israel during the month of Nisan, the first month in the Jewish calendar. Over time, however, the focus of this holiday, also referred to as Chag he-Aviv (The Spring Festival), has shifted almost exclusively to the Jewish exodus from Egypt.

The Old Testament of the Bible, as well as the Torah, describes the Passover most of us are familiar with as a night of unprecedented terror and carnage that completed a series of plagues God unleashed against Egypt to persuade Pharaoh to free the Israelites.

According to the 12^th chapter of Exodus, God decided to force the defiant Pharaoh into submission with a lethal display of shock and awe on a massive scale. To ensure that Jews would not be mistaken for Egyptians during the attack, God instructed Moses to have his people mark their dwellings with blood from a sacrificial lamb:

"And ye shall take a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the blood that is in the bason, and strike the lintel and the two side posts with the blood that is in the bason; and none of you shall go out at the door of his house until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the Lord will pass over the door and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite you." (Exodus 12:22-23 KJV)

Continuing at Exodus 12:29, we read: "And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle."

Based on the Exodus author's account, Pharaoh soon realized he was powerless against such a destructive force and surrendered:

"And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the Lord, as ye have said." (Exodus 12:30-31 KJV)

At this point it would seem reasonable to assume that the story ended satisfactorily. The Jews were freed from bondage and Pharaoh had learned a very painful lesson about the consequences of defying God's will. But, according to the 14^th chapter of Exodus, God devised a plan to inflict even more punishment on the devastated King. In the 4^th verse of chapter 14 God tells Moses of His decision to manipulate Pharaoh's attitude about setting the Jews free:

"And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, that he shall follow after them; and I will be honoured upon Pharaoh, and upon all his host; that the Egyptians may know that I am the Lord..."

Pharaoh's final act of defiance, as we read further in chapter 14 of Exodus, ends with the loss of a huge part of his army, including six hundred chariots, when the Red Sea that had been parted for the Jews to escape suddenly closed in on the pursuing soldiers.

For those seeking to establish a meaningful relationship with our Heavenly Father, the Passover story is problematic in several areas. Would God, the most intelligent being in the universe, ever have to resort to the wholesale slaughter of innocent infants and animals in the dead of night to force His will? And if He did, would He need to be directed by human beings to determine which homes to invade and which to pass over?

The most glaring question that arises from the Exodus author's account of the methods God employed in subduing a defiant Egyptian King, however, is this: If civilized people routinely condemn the use of violence for personal gain, then why should imperfect human beings be held to a higher standard of conduct than Almighty God?

To understand how the Passover legend came to be accepted as truth, it is important to re-examine religious history from a fresh perspective.

Judaism is the foundation upon which Christianity and Islam were established. Without Judaism, it is doubtful that either of these religions would have become the important caretakers of monotheism they are today. The reason Judaism has played such an essential role in the spiritual development of mankind is that, for thousands of years following the Lucifer insurrection, the ancient Hebrews were the only group that retained any knowledge of the One True God.

While other tribes created religions devoted to the worship of every imaginable idol, Jews remained, for the most part, steadfast in their allegiance to Almighty God. Over time, however, due to the violent nature of primitive man, and the near-constant state of warfare in which he existed, the God of the Jews evolved into a Supreme Being more reflective of man's environment. He became more like imperfect men: jealous, vengeful, and deadly if provoked.

As acceptance of this fearsome image grew, the once loving, benevolent Heavenly Father began to take on the attributes of a tyrannous warrior king, ready to smite the enemies of his people at a moment's notice, or drown everybody that angered him (as in the story of Noah), or slay the firstborn of every household in a nation that defied his orders. And like a mighty warrior, he was to be feared first and foremost.

This portrayal of God, however, totally contradicts the Generous, Gracious, and Good Father Jesus introduced us to at the beginning of his ministry on Earth; a Father that will always guide his children rather than drive them; a Father who moves us forward with promises of Heaven, not threats of hell.

The incompatibility of the two versions of God, mercurial king vs. Benevolent Father, in fact, eventually led to the total rejection of Jesus' teachings by the Jewish ruling class during his sojourn on Earth. And, in spite of Jesus' lasting message about the true nature of God, the fear of retribution still competes with the anticipation of reward as motivating factors for Jews, Christians, and Muslims in search of spiritual truths. Even in today's world, religious people are honored to be referred to as "God fearing."

The use of fear to instill reverence for God, however, has proven to be counter-productive. The reason for this is that negative emotions, such as fear and anger, simply are not conducive to the formation of a healthy relationship with our Heavenly Father.

Consider the comparison of two human fathers, each attempting to motivate his young children to clean their rooms. The first father tells his children that he will "beat the crap out of them" if they don't get the job done, while the second father promises his children a trip to the ice cream parlor when the task is completed.

The result is that all of the children do exactly what is expected of them. But which group performs the work with a positive attitude? And, as they mature, which group of children would be more inclined to love and respect their father?

It is unfortunate that Jews, the people that have been so instrumental in preserving mankind's link to the One True God of All Creation, cannot seem to free themselves from the shackles of a fear-based religion devoted to a mystical, temperamental, blood-thirsty God. And it is truly revealing that the people responsible for creating this image of a violence-prone God have been subjected to more deadly attacks, both at home and abroad, than any other group in the history of the world.

The scriptures say that we reap what we sow. If human beings are taught that violence is an acceptable means of achieving certain goals, and that God Himself has resorted to murder and mayhem on certain occasions to improve His position, then it would be naïve to expect our adversaries to be more patient or more tolerant than God.

How would you react, for instance, if you were a 21^st century Egyptian diplomat making progress in peace talks with Israeli officials when, due to the approach of Passover, the meetings had to be interrupted so that your Jewish counterparts could join their families in celebrating the night their God killed untold thousands of your ancestors?

If mankind is to rise to the next level of spiritual enlightenment, and if the challenges associated with ever escalating hostility toward Jews are to be adequately addressed, then it would be wise for all of our religious leaders to start the process by renouncing the fictional image of a violent, brutal warrior god created by misguided writers and replacing that image with an accurate representation of our Wise, Loving, and Merciful Heavenly Father. Only then will we begin to experience the true triumph of good over evil.

To some, overcoming thousands of years of misinformation may seem like an impossible goal. But with God's assistance, all things are possible.

© Paul Howard Nicholas

Procter & Gamble Finance & Accounting (F&A) Intern Opportunities

Submitted by Earl Nero:

F&A Internship 

Our intern assignments are real Finance and/or Accounting work designed to allow you to experience, first-hand, the type of work we do within P&G.  As an intern, you can make an impact on the business as well as continue to build your analytical, technical and leadership skills.

Most projects offer the opportunity to work with individuals in a variety of capacities within the area you're assigned and, potentially in other functions.  You'll have an individualized work plan that will guide you throughout the summer and you'll get coaching from your immediate manager throughout your internship. 

Candidates in their junior year of an undergraduate or MA/MS degree program in Finance or Accounting or a First year MBA student in Finance or Taxation, are eligible for one of these roles. 

Requirements also include at least 2 college-level accounting courses and a willingness to relocate. 

A solid background in Finance and/or Accounting along with demonstrated leadership ability is required for those interested.

FACT Seminar

FACT is a 4 day early reach program designed to expose top sophomore undergraduate students or those in their fourth year of a 5 year program to Procter & Gamble and the types of Finance, Accounting, and Tax intern and full-time roles available. 

The seminar is held each year at our Global Headquarters in Cincinnati, OH August 2-5, 2011.
All travel and accommodation expenses will be funded by P&G.

 Students will have the opportunity to:

• Speak candidly with Senior Managers about Corporate America
• Interact with other top students from across the country
• Interview in advance for a 2012 Summer internship                                                                                    

We are seeking top undergraduate students who will graduate in 2013 with a BBA, BS, BA, or MS in Accounting, Finance, Economics, Business, or Taxation.

How to Apply Online:

Go to www.experiencepg.com and Click Search Jobs

In Job Number box type: (Case Sensitive)

FIN00002188       Finance & Accounting Manager – Intern

FIN00002222       FACT – Student Seminar 

Click Search

Click APPLY after scrolling down to the posting

Black Boys in Jeopardy: 10 Poems

Ten poems dedicated to the countless black boys in America who run into trouble while teaching themselves to be men:

Perfect Balance

With medicated fears/tranquilized emotions

I dance on a tightrope between

darkness and daylight

without a net.

Forward…

Backward…

I have mastered the act,

high above the madness, yet

far beneath the sky.

After the Crash

Two ravaged vehicles sit awkwardly sprawled

on their knees, mortally injured,

unable to face each other.

Hissing, cringing in shock, they glare

at the curious crowds gathering

beneath a high noon sky.

Their broken eyes cry steamy streams of

bright green tears that splash on the pavement

and dribble over pebbles in a race

to the gutter.

Large ribbons of twisted metal,

ripped from their posts,

lie scattered on the asphalt,

reflecting sunlight amid

a heavy sprinkling of shattered glass

spattered with a spray of

alcohol and blood.

Drunk Tank

Feeling too heavy inside a hollow block

of ice…

Days over my head, hours under my feet…

Looking at life through a crack in my heart,

keeping things out that would keep me

locked in, struggling to bounce back

from a head-cracking collision

with a concrete floor,

sticky with the sickness of the dying

and the dead.

Robbery

With my sack packed,

filled by a man who loved his life

more than money, I

jump behind the wheel

of a barely running car, tearing off

into the night!

Loud music booms from my speakers,

blocking out the pleading voice

of the conscience I left behind

and the maniacal laughter of Mr. Payback

lurking up ahead.

Correctional Education

This is where we study

the infinitely intricate structure of the

permanent upper hand,

where the apprentice learns to master

many different patterns of colorful deceit,

where the weak become more aware

of the strong,

where lessons inspire weapons for

a survivor’s defense.

Yes, this is where we study,

striving for the diploma that will

unlock the front door.

Attack Therapy: Inside the Fish Tank

An unfortunate group of the highly stressed

make clever commitments to live better lives,

bathing the master’s ear in medicine so vital

to his health.

Under the guise of progress they practice

a vicious game, chewing petty secrets

down to the quick,

cursing the demons they say drove them mad,

challenging others to purge the venom from their brains,

tearing at crusty scabs that shield soft, fleshy wounds.

They yell and swear, a few even cry

till the musty little room reeks with a pungent,

fuming mixture of anger and fear.

But the timekeeper outside can’t wait any longer.

It’s time to go home.

Ignoring the hearts and minds nailed to the walls,

he points to the cheap watch choking his wrist.

Business as usual.

Get back to your cells!

On an Island Called Jail

How long will these fireflies of hope

flicker in the darkness, offering so little

in ways to light my path?

How much longer can I beat down the anger

that would easily consume my life?

And what shall be my pace in this race

of the wise, and the swift,

and the unburied dead?

Visiting Day at a Quarter to Three

Your warm embrace and tender, farewell kiss

lift me into a different realm of existence.

A bright beam of light propels me forward

to a far away place where

nights of pure satin, and unleashed passion

let me touch you deep inside.

I could hold you close forever

in this spinning autumn wind, lost

and yet protected from the empty days alone,

sheltered from the distance between us that

grows with each good-bye…

But reality intrudes to pull you from my arms,

testing my strength, teasing my needs,

taunting my soul with an unfinished dream.

And so I watch you walk away

into the spaces where our future lives…

looking back, a sigh beneath a smile…

so pretty in the sunlight,

so precious in my heart.

A Prayer Someone Once Prayed for Me

Our Heavenly Father,

we come before you to request Devine Intervention

in the emergency rescue of a drowning soul.

The energy of this confused, restless spirit is enormous

but he has taken the wrong river and, at this very moment,

faces mortal extinction, thrashing about wildly

in a whirlpool of lies, cursing the darkness,

growing weaker by the hour.

And, while we do acknowledge the faults and misdeeds

of our wayward brother,

so do we also pray for Your merciful consideration of

his greater self,

asking that You brighten his midnight sky

with even the faintest flicker of lightening

so that his eyes may focus upon the nearness of the shore

and upon the many strong, outstretched hands.

Amen.

Act Four

I portrayed the fool, broke every rule

till even I believed the role.

Then I learned the part of the wooden heart

to silence questions in my soul.

Now I pray to see a better me,

never too heated, never too cold.

© Paul Howard Nicholas