Dear Gloria,

I'm so happpy I found this email. Thanks. It took awhile to figutre out how to find it, but I wasn't gonna give up.=)

I've got 2 grandsons, a stepgrandson and a step grandaughter. Whew! Thanks.

I'm sorry I didn't explain Council before, but I had to hurry and get that little guy.

It's what we call a Native American Pow Wow. We sat in a circle, which represents Sacred space. There's a homemade altar in the middle. Usually a colorful cloth handwoven, knitted, Native American etc. In the center of the cloth we have candels, flowers, stones, crystals, leaves, stuffed animals etc.

We pass a talking piece. Usually an animal horn, decorated stick, heart shaped rock, or something similar.The only person allowed to speak is the one with the talking piece. This person speaks from the heart and is in the center of the universe at that time. They're not allowed to think of what to say before time. It has to be spontaneous. Everyone else has to listen from the heart. We can't think of what we're going to say to them when they finish.

We cover topics like,"Tell about a time when you got something for X-mas that you loved and it didn't cost anything." (This can include any holiday, because we were multiculticultural.)

They introduced Council at my son's elementary school a few years ago. I volunteered to help have Council with the children. We also play games that help to promote bonding. Like "pass the clap". Two people face each other, they have eye contact, when the one on the right claps the other has to. The one on the left than passes the clap to the one on their left.Some of the kids try to trick us and only pretend to clap.

About the email: I think I only got one response, because I didn't check everything. Later when you suggested checking everything, I got more.
Thanks for the suggestion and Merry Christmas.=)
Zena

P.S. I forgot, about naming the book. I'm not sure, but maybe we can contimplate this: In one of Deepak Chopra's book's he says that the word communication comes from the word communion. Being in communion is when two people stand befroe God together. Maybe something that suggest this? I imagine when you're God writing you're in communion?

I'm going to try and find that quote from Mother Mary. It reminds me of you and contimplating it could help with the title too.=)