WELCOME TO ELLIOTT TETERS

Coming Along Slowly

Technology has changed so much since I created my last website. I paid for a lifetime subscription to a theme builder and spent a long time learning to use it. Now, however, when I finally decided to spend some time trying to share my evolving story, I found that the theme was no longer supported. My son told me that is just the way of things. If you get a few years out of the lifetime purchase, you are getting a deal. My efforts here are sporadic and taking place slower than I would like. Like lifetime warranties that don’t

Concerns Over Executive Power in Democracy

Dear Kansas Senator Jerry Moran, Letter dated 02-11-2025 I’m writing as a taxpayer and one of the folks you’re supposed to represent to express some real concerns about where our democracy’s headed. Right now, it looks like respect for the rule of law is hanging by a thread, and frankly, it seems like executive power is being stretched way beyond what it ought to be. We didn’t sign up for a king or some unstoppable leader calling all the shots. That’s not the America we stand for. The checks and balances that keep our government honest and functional are at

Open Letter to Senator Jerry Moran Dated 02-02-2025

I have been writing to one of the Senators for Kansas, sometimes twice a day, every day, since Trump has once again descended on America. So far, the senator has not responded in any way except for an autoresponder to two of my emails. I am posting here to see if anyone in the U.S. cares enough to discuss the coup, which is a clear and present danger to our democracy. Dear Senator Moran, As a retired individual, I never imagined I would feel compelled to spend so much time advocating for the defense of our democracy. However, I feel

Love Without Conditions

Unconditional Love I first read and shared this post in May of 2002. The author was Sandy Stevenson. Today the link I had stored for Ms. Stevenson was to a shoe store, so I googled her and found she had a few books on Amazon. I believe the writing below is included in this book:Â All That is Love. Here is her most beautiful expression of Unconditional Love: I love you as you are, as you seek to find your own special way to relate to the world. I honour your choices to learn in the way you feel is right

The Serpent and the Rainbow

Writers: Â Â Â Wade Davis (inspired by the book of the same name) Richard Maxwell (screenplay) Director: Â Â Wes Craven This movie had a 60 and a 56 rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which, If I had any sense, should have informed me that it was a complete waste of time, but because I saw it show up on a couple of lists for â€œspiritualâ€ films, I endured it. Normally Wes Cravenâ€™s films are not just pure horror and this movie was supposedly based on a true story, but I failed to find anything redeeming about this movie except the

I Am David

I AM DAVID 2003 Director: Paul Feig Writers: Anne Holm â€“ Original Novel Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Paul Feig â€“ Screenplay My Rating: 7.6/10 Personally, I liked this movie. I will be adding it to my list of spiritually significant films, and will include it on my list of films to use for spiritual cinema. When I was adding this movie to my database I reviewed some of the comments that critics shared, I found the most common complaint to be that there were too many positive coincidences for the film to be believable. For me, it was exactly these so-called coincidences

How Do You Describe Grace?

I have been using the same auto repair shop for 30 years because the owner has always proven to have integrity above reproach. Earlier he called me and shared an experience which occurred this morning. Another customer, of his, was preparing to take his wife and kids on an extended road trip, and although his Chevrolet Yukon was fairly new and well-maintained he just had a feeling he needed to bring it in for a check-up before setting out on the trip. My friend had one of his mechanics pull the vehicle up on to a lift so that they

Colin Kaepernick, I Applaud You!

As everyone who has open ears or open eyes in America knows, Colin Kaepernick, of the San Francisco 49ers, chose to remain seated during the playing of the National Anthem in the opening week of the 2016 National Football League season. According to interviews, following the game, Kaepernick remained seated because of injustices being perpetrated against African Americans and other people of color. The football franchise’s spokesperson later stated that while the playing of the National Anthem has been and will always be a part of the teamâ€™s opening ceremonies, the freedom of expression, which the song itself represents, applies

Where There is Love

As I shared on my Secrets to Peace blog, I recently uncovered an old, small book of poetry and prose from Helen Steiner Rice. The book is over forty years old. Mrs. Rice was a writer for a greeting card company. Her poetry is simple, but in that simplicity her words find a quick and easy path straight into my heart. I want to share an example here entitled: Where There is Love Where There Is Love Where there is love the heart is light, Where there is love the day is bright, Where there is love there is a

Wisdom From An Unlikely Source

This afternoon, as I was going through paperwork, looking for some needed tax documents, I had the movie, “I AmÂ Chris Farley” playing. When the movie was drawing to a close, one of the actors in the documentary pulled a piece of paper from his wallet which he identified as the Clown’s Prayer and he read it aloud: As I stumble through this life, help me to create more laughter than tears, Â dispense moreÂ happiness than gloom, spread more cheer than despair. Never let me become so indifferent that I will fail to see the wonder in the eyes of a