tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2158750970948355702024-03-12T16:39:30.756-07:00Learning to Grow, Daring to Love Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-34204578309422190642014-06-13T18:10:00.000-07:002014-06-13T18:10:46.661-07:00Five Minute Friday - MessengerIt's a Lisa Jo Baker Five Minute Friday-- write for five minutes on the word provided.<br />
<br />
http://lisajobaker.com/2014/06/five-minute-friday-messenger/<br />
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<br />
Messenger--<br />
<br />
What does it mean to be a messenger? Who is a messenger? What is the message? Authors are messenger of stories. Journalists are messengers of the news. Preachers are messengers of God's Word. Messengers vary in degree of course. One of my greatest anxieties is "pulpit anxiety." I worry myself sick on Sunday mornings wondering if the message I'm about to deliver is the right one. If it's Godly enough. How the congregation will receive it. I know that not every message that is received well is the right message...sometimes it is the challenging ones that are the right ones. The ones where I receive push-back are likely the more Godly messages because they are taking people out of their comfort zones. Sometimes a messenger is sent to take people out of their comfort zones. And then the messenger becomes disliked and I don't like to be disliked and that's where the anxiety heightens. Do I tell them what they want to hear so I can be liked or do I give them the message God wants them to hear and face the possible wrath of the people? It sure isn't an easy job but it's the one I'm called to. If you pray, please pray for pastors. Our job is a lot harder than it looks. Thank you and God bless you (and your messages!) <br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-30365270612109361452014-06-09T06:05:00.001-07:002014-06-09T06:05:18.359-07:00Update on the 365 Days to a More Fulfilling Life. <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Since I have not updated my blog in a
while, I decided to do an update now that I'm almost two months into
my 365 list. (found here---
<a href="http://learningtogrowdaringtolove.blogspot.com/2014/04/365-days-to-more-fulfilling-life.html">http://learningtogrowdaringtolove.blogspot.com/2014/04/365-days-to-more-fulfilling-life.html</a>
<a href="http://learningtogrowdaringtolove.blogspot.com/2014/04/365-days-to-more-fulfilling-life.html)m">)</a>
There's still plenty of time to join in!
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It has challenged me to do things I
wouldn't have done and think about things I wouldn't have thought
about. It's prompted me to socialize with people and give more.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
As per the list, I wrote myself three
letters—one to be read in 1 year, 5 years and 10. The first one
made me realize how quickly a year will come, the 5-year made me
think about my goals and the 10 year made me realize how quickly life
is going to pass---my niece will be 22! The days that prompt me to
“do a random act of kindness” keep me aware of the ways we can
really help each other out. There are small things we could do
everyday that can really help people.
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
The days that prompted me to go inward
allowed me to connect with my own thoughts instead of reading
everyone's on facebook. While I love keeping up with people, it's
good to spend time with your own thoughts too. Other posts asked me
to do fun things or socialize and I'm grateful for those-- such as
“ask your friends what their favorite funny movie is and watch one”
and “share your childhood memories with someone.” I watched
“What About Bob?” and I spent an evening comparing childhood
stories with my husband, brother, mom and niece. (My niece loved
hearing our stories!) We probably would have spent the evening
talking about frustrating or depressing current events, but instead
we had fun reminiscing our childhoods and hearing stories we've never
heard before.
</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One day told me to “write someone a
letter.” I chose someone who was not on facebook and who I have
not seen in a number of years. She was so surprised I wrote her and
I ended up bumping into her a few days later. I think it re-opened a
connection. What a great prompt.
</div>
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</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I have learned things I wouldn't have
because of this challenge-- I learned about Passover, May Day and
Uzbekistan....I learned how I can be greener, how to properly use a
comma, how to say a few words in French. I also discovered an
awesome library nearby.
</div>
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</div>
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I've missed a few days for one reason
or another, such as “Host a Pot Luck” because I was invited to a
party that day. When I miss days I try to make them up. I look
forward to continuing this list and invite you all to join me!
</div>
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<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I printed the list out and keep it on
my bedside table along with a journal to record a few sentences about
how I completed that day's prompt. It helps to think it over and
it'll be fun to go back and read it over later.
</div>
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Here's the link to the list:</div>
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http://learningtogrowdaringtolove.blogspot.com/2014/04/365-days-to-more-fulfilling-life.html</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-15449775208856884362014-04-25T05:54:00.001-07:002014-04-25T05:54:47.556-07:00Five Minute Friday- FriendIt's a Lisa-Jo Five Minute Friday. Write for five minutes on the word provided and link up with other writers. http://lisajobaker.com/<br />
<br />
Today's word is <span style="font-size: large;">friend.</span><br />
<br />
Friends... I've always been curious if I'm bad in this department or if friends really do come and go... Some of the people I've been closest with in my life are people I haven't seen in years. Literally, years. How can that be? These people I consider or once considered close friends. <br />
<br />
I recently reconnected with one of best friends from high school and it was awesome. I remembered instantly why we were so close. But why do we lose touch with people? Besides a fight or moving away, how do two people who at one time spent so much time together not see each other for over a year? <br />
<br />
I know we say we're busy and we are, but too busy for friendship? Friends are an important part of life. If you are a friend of mine and we haven't seen each other in over a year, I'm sorry. When do you want to hang out? <br />
<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-73782484183506787912014-04-11T06:24:00.002-07:002014-04-11T06:50:40.700-07:00Five Minute Friday-- PAINT <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">It's a Lisa-Jo Five Minute Friday! http://lisajobaker.com/ Write for five minutes on the word provided.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">Today's word is:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7; font-size: large;">Paint</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">After reading Lisa-Jo's intro and her
prompt: PAINT, I immediately thought of Julie Meyer's song "Paint your
Picture."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">Paint your Picture (or Paintbrush) by
Julie Meyer
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Pick
me up like a paintbrush, God. Dip it in the colors of my life. Paint
Your picture, Father, And fashion a heart that is wholly Yours</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0.2in;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take
Your fingers, God. Master Potter, Come mold the clay. Tell Your story
as You mold me Fashion a heart that is wholly Yours</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">And
write Your name, write Your name In the clay. And sign Your name,
sign Your name On the picture.</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div align="LEFT" style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; border: none; line-height: 0.25in; margin-bottom: 0in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Take
all I am. Take all I have. I am Yours forever, forever...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">It is such a beautiful song which I had
the honor to dance to with a group of wonderful women in seminary.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">Painting is a creative expression of
self. This is something any of us can do, no matter our skill level.
In various classes over the years, I've been given painting prompts
just like Lisa-Jo gives writing prompts and it almost always
surprises me to see what comes out of it. We learn about ourselves
when we get creative in our communication.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">But I want to get back to the song-- to
think that we are art on God's canvas is such an amazing image. If
we ever think we aren't beautiful or that our life doesn't have
meaning...just remember that The Artist of Life, the Master Potter
has a hand in who we are, who we were and who we are becoming.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #674ea7;">God has written God's name all over our
lives and has claimed us as masterpieces. We can respond by
living as beautifully as we were created. As we co-create with God, let's make our lives and
the world a beautiful living testament to the Artist of Life.
</span></div>
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-49366050057668625082014-04-09T12:59:00.000-07:002014-04-09T13:30:22.486-07:00Reflections on "Surprised by Motherhood"<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">As a mentioned in a recent post, Lisa Jo Baker just released “Surprised By Motherhood.” I read it in two days (which with my lack of down time is saying something!). Here are some of my responses to what she wrote: </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"> Embarrassed to be caught without clothes on in front her husband shortly after their first son was born, her husband looked her in the eyes and said, </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">“You are beautiful don't you dare be embarrassed in front of me.” (p.81)</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> I have definitely found myself in similar situations since my son was born. Flab where there wasn't flab before, and my word the stretch marks! I looked like I had gotten attacked by a tiger. Now they are faded, but they still aren't pretty. But my husband insists I'm still beautiful, if not more. Which made me wonder---<i> is it just us? </i></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Do we women put this pressure on ourselves and each other to get back into the pre-pregnancy jeans? And while we're on that subject, how is it that I lost the pregnancy weight plus 15 pounds and I still don't fit in my pre-pregnancy jeans!? Well that's not fair, I do fit into one pair....my fat pants!
My husband never hounded me to fit back in them and yet it became an obsession to me. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Be honest...have you ever looked at other moms and thought about her weight vs. how old the baby is?? I think it's women more than men...and specifically other mothers...that put the pressure on each other to get “back to normal.” So women, let's stop. Let's stop looking, judging and especially commenting! It's OK to be concerned about someone's health and if you want to compliment them by all means go ahead! But please don't comment negatively on a fellow momma's post-baby body.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">“Becoming a parent is a lot like breaking up with yourself” (p.86) </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Yes! Amen, sister. This is something after 18 months I'm still coming to terms with. But the sooner you get over the break-up, the happier you'll be! Everyone mourns the loss of their old life in their own way, because life is never the same again after having children. It's not a bad thing; it's an adjustment. How long it takes to adjust depends on the person. </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Lisa-Jo also expressed, </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">“As much as we crave shortcuts or explanations or formulas, one day will end and another will begin, and it will be different until it isn't. Until it starts to slowly make sense and we've found our balance.” (p. 83). </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> To which I laughed because it seems every time we adapt and start to find a rhythm and balance, it all changes again. You finally understand their newborn schedule and then they start teething.... you get used to that and then they learn to crawl....then they learn to walk... and so on. Kids are always changing and adapting and we need to change and adapt with them. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;">“But this—this was a new rhythm, and my body was awkwardly fumbling toward the beat.” (p.90) </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> While I'm not as cluelessly overwhelmed as 18 hours into motherhood,
I am still awkwardly fumbling 18-months into it. And some weeks you hobble through. AND THAT'S OK. You're not alone. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The first paragraph on p. 113 had me nodding and agreeing aloud as I read. She explains how all-consuming being a stay-at-home mom is. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;"> “You dread the 'what did you do today?' question as you rack your brain to come up with more than, 'clean up after the kids.'”</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Yes, Lisa-Jo, thank you! and also in my case, “chase after my son.” Being a stay-at-home mom is the most underpaid and unappreciated job there is! </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Lisa-Jo beautifully explained an experience she had in church with her son on page 128. As she held him and they had a love-moment during worship she began to understand God's love on a deeper level. This is one that I've gotten to know over the last 18-months and it's really helped me in my ministry. </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> People will come to me and express how they are unworthy of God's love. How they've messed up too much, gone too far, ran out of chances, and the building would surely fall down around them if they walked in. But here's something parents know-- no matter what their child does, they still love them. A parent's love for a child is unconditional. And the same is true for God. We are God's children and no matter what we've done we can be forgiven if we're sorry. God loves us like a parent loves their child times infinity. I contemplate on how much I love my child and I am overwhelmed to think that God loves me like this and even more! </span><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>If you ever wonder if God loves you, the answer is, *more than you can possibly imagine.*</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> One of things I really love about this book is that Lisa-Jo also shows the dark side of parenting. The messy bits that people don't talk about or even like to admit. Such as this:</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;"> “Sometimes you don't realize you have a temper until you have kids...There's no rage like the exhausted rage of motherhood. These are the things they don't talk about in the parenting books or playgroups or coffee dates.” (134) “It's easy to let the temper pour out of you like a hot rush of lava...With clenched fists and jaw and gut, you have a wild meltdown easily as irrational as your kids'.” (135). </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> These are the grown-up temper tantrums no one tells you about. And I believe type-A-controlling-type moms are especially susceptible to them. Us moms with control issues have to learn quickly that we can't control others. We can parent our children, but when they do something outside what we want or expect, a temper tantrum is not going to make the situation any better. Children like to control us and one way they do that is by doing something they aren't suppose to to get us to do that temper-tantrum thing again.</span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Parenthood is an amazing responsibility that changes us in ways we never thought imaginable. It teaches us things about ourselves that we couldn't have known without this experience, even things that seem so obvious after-the-fact. It shows us how truly deep love can go. With any transformation it stretches you, alters you and you can never go back to who you were before.
A good summation is what Lisa-Jo said toward the end of the book: </span><br />
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;"> “I don't know who these children will grow up to be. But I know that they have grown me up and dragged me out of myself. I have the scars to prove it.” (p.193).</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="color: #0b5394;">Thank you Lisa-Jo for such a beautifully honest book. </span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-47803486739058711752014-04-04T13:06:00.003-07:002014-04-11T06:54:08.493-07:00FellowshipI was reading another blogger and she wrote about fellowship. At the bottom she asked readers what fellowship meant to us. http://raisingamommy.blogspot.com/2014/03/fellowship<br />
<br />
This really got me thinking...<br />
<br />
<br />
Fellowship is a beautiful thing. It's something I'm finding less and less in church and more and more with religious friends...does that make any sense? (It's certainly found in church, but it's harder for pastors, I think). <br />
<br />
Fellowship is bearing your soul to others and them accepting it...drying your tears, offering a prayer or Communion. Fellowship is friends feeling free enough to bear their soul to you... and when the tears are dried, continue EATING! It's laughing and talking about those things you couldn't talk about with anyone else. It's about taking care of each other. It's about getting to know each other...really...on a deep level.<br />
<br />
It's about talking God. Not just Scripture or religion....but GOD. <br />
<br />
It's about celebrating with each other when we're up and mourning with each other when we're down. It's about being there. It's about caring how your interview went...what your test result was... how your grandma is doing... how your house search is coming along... and so much more. <br />
<br />
Fellowship is about community building in a world that is seriously lacking community. I miss the fellowship I had in seminary. Almost every picture that came to mind while writing this was time I spent with the women I went to seminary with. <br />
<br />
Fellowship is something I need to be more intentional about finding and including in my life. Fellowship is healing and joyful. Fellowship is a piece of a full life. <br />
<br />
What does fellowship mean to you and where do you find it?Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-33997621042218497752014-04-04T12:20:00.002-07:002014-04-04T13:14:19.912-07:00Five Minute Friday-- Writer <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
It's another Lisa-Jo Baker Five Minute Friday http://lisajobaker.com/ (she just wrote an awesome book)--- write for five minutes on the word given. Today's word: Writer. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
What does it mean to be a “writer?”
Does it mean you have to be published? Does it mean you have to have perfect grammar? Does it mean you need your
peers approval or better yet acclamation to bear the title? Do you
have to get paid to do it?</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Or can it just be a hobby? One you may
or may not be any good at but brings you joy...or at least
satisfaction... I've never really considered myself a writer. But
now writing is a large portion of my job. Does that make me a
writer? I don't know. But I like to do it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I think a writer is one who records
thoughts, stories, events, emotions and more. Many people do it really well.
Many writers are able to touch their readers and change them. If I
can do this even for one person, I would be happy. But in the
meantime, I enjoy recording thoughts, stories, events and emotions.<br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<a href="http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/" title="Five Minute Friday"><img src="http://lisajobaker.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/5minutefriday.jpg" alt="Five Minute Friday" title="Five Minute Friday" style="border:none;" /></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-65205912844682043882014-04-01T08:09:00.001-07:002014-04-01T08:14:34.607-07:00Surprised By Motherhood <div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
One of my favorite bloggers, Lisa-Jo Baker (and I
almost said friend, because honestly when you're a part of her
community she makes you feel that way) wrote a book, “Surprised By
Motherhood” and it comes out today. I read the first three
chapters and they were amazing. I get to read the rest of it when my
amazon pre-order shipment comes. I will impatiently wait until
tomorrow or possibly Thursday for it to arrive.
<a href="http://lisajobaker.com/surprised-by-motherhood/">http://lisajobaker.com/surprised-by-motherhood/</a>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
In the meantime, Lisa-Jo asked women to
write on their blogs what has surprised us about motherhood. Here
is what has surprised me about motherhood:
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">First,
I have a secret.....I never really wanted kids. I didn't think I'd
have any. But one day I got a negative pregnancy test (wasn't
trying) and I felt....disappointed. I was surprised. I was
surprised that my so-not-a-kid-person self would be disappointed to
receive a “not yet” from a pregnancy test. And is that a tear?!
Yes, I even mourned the loss of this child that never even was. This
dream of a child I conjured in my head. I was surprised I wanted to be a mom. That's when my husband and I
started really talking about our future as parents. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">I
had/have a number of medical conditions that caused doctors to tell
us it may not happen and if it does it will take a while and/or be a
difficult pregnancy and delivery. Well we got pregnant on our first
try! Surprise! And it was a difficult pregnancy and delivery (68
hour labor....yes....that happened). </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">I
was surprised I did it. That I could do it. After everything the
doctors told me, after every anxious, paranoid thought that ran
through my mind, after all the sleepless nights, I did it. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">I
went to school for 20 years and received two degrees with honors.
After ALL that work, years and years of work, I was surprised to
realize that I consider my son to be my greatest accomplishment. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">During
my pregnancy and especially after, I was surprised to find how deep
love goes. I could never, ever, possibly imagine loving someone the
way I love my son. There is no explaining it. It changed me. And
somehow I fall more in love with him everyday. Just when you think
you couldn't love someone more, you do. I am surprised at how much I
kiss him – sometimes just to get a whiff of that amazing scent
(seriously, can we find a way to bottle that?) </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">I
was also surprised to find how all-consuming it is. There is no
break. No off-switch. No spring break or summer vacation. Even
when my husband and I go on a rare date, I still worry about him,
think about him, talk about him. I continue to be surprised at how
this so-not-a-kid-person could want to spend so much time with a kid.
As much as I ache for a break at times, if I'm away from him for a
few hours I miss him. Really. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">There
are new surprises everyday. His first smile, the first time he
rolled over (naked), his first tooth, the first time he crawled
(naked), the first time he laughed, the first time he pulled himself
up (naked), the first time he said mama, the first time he walked
(naked), the first time he exclaimed, “I did it!” I feel so
proud of him everyday. (I also feel frustrated, overwhelmed, joyful,
and about 50 other emotions in the course of a day). </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">I've
learned that you can't know what the future holds because motherhood
never stops surprising you. I was all excited for today, to write
this blog and launch my own project-- “365 Days to a more
Fulfilling Life” (found here: <a href="http://learningtogrowdaringtolove.blogspot.com/2014/04/365-days-to-more-fulfilling-life.html">http://learningtogrowdaringtolove.blogspot.com/2014/04/365-days-to-more-fulfilling-life.html</a>) and then in the middle of the night my son woke up with a 103.4
fever, the highest it's ever been and I. Was. Terrified. Motherhood
is not something you can learn in books, it's something you learn on
the job. You could read in a book what to do if your child has a
high fever, but it's another thing completely to feel your too-warm
baby and see 103.4 staring back at you on the thermometer. </span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13pt;">Not
knowing what the next day or even the next hour will bring can be
exhilarating or terrifying. But I am trying to live in the moment.
To enjoy it, savor it, count my blessings and thank God for them.
Motherhood is full of surprises and I take them – good or bad –
one day at a time. </span>
<br />
<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Dhgeiplebs/UzrXzBE95bI/AAAAAAAAAO0/zCaep-m-4io/s1600/SurprisedByMotherhood_Pin_01_Opt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_Dhgeiplebs/UzrXzBE95bI/AAAAAAAAAO0/zCaep-m-4io/s1600/SurprisedByMotherhood_Pin_01_Opt.jpg" height="320" width="243" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: 13pt;"><br /></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-91187418688633316972014-04-01T07:59:00.000-07:002014-04-11T06:54:08.495-07:00365 Days to a more Fulfilling Life <div align="CENTER" style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #990000;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">This
year during Lent I decided to try something new. I found a list of
spiritual practices and did one each day. I enjoyed the list so
much, I didn't want it to end when Lent was over. But I wanted the
list to incorporate other aspects of life as well, not just
spirituality. I wanted to follow a list that would make life more
fulfilling and enjoyable. <b> </b>So
I created this list.<b> </b> It starts on April 20, 2014 and
ends April 19, 2015. This is a list I am going to do my best to
stick with and I'm hoping others will join me. Following the Lenten
list was fulfilling, but would have been even more so if I had been
following it with a group. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">If
you are interested in joining me in the this year-long project,
here's some information before you get started.</span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">The list begins with “Attend an
Easter Service” but it is not an exclusively Christian list. You
will find holy days from many of the major world religions on the
list.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">You do not have to stick with the
order exactly as it's presented, but some days are date-specific,
such as August 10th's “Check out tonight's super-moon.”
Obviously life happens and you won't be able to do everything on the
list-- for instance you have to go to a wedding on the day it says,
“play golf.” If you have a completely full day or an emergency
and you don't get to that arts and crafts project, it's
understandable. If you miss a day, a week or even a month, don't
beat yourself up, just pick it back up when you're ready.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">Due to medical conditions and
physical limitations not everyone will be able to do everything on
this list (like ice skating). Please don't attempt anything you
aren't able to do.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">Each month includes, “Do one
random act of kindness.” These are for you to decide. Some
examples would include: paying the toll for the person behind you,
getting someone coffee who isn't expecting it, making your partner
breakfast in bed, etc...</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">There is also a charitable
donation day every month. I know everyone is in different financial
situations, please give what you are able, even it's $5.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">Some items will need planning, so
make sure you read ahead.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">At the end of each month there is
a writing exercise. Just sit down and write anything that comes to
mind on that word. Don't edit it; just write for five minutes. You
don't have to show it to anyone; it's just for you to reflect on.</span></li>
<li><span style="color: #741b47;">I hope this list brings you a
more fulfilling life. Enjoy and God bless! </span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
</ul>
<br />
<ul></ul>
<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #351c75;"> <u style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">April</u></span></span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Attend an Easter Service.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Write about where you think this list will take you and how it will
change you. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Watch funny videos on youtube</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Do something nice for a secretary (if you don't know one, do
something nice for someone else). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Write yourself three letters, one to be opened in 1 year, 5 years, 10
years. Write where you think you'll be by that time. Ask yourself
questions. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Do a random act of kindness</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Exercise 3x for 10 minutes throughout the day. (30 minutes total)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Learn more about Passover (the Jewish holiday that just passed). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Don't compare yourself to anyone else today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Buy an extra umbrella and give it to someone who doesn't have one.
If it's not raining today, save this one for a rainy day. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Write for five minutes on the word: “family.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>May</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Learn more about May Day.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Post status: “What's the funniest movie you've ever seen?”
Choose one from the replies and watch one of them. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Do nothing for 5 minutes.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Grab a paper and pen. Write down the first 10 things that come to
mind: What's most important to you?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Happy Cinco de Mayo. Have a Mexican feast and learn more about
Mexico. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Thank a nurse.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Write someone a letter.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Eat vegetarian today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Know that country you've heard of, know nothing about and couldn't
even place on a map? Look it up, learn about it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Play in the dirt/Garden </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Dance today and thank the mothers in your life. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Find time to relax today, even if you have to hide in the bathroom to
do so.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Pretend the power is out. Use electricity only when necessary
(fridge, medical items)... </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Learn more about Vesak. Meditate or visit a Buddhist Temple.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Buy bubbles and sidewalk chalk.... play with them, then leave the
rest on the sidewalk with a sign that reads: “free—enjoy
spring!”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Bake a cake from scratch.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Write
down where you see yourself in 5 years. If you have a partner, ask
them to do the same. Talk about it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Don't multitask technology (no playing on your phone/computer while
watching TV)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Learn more about those that are differently-abled (blind, deaf,
paralyzed...)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Do a random act of kindness </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Clean out your closet, junk drawer, basement... wherever your dumping
ground may be.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Put money in your savings account.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Find something cool to do in the next town, city, or state. Go do
it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Play ball with friends or go to the batting cages.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Pray for children, particularly missing children and victims of
violence. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Pray for soldiers, veterans and their families. Pray for victims of
war. Pray for peace.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Donate to your favorite charitable organization. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-Give
urself, a grammar refresher too make; sure your using the write words
and punctuation? :) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Go for a walk and introduce yourself to a neighbor.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Tell someone stories from your childhood.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Write for five minutes on the word: “happiness.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>June</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Donate diapers, wipes or formula to someone in need.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Draw the Divine, then look up “God” artwork and see how other
people imagine the Divine.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Think about everything you throw away today—could it be recycled or
donated? Are there reusable alternatives? </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Buy yourself some new sheets.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Watch youtube videos that teach the basics of a foreign language.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Go to the library.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Host a pot luck meal and ask friends to bring a dish from their
heritage-- celebrate diversity deliciously. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Notice where God is working in your life. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Go outside, look up at the sky, look around and find something of
beauty you haven't noticed before.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Read a best seller.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Set a goal, write down the steps you need to take, start today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
What's that thing you remember being bad at but haven't tried in a
while? Try it again.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Watch improv everywhere videos on youtube.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Go on a fancy date or a night on the town with friends.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Thank the fathers in your life.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
No added sugar/artificial sweetener day.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Learn more about where your clothes came from. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Do a random act of kindness</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Read at a local library (either read aloud to kids or just something
to yourself) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Learn more about the issues in West Virginia. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Play a game you loved as a kid (dodgeball, kickball, bells out, laser
tag) – Enjoy Summer!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Plant something (either literally or creatively) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Leave a gift card at the gas pump.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Eat vegan today </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Donate your old magazines </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Go on a picnic, look at the clouds.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Watch one of your favorite shows.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Go to a game-- whether it's Little League or Major League (or watch
one on TV). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Learn more about Ramadan. Fast for one meal. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Write for five minutes on the word: “adventure.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>July</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
What are the funniest memories you can think of? Share one with
somebody. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Buy someone flowers </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Go on a weekend trip. If you can't afford it, look at pictures of a
foreign country and learn more about their culture.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Enjoy fireworks </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Ride on something you don't usually ride on (bike, skates, bus,
train, boat)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Do a random act of kindness</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Leave your comfort zone today</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Take a walk, really notice things </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Thank your favorite teacher</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Drink only water as your beverage today</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Research the difference among: conventional, organic, and local
foods. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Spend time with friends or family </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Say sorry for something you've done in the distant or recent past</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Get a map of the U.S.A., close your eyes, point. Learn more about
that state. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Grab paper and pen, set a timer for 5 minutes; write down what you
are thankful for. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Read “Half the Sky” or another book that will change your world
view (if you aren't much of a reader, it's now a documentary). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Contemplate: If you had to get a tattoo, what would it be? Why?
Draw it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Write a letter to a child (they like the attention). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Go (mini) golfing</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Start a DIY project (do-it-yourself)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Pray for the people that are the most challenging for you to love. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Forgive someone.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Try a new food.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
No processed food day</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Go to a religious service outside your own faith this weekend.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Host a charity car wash or other function (if you really can't plan
something like this, encourage others to join you in donating to
charity on the 29<sup>th</sup>). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Watch your favorite childhood movie.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Reconnect with your partner (or other close friend/family member). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="firstHeading"></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">29-
Learn about <span lang="en">Eid
al-Fitr. Give to charity (perhaps the money you raised on the 26</span><sup><span lang="en">th</span></sup><span lang="en">?)
</span></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Don't go on the internet today unless you absolutely have to. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Write for five minutes on the word: “healing.” </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>August</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Read some jokes and tell one.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Be kind to your body (treat yourself to a massage, stretch, take a
bubble bath).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Exercise outside</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Go to a one-time ceramics class (or a Color-Me-Mine sort of place). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Snail mail a birthday card. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Eat a Popsicle/freeze pop/water ice...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Do a random act of kindness</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Read the local paper and pray for the people and situations. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Go to the beach or a pool (or just splash in the bath tub).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Check out the super-moon tonight.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Learn more about plastic island (The Great Pacific Garbage Patch) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Buy something for someone who isn't expecting it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Go to the magazine rack, pick one at random. Read it, learn
something new.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Use less water today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Buy a dozen flowers and hand them out to random people, say something
nice. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Do something that makes you smile. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Enjoy your food! Don't scarf it down or eat on the go. Savor it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Give thanks for love. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
You know that thing you've always been meaning to try? Get started!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Ask your friends to tell you about their faith. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Do something kind for a senior citizen.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Move your furniture, attempt feng shui... or at least dust. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Go on a day trip.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Watch old family videos or pull out the slide projector.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Check out stumbleupon.com</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
If possible, find out what your grandparents/ great-grandparents did
for a living.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Pull up a map of Asia, close your eyes, point to a country. Learn
more about it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
You know that item that's been on your to-do list forever? (organize
box of old photos, clean the garage..) Do it! </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Set this as your status: “What
is your favorite charity?” Donate to one of them. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Challenge yourself today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Write for five minutes on the word, “wholeness.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>September</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Host a get-together or take food to the one you're invited to.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Light a candle. Watch it for 5 minutes. Try not to think sbout
anything else. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Know that bad habit you've been meaning to quit? (smoking, knuckle
cracking, gossiping) Today's Day 1. Congrats, Good Luck. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Listen to a musical artist you've never listened to before. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Do a chore for a neighbor (carry groceries, mow lawn, rake leaves)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Visit a historical site.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Spend time with grandparents or reminiscing about them. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Look into composting.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Check out old files on your computer (papers you wrote in college,
old pictures or videos).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Forgive your past. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Try your hand at something creative like: painting, drawing,
sculpting, knitting, sowing, quilting, paper mache, scrapbooking,
woodworking, etc...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Google “art” and find your new favorite artist.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Talk to someone you might not have talked to before. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Give thanks for miracles. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Donate to a children's charity.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Read
an old journal or start writing one (at least one entry). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Eat breakfast food for dinner.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Do a random act of kindness </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Take 10 minutes for yourself today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Go to a wine or food tasting (do chocolate tastings exist?)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Go for an evening walk.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Google “funny.” Enjoy what you find, share the laughs.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Enjoy Fall!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Educate yourself on racism.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-Go
on pinterest.com and see what all the fuss is about or make a board
if you are already a pinner.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Learn more about Native American history and culture. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Go pumpkin/apple picking (if you live somewhere that doesn't have
this, find something fun to do in your town). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Bake a pie. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
If you have kids, do some arts and crafts, if not, do some arts and
crafts. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Write for 5 minutes on the word: “excitement.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>October</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Encounter an animal today (maybe not a bear...perhaps a turtle). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Consider switching something to organic.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Celebrate love</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Learn about Yom Kippur and Eid Al-adha. Pray, repent, give food to
those in need. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Buy an outfit/item of clothing that makes you feel great. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Donate to a foreign cause.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Go somewhere beautiful </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Call an old friend </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Get a map of South America, close your eyes, point. Learn more about
that country. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Practice an attitude of gratitude. Say thanks for everything you
have, even simple things like working lights and an extra roll of
toilet paper. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Go to a museum.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Do your best to get 8 hours of sleep.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Learn more about your ancestry/culture.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Get creative with food today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Learn more about learning disabilities.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Pray for the people and situations in the news.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Ask your friends what causes are most important to them.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Think of someone who has done a lot for you. Ask them to dinner. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Try a form of exercise you've never tried before.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Congratulate yourself for making it half way through the list! </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Take a bath-- dim the lights, put on relaxing music, use scented bath
oil or salts, enjoy. (A long shower is fine too).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Look for ways you can use less electricity (turn off lights when not
in the room, unplug chargers when not in use, etc) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Educate yourself about Diwali and celebrate it if possible. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Do an arts and crafts project or bake something.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Go to a thrift shop.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Check out pictures/videos of the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Do a random act of kindness</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Enjoy the leaves...rake them, take a walk in them...if there aren't
any, look at pictures of leaves or make some leaf art. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Write for five minutes on the word: “live (or life)”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Play a harmless prank on someone who would appreciate it (example:
put a 7 foot blow up Santa in someone's bathroom). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Dress up for Halloween.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>November</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Rent a movie, have a low-key night in.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Exercise while watching a show or while doing something else.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Donate to a national non-profit.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Vote.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Give a kid a dollar for their piggy bank.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Celebrate life.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Go on an adventure outside.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Have a painting party or just spend time with friends.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Read a religious/spiritual article.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Invest in a better pillow (or if yours in already awesome, upgrade
something else). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Bake your own bread</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Do a crossword puzzle </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Check out freecycle</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Smile at everyone you encounter</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Make a Thanksgiving centerpiece </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Do a jigsaw puzzle </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Learn more about endangered species </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Do something silly today </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Read the comics</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Eat gluten free today</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Clean off/out your nightstand</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Go ice skating</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Donate to the local food pantry or soup kitchen</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Take five minutes to just notice your breathing</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Be more open minded today; put yourself in others' shoes. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Teach yourself how to do something using youtube, ehow, wikihow...</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Give thanks</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Do a random act of kindness</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Hug your loved ones and tell them you love them</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Write for five minutes on the word: “giving.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>December
</u></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Check out etsy.com, consider ordering something to support a small
business.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
It's Giving Tuesday-- donate to charity </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Pull up a map of Europe, close your eyes, point to a country, learn
more about it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Donate a toy to a children's home or a family in need (If you're on
a budget, Dollar stores usually have dollar toys and Toys for Tots
bins). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Do a science experiment like you did when you were a kid (with a kid
is even better)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Celebrate St. Nicholas Day</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Look at pictures/video of the universe and marvel at its
awe-someness.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Set this as your status: “What was your favorite book as a child?”
or “What is your child's favorite book?” Choose one from the
replies and buy it for a child. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Find a new recipe and try it out.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Make sure you have some fun today!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Challenge your friends to a contest of some sort. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Make shadow puppets</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Do something silly like sing karaoke or play bingo.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Look into eco-friendly wrapping options.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Do a random act of kindness </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Pray for the people and situations on a news site or your facebook
feed</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Listen to a genre of music you don't think you'd like.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Reread your favorite book. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Eat comfort food. Don't worry about the calories. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Put money in your piggy bank; start one if you don't have one.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Enjoy Winter! </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Take a walk outside.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
What comes to mind when you hear the word activist? Contemplate on
your results. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Attend a Christmas Eve service or learn more about the true meaning
of Christmas. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
If you are Christian, make sure to include Jesus in your day and have
fun. If you are not, have a nice day while all those Christians are
at their family gatherings. :) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Learn more about Kwanzaa.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Floss.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Buy someone a meal.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Don't multi-task today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Write for five minutes on the word: “health.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Think back on the past year. Learn from your failures, forgive
yourself for where you fell short, say thank you for your blessings,
take a moment to revel in the goodness. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>January
</u></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Set a resolution that serves you that you'll actually keep. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Check out edx.org </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Read your friends' blogs. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Use a crock pot if you have one, if not, make homemade soup.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Look into classes for something you're interested in.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Attempt Yoga, Pilates, Tai Chi or Qigong </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Give someone that gift card you'll never use (maybe a broke college
student or a struggling family) </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Visit your local recycling center or just learn more about
recycling/upcycling/freecycling</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
LAUGH!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Do something nerdy today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Eat five servings of fruits and veggies.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Do someone's chore.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Meditate for 5 minutes.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Make someone a meal.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Go for a walk outside.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Pull up a map of Africa, close your eyes and point. Learn more about
that country.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Learn a new word today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Turn the heat down one degree.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
MLK Jr. Day-- Volunteer somewhere. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Get crafty!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Don't consume caffeine or alcohol today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
No
complaining today.. Every time you feel negativity surfacing, replace
it with positivity. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Do something local (go see a game, a band, etc).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Do a random act of kindness.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Go to the movies or rent one.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Take the Myers-Briggs personality test.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Donate supplies to a local school.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Learn basic ASL signs.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Say a prayer .</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Clean the laundry room/area (if you go to the laundromat, leave a
couple extra quarters on the machine). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Write for five minutes on the word: “faith.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><u>February
</u></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Watch the sun rise or set</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Watch Groundhog Day</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Make someone a heartfelt gift </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Learn more about civil rights</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Do a random act of kindness </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Wear Red, learn more about heart health </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Read or listen to an opinion different from your own </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Remember a loved one who has passed. Ask others to tell you stories
about them. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Try a guided meditation</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Exercise for 30 minutes </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Call or visit someone you haven't seen in a while</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Make Valentines </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Read some quotes about peace and pray for it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Give Valentines out to everyone you encounter.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Educate yourself on Nirvana Day. Meditate or visit a Buddhist Temple
today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Donate blood or bone marrow or donate money to a disaster
organization like ARC or UMCOR</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Eat Doughnuts or Pancakes </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Make time for spiritual practice today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Learn more about Chinese culture, Happy New Year!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Cut down on junk mail. Cancel subscriptions to catalogs you never
use or also get through email.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Know that person you've been meaning to see? Go see them!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Don't shop today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Build a fort or something else that reminds you of childhood. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Listen to sacred music.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Watch a movie-- let someone else choose it.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Ask an older family member to tell you stories you've never heard
before. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Write for five minutes on the word: “regrets.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Have a themed night.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>March</u></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-
Find a new recipe and try it out </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Learn more about women's issues and donate to a non-profit that
serves women. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Watch a documentary.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Post a message on an old friend's Facebook wall (or call, text, send
a card). </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-
Celebrate Purim</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Don't use disposable products today.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-
Pick up the check for someone at a restaurant or diner.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
What's the funniest movie you've ever seen? Watch it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Donate time, money or items to a local charity/religious
organization.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Play hide and go seek.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Listen to a CD/album from your youth.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Sing in the shower...go on...belt it out.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Clean out your car.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Go bowling.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Set status, “What is your favorite book/blog/video game/movie/TV
show?” (whichever you are most interested in): choose one to
read/play/watch. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Make a photo album or a DVD of home movies. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Go for a walk in a park.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Support a local business.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Learn something new.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">20-
Enjoy Spring! </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">21-
Play board games.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">22-
Write a bucket list and check out bucketlist.org</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">23-
Go to a comedy club.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">24-
Spring clean your facebook friend list.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">25-
Educate yourself on past slavery.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">26-
Do a random act of kindness.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">27-
Check your blood pressure and BMI: Are they where you want them to
be?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">28-
Educate yourself on current slavery.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">29-
Give sincere compliments.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">30-
Read a religious/spiritual magazine, book or blog. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">31-
Write for five minutes on the word: “soul.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><u>April
</u></span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">1-Play
with play doh</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">2-
Wash someone's feet </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">3-
Face a fear.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">4-
Have a low-key day with family.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">5-Tell
someone about your faith.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">6-
Educate yourself on sexism.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">7-Pull
up a map of the world, close your eyes, point to a country, learn
more about it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">8-
Donate to goodwill, church flea market or thrift shop.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">9-
Pull out your old yearbooks (or pictures) and reminisce.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">10-
Do a random act of kindness.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">11-
Go hiking on a trail.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">12-
Make someone a card.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">13-
Re-try a food you remember not liking. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">14-
Think about the issue you feel most strongly about-- now research and
argue the other side to yourself. How did it make you feel? What
did you learn? Did it change the way you feel about the people who
hold a differing opinion?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">15-
Pick a random friend and compliment them.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">16-
Turn off the water while brushing your teeth.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">17-
Watch a funny movie with a group of friends (or family).</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">18-
Write for five minutes on the word: “Goal” </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">19-
Reflect on your favorite moments from the list, how it has changed
your life and how you want to incorporate items from the list into
your life.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="color: #351c75;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Celebrate!
You've completed the list!! </span>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-3185197655002886802014-03-29T05:56:00.001-07:002014-03-29T05:57:09.045-07:00Five Minute Friday-- MIGHTYThis is another Lisa-Jo Five Minute Friday (write for 5-minutes on the word she gives, no editing). <br />
<br />
But before I begin.... she has a book coming out and if the rest of it is as good as the three chapters I read, this will be going on my "beloved book list." <br />
<br />
http://lisajobaker.com/ <br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">OK-- Mighty. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First thing that comes to mind is the shirt my brother and sister-in-law just bought for my son. It has a picture of a dinosaur on it and it reads, "Be Mighty." And boy is he mighty. He fills a mighty part of my life with his mighty presence. He is a beautiful masterpiece of our mighty God and I thank God for allowing me the mighty honor to be his mother. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">On a completely different note--- the other thing that came to mind when I thought of mighty is my next blog post. I have been working on a project that I am going to launch very soon, possibly even today. I am just trying to figure out the right name for it. The project is a mighty undertaking and I'm hoping others will join me in it. It is a 365-day list filled with prompts that will lead to a more fulfilling life. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Check back for that blog post very soon. I am excited to share it with you. </span><br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-47985357975532963932014-03-22T05:44:00.003-07:002014-03-22T05:50:48.030-07:00Five Minute Friday-- JOYfully Simple MomentsAnother Lisa-Jo, 5 minute Friday.... http://lisajobaker.com/ (she has an amazing book coming out--check it out)<br />
except I didn't get a minute to sit at my computer yesterday-- you all know what that's like!<br />
<div>
Write for five minutes on the word given. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<b><span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">Joy.</span></b></div>
<div>
<b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div>
When I think of joy I think of that overwhelming feeling you get when something wonderful happens and you you feel so overwhelmed with emotion you don't think your mortal body can contain it. Those big moments, like when you marry your soul mate, get a positive pregnancy test, graduate from school.... </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
but we are cheating ourselves if we think those are the only times we feel joy. I realized this week we can feel a profound sense of joy in simple, everyday moments. For example, I felt a peaceful content joy when I was sitting in bed holding my sleeping husband's hand while nursing my son. It was so simple but so wonderful to just en<i>joy </i>that moment. We look back on life and know we were happy, but sometimes we can't remember specifically what made us happy. These moments are fleeting, enjoy them while you can. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-4267818841716461642014-03-09T15:11:00.001-07:002014-04-11T06:54:08.490-07:00Lover of the Written Word<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
You are what you read. Of course books
alone do not create a person, but looking at a person's bookshelf can
tell you a lot about them. It tells you their interests, their
worldview, their sense of adventure, their hobbies, where they are on
life's journey...
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
My husband calls me a book hoarder; I
prefer bookworm, nerd, lover of the written word...
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #181818;">In one of the books I memorized when I was a kid, </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">Dr. Suess</span><span style="color: #181818;"> said, </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“The
more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you
learn, the more places you'll go.” </span> I've been an avid reader from a young age, and that message has stayed with me. </div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Here are some titles that have formed
me.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Books that I picked up and couldn't put
down.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Books that changed me when I read them.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWWtLb3KqTM/UxzknuBsTsI/AAAAAAAAAN4/5P0d6RghiaU/s1600/bookspicture.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TWWtLb3KqTM/UxzknuBsTsI/AAAAAAAAAN4/5P0d6RghiaU/s1600/bookspicture.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">Not pictured: <i>Holy Stuff of Life</i>
by Heather Murray Elkins (I don't have my copy here with me)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is not a comprehensive list, I
know I've left some out and to those authors (and to you), my
apologies!</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Books are windows into the worlds of
others.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Real worlds recorded by people living
in them</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Spiritual worlds we attempt to explain</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Ancient worlds we research and write
about</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #741b47; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> Fictional worlds we create in our
minds.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #0b5394;">Books are snapshots of people's views,
stories, lives, horrors, beauty, spirit and so much more.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Some of us, we love to be a part of
that. We love to <span style="color: #134f5c;"><b>read, absorb</b> </span>and be<b style="color: #134f5c;"> changed</b> by others' stories.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Bookworms, nerds, lovers of the written
word, book hoarders...
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Please comment and let me know some of
the stories that have <b><span style="color: #134f5c;">shaped</span></b> you. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-92069928201654631402014-02-28T18:58:00.003-08:002014-02-28T19:42:14.659-08:00Sermon-- Taking Off our Masks and Finding our True Beauty<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">This is the sermon I will be giving on Sunday.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Men--
this sermon is going to sound a lot like it's geared toward the
women at first but bear with me because it's a message that you
need to hear maybe as much as they do. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">OK
girls, ladies, women---</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I
don't know about you, but I feel naked without makeup on! I feel
exposed if someone sees me without it. I know this is true for a
number of us. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">How
did we learn this?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">We
learned it from our moms, aunts, grandmothers, big sisters, cousins,
teachers, mentors, neighbors, role models, who learned it from their
moms, aunts, grandmothers,neighbors, mentors....need I go on?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Remember
when we reached each age we'd get to do something new? When we were
10 we could get our ears pierced, when we were 11 we could shave our
legs and wear lipstick, at 13 we could wear eye liner and mascara and
get our nails done. (Everyone had different rules for different ages
of course, but it was about the same because if our friends were
doing it, we BEGGED our parents to let us do it too!)</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It
went from something fun to experiment with-- trying purple eyeshadow,
red lipstick and glitter nail polish-- to a chore we couldn't live
without. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Here
are some things I've heard or experienced:</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I
would love to have dinner with you, but that's the night I get my
nails done. I really want to see you, but my nails are a mess!”
When did how our nails look become more important than relationships?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Oh
no, I woke up late--- I have 15 minutes to get ready!! Brush hair,
brush teeth, put on deodorant, makeup and clothes, skip breakfast.
When did makeup become more important than sustenance? </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I
remember early on in my relationship with my husband, he stopped by
unannounced and I was still in my pajamas—my hair was frizzy and I
had no makeup on. I nearly died of embarrassment! He claims to like
me better without makeup...I still can't figure out if he really
means it...I mean, really, have you SEEN me without makeup???</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Being
without makeup is something many women can't even fathom! </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Let's
think about the story of Adam and Eve. After Eve eats the fruit, the
story goes like this: </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="en-NRSV-63"></a>
<span style="color: black;">“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Then
the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and
they sewed fig leaves together and made loincloths for themselves.</span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">They
heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden at
the time of the evening breeze, and the man and his wife hid
themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the
trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man,
and said to him, “Where are you?”<b> </b>He said, “I heard the
sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked;
and I hid myself.”<b> God</b> said, “Who told you that you were
naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to
eat?”<b> </b></span></span></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Eve
was not born knowing she was naked, she learned she was naked and was
ashamed. Just like Eve, we girls are not born knowing our faces are
naked, we learn that they are by looking up to the women in our
lives. The women that hide themselves behind their masks of
products. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">While
writing this sermon I came across a video of four women who were
asked to be a part of a Photoshop experiment. Four women modeled in
a professional photo shoot and then were photo shopped, as if the
pictures were going into a magazine. After seeing the pictures they
were shocked at how the photos didn't look like them. This is the
insight they gained from the experience: </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br />“You
look at these ads in magazines and you see these women that look
absolutely flawless, and you think, “I wish I could look like that,
but who really looks like this?” </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">We
live in an interesting time where we feel like we have to make people
look like the standard that's not attainable for anybody.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I
think something that everyone should keep in mind is it's natural to
be critical of yourself, it's natural to be uncomfortable or awkward.
But you have to know that the ideal just doesn't exist.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
“<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Instead
of looking at other things, and trying to aspire to be something else</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">We
should just be comfortable in who we are and just try to be our best
selves.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(here's the video)
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #0000ee; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 21px; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.buzzfeed.com/andrewgauthier/watch-four-women-react-to-being-photoshopped-into-cover-mode</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">The
“models” that girls and women look up to are not real. We are
killing ourselves trying to achieve an unattainable goal. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Please
do not think I am saying wearing makeup is all bad; but hiding behind
it is. If we are not able to leave the house without it, perhaps we
need to take a look at what we value. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Do
we value outer beauty or inner?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Do
we spend more time working on our outer beauty or our inner?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Do
we claim to not have time in the day to read the Bible, do
devotionals, pray, volunteer or call a sick friend and then spend an
hour or more on getting ready –doing our hair, makeup, nails, and
choosing what to wear? Some men are just as bad in this department!
</span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Lent
is a time to go inward... to look inside ourselves, to work on our
inner beauty and our relationship with God. Lent is a time of
cleansing and renewal for our mind, body and soul. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Since
we've already been talking about our physicality, let's continue with
the <b>body</b>-- It's so important to care for our bodies, so that
they can be the optimal vessels to carry out God's will. How many
times has a person health, weight, or being out of shape stopped them
from doing more with their life? Stopped them from going on mission
trips, volunteering in certain capacities, help around the church,
playing with the kids in their life, etc? </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It's
important for us to keep up with exercise and to eat right. Some
denominations go vegan during Lent as a way to cleanse their bodies
and purify themselves. In traditions where people “give something
up” for lent, I've mostly heard of people giving up food.
Chocolate, soda, pizza, meat on Fridays...and so on. This idea of
cleansing the body is deep in our Christian roots. Our minds, bodies
and souls are all connected. When we begin to cleanse one, others
will follow and be affected as well. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Did
you ever hear the phrase, “Change your mind and your life
will follow?” It's because the <b>mind</b> is a powerful thing.
Learning is a wonderful thing. We should all strive to learn
something new everyday. Education opens doors we didn't even know
existed. Learning new things opens the world to us and allows us to
discover more about God and each other.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">We
are all creatures of habit. Much of the way we live is out of habit.
So if we want to lead better lives, we have to change our habits.
We can adopt habits that are more in tune with God. To change our
habits we must cleanse our minds. Meditation can help with this.
There goes that word again! Some people love it, some people hate
it. If you don't think you have time for it, you do. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Set
an alarm for three times a day. Sit in silence for 1-5 minutes to
begin with. Are you like me and can absolutely not clear your mind?
Here's some tips I've pick up along the way--- focus on a word, like,
“peace” “harmony” “love” “light” “mercy”
“compassion,” and repeat that word. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Focus
on your breath, just breathe in and breathe out normally, and simply
notice it. It's a reminder to slow down and remember the most simple
things of life and be grateful for them. Another kind of meditation
is guided meditation-- these are wonderful if you can find the right
ones. They help you to go deeper into yourself and tap into your
innate wisdom. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Which
brings us to <b>soul.</b> It's time to connect with God. Lent is a
reminder to tune out the world and tune in with God. Talk with God.
Say thank you, say sorry, say what am I supposed to do now? Ask God
how to deal with the difficulties of life. Ask God to break you of
your bad habits. Ask God to show you how to incorporate better
habits into your life. Ask God how to stop doing those things that
hurt you and others. Ask God what you can do to better love yourself
and others. Ask God what it is you should be learning next. Go deep
inside this Lent. Learn more about yourself and about God. Don't be
afraid to think outside the box. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Close
your eyes--- picture in your mind-- what is God calling you to do
this Lent? What does God want you to cleanse? How are you supposed
to find renewal?</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">At
the end of Lent, my hope is that this whole congregation turns into
more beautiful people. People who value inner beauty more than outer
beauty, people who work on what they look like and feel like on the
inside. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">That
inner beauty will radiate to the outside and shine more brightly than
any makeup we can put on. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: black;">Let's
show girls and other women that you don't need makeup to be
beautiful. That inner beauty is more important and valuable than
outer beauty.</span><span style="color: black;"> </span>When
we plaster over ourselves, we're hiding our true selves and our true
beauty. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">So
next week on the first Sunday of Lent, I hope you'll consider coming
bare-faced to church—no makeup-- focusing on inner beauty and
showing the next generation of women that they don't have to live
behind a mask. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Thanks
be to God. Amen. </span></span>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-16122454327610734932014-02-28T18:53:00.002-08:002014-02-28T19:42:14.641-08:00Sermon--IdolsThis is a sermon I gave last Sunday about the "idols" we've been making in America--celebrities, technology... Perhaps it's time to rethink our dependence on these things and go inward, looking for God in those quiet places.<br /><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today's
reading is the 10 commandments, but I wanted to focus on one
specifically, “<span style="color: black;">You
shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything
that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is
in the water under the earth.” </span>Another
time idols are mentioned is Leviticus 19: “Do not turn to idols or
make metal gods for yourselves.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Out
of curiosity, I googled “idol” and the first result was the TV
show, American Idol. Other sites it offered me had to do with
celebrities as well. I found that pretty interesting. In America we
turn celebrities into idols and the purpose of the show, American
Idol, is to create a new idol every year. We may not have paid much
attention to the name before, but it takes on a new meaning when you
think of it in the biblical term.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So
many of us idolize celebrities—whether they are actors, singers,
athletes... We follow their lives, we watch all their games, movies,
shows, we have all their music...we want to dress like them, we want
to meet them, we buy the products they endorse. Has anyone ever met
a celebrity? It's true, you get star struck... but aren't they just
a person like you or I?
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Why
do we make idols out of them? What is it about them that attracts us
to them? What is it about them that we want to be more like? Is it
something godly? Or is it something superficial?
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">The
next result google had for me was the dictionary, and the definition
of “idol” according to dictionary.com is:</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">An image used as an
object of worship.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A false god.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">One that is adored,
often blindly or excessively.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Something
visible but without substance.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">After
I read this list, it sounded like celebrities but it also sounds like
a number of other things in our lives.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I
thought of this commandment when I came to the realization that I
idolize my cell phone. I heard in a sermon, “God is closer to you
than your Droid or iphone.” That stuck with me. At first I
thought it was humorous, but then I couldn’t quite get it out of my
head.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Soon
after I heard that sermon, I got a nail in my tire</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">so
I had to go to PepBoys to get it fixed.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">On
the way there, I realized I forgot my cell phone, but I figured this
would be a quick fix...I could go a half hour without my phone. When
I got there the service guy told me it would be a two hour wait.
Immediately I thought, do I really want to wait around for two hours
without my phone? So I said to the guy, “I left my cell phone at
home, I’m going to go get it and then I’ll come back.”
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now
two hours really isn’t that bad of a wait, especially when the
pepboys is in a shopping center. But I hate being without my phone
that much that I drove back home—with a nail in my tire--- to go
get my phone.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">That’s
when I realized that I was a bit too attached to my metal idol.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God
is always with us, God is closer to us than our cell phones, so
shouldn’t we be intentional about being as close to God as we are
to our cell phones, or whatever it is you may idolize? Now I try
to be intentional about spending time with God through prayer, or
noticing the presence of God, but it’s not quite the same. I can
go two hours without thinking about God and not notice, but I can’t
go two hours without my cell phone without noticing.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It's
easy to get sucked into the American way of life of always being
busy, always checking e-mail, facebook, always being available to
people and not being able to sit in silence, and sit with God. How
hard is it for many of us to sit without any distractions?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">We've
gotten so wrapped up in this way of life that we've lost sight of
what's important. We've forgotten as a society how important it is
to take a Sabbath, to spend time with God, to sit in silence with our
own thoughts, to have a meal with family without a cell phone or ipad
distracting us, to simply spend time with real people in real time.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">This
way of life that we've gotten caught up in is not as trustworthy,
beneficial or reliable as God's way of life.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Technology
is not reliable. God is much more reliable. Remember all the Y2K
madness? Everyone was freaking out over what was going to happen if
the computers crashed. We’ve built our lives around computers so
much so that we depend on them and don’t know what to do without
them.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Their
absence causes us anxiety. But do we feel the same about God? Does
the absence of prayer cause us anxiety? Think of what the world
would be like if everyone instead built their lives around loving one
another and depending on God.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">God’s
love for us doesn’t break. We can't drop God's mercy in the
toilet. God's grace can’t get a virus and crash and God surely
does not run out of batteries at the end of the day. God always
takes our calls, God sent us the greatest text message there is: The
Bible, and Google may not have all the answers, but God does.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So
I thought: Why do I idolize my cell phone? Why do I need it all the
time? Are the things I'm reading or playing on there worth my
precious time? Our time is a precious gift from God. It is nice to
relax and watch a funny video or play a game here and there, but when
it's consuming our lives, we are not being good stewards of our time.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I
know I keep talking about cell phones, but you can apply this to
whatever may be consuming your time. Watching TV is another way
Americans spend a lot of their time.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Lent
is approaching and people are often looking for ways to “give
something up.” I've never liked giving something up for no reason.
I like to improve my spiritual practices and if I'm giving something
up in the process, so be it. A technology fast would be something
beneficial to give up in Lent if we replace the time we spent on
technology by spending it praying, reading the Bible, volunteering,
talking or visiting with people, going for walks and enjoying the
beauty that God created. We don't have to give up technology
completely, but we could take one hour of our day when we would have
been on the computer or watching TV and used it for improving our
relationship with God.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">It
is easy to get consumed in the American lifestyle of making idols of
things and people. But Jesus came to show us a different way to
live. To take us out of the culture of the land and show us God's
way. In this upcoming season of Lent, let's unplug. Let's go
inward. Let's spend time in the quiet, listening for the whispers of
God. Looking for the beauty in the small wonders all around us,
meditating and discerning where God wants us to go and wants us to
do. But most importantly, just simply enjoying being in God's
presence without any distractions. </span>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-52361522006243254642014-02-28T09:34:00.003-08:002014-02-28T19:43:00.590-08:00Five Minute Friday--ChooseFiv<span style="background-color: white;">e Minute Friday-- <span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;">This is a Lisa-Jo Baker Five Minute Friday Post. It's simple: she provides a word and people all over the world write non-stop for five minutes about it.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">http://lisajobaker.com/</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fb5e53; line-height: 18.200000762939453px;"><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></span>
This week's word is CHOOSE<br />
<br />
Go.<br />
<br />
Life is made up of a series of choices. One choice leads to another which leads to another and each one brings us to the very point where we are in our lives. These choices do not just affect us, but they affect others as well. People we know and even people we do not. Something as simple as buying a product affects a number people we may never meet in our lives. So the question is-- what kind of choices are we making? Good ones? Ethical ones? Informed ones? We can choose to be informed or to stay ignorant. We can choose to consciously do good or do harm. We can choose to act ethically or unethically. So the choice is yours. What do you choose?<br />
<br />
End. <br />
<br />
Check out this article to get informed about one corporation that is acting unethically and how you can help:<br />
<br />
http://mfsaweb.org/?p=7789 Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-64440632322774572872014-02-09T17:36:00.003-08:002014-02-28T19:42:14.649-08:00Sermon-- Salt & Light <div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">Sermon for Gospel Lesson: Matthew 5:13-20</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">"Salt & Light" </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">You
ARE the salt of the earth, you ARE the light of the world. Jesus
isn't saying, “you can become the salt and light” he is saying,
“you ARE the salt and light.” </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Studies
have been done on children and self-esteem that show for every
negative comment a child hears, they need to hear 10 good ones to
combat it. So if a child is called “bad” long enough, they will
start living into that. </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">If
this science holds true, let us tell people what Jesus tells us in
Matthew 5: You are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the
world. How empowering for a person, especially a child to hear-- you
are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world. Perhaps
if we hear it enough, we will live into it. What a wonderful place
this would be if only we told people from an early age that they are
salt and light. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">There
is this concern in this passage about salt losing its taste and
lights being hidden. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">When
I sing “This little light of mine” to A, he yells
enthusiastically “NO!” when I say, “Hide it under a bushel.”
My hope and prayer is that he will resist the temptation to hide his
light with as much enthusiasm as he gives to singing the NO in the
song! </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">My
hope and prayer is that you do too. So often it's easier to hide our
light rather than let it shine for the world to see. So often it's
easier to remain silent than to speak up for what is right. So often
we let things slide as a “joke” or don't find it worth our breath
to speak up against someone who we think will never change. But that is precisely when we hide our light and begin to lose our
saltiness. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">We
are taught to be racist and sexist. I know, these are words people
hate to hear, but the reality is, like it or not, the world is
plagued by them, so as the salt of the earth and light of the world,
we do need to talk about it. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">In
seminary those of us who were white were asked, “how did you learn
you were white?” This question opened a whole can of worms
because for many it's not easy to pinpoint the exact moment we found
out we were white. We don't like to think that racism and
prejudices were learned, because we like to believe we come from a
good and loving family. And many of us do come from good and loving
families. But racism IS learned. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">Racism
is learned in that side comment that your aunt made, in the “joke”
that your grandpa told, it's learned by not being allowed to go to
“that part of the neighborhood”... and they all seem harmless or
not significant enough when they happen, but when all the little
things build over time, they become a much bigger picture and they
result in one group feeling superior or inferior to another. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"> I
can't pinpoint the moment I found out I was white or female, but in
all the little comments I heard over the years from people inside and
outside my family, I gathered a picture in my mind that I was
superior as a white person and inferior as a girl. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">From
a young age we are told who we can and cannot be. Things are slowly
changing, but we're not quite there yet. Last Sunday was the
Superbowl and we can see examples there. One of the most
controversial commercials from the Superbowl was the Coca Cola ad
where people were singing “America the Beautiful” in many
different languages. People were really outraged over this one. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">There
was also a Cheerios commercial, this is the second of two with Gracie
and her parents. The first was a huge controversy—why? Because
Gracie's mom is white and her dad is black. Many people applaud
Cheerios for breaking down the color barrier and showing a bi-racial
family, and many people were offended to see this. But why? What
are we teaching our children by thinking Gracie's family is something
to be offended by? What are we teaching our children when singing
“America the Beautiful” in many tongues is something to be
offended by? We are teaching them racism. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">Sexism
runs much more rampantly in the Superbowl. There are two obvious
points--- 1) women can't play professional football 2) women are
often seen as sexual objects. Not only as the underpaid cheerleaders on the
sidelines, but also in the commercials. This year wasn't as bad as
other years, but it's still there. Think of GoDaddy commercials of
years past, think of the soda stream commercial where Scarlet
Johansson wants to get the message out about the product so she
strips down to a tight dress, flips her hair and bites on the
straw. There were others but I don't have to explain each one. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">The
car commercials didn't have women drivers, and the car commercial
that showed German engineers getting their wings---did you notice
none of them were women? In this commercial a dad is driving with his daughter. When the car reaches 100,000 miles and he says to her,
“Every time a Volkswagen reaches 100,000 miles a German engineer
gets HIS wings.” That comment may seem small and insignificant, but
it's one piece in a larger puzzle of showing girls what they can and
cannot be. The commercial then cuts to a Volkswagen factory where a
number of male engineers sprout wings. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="line-height: 0.17in;">This
may sound silly and </span><span style="line-height: 16.31999969482422px;">far-fetched</span><span style="line-height: 0.17in;"> but I assure you, it's not. Most of
us were not sat down as a child and told, “this is how to be
racist, this is how to be sexist.” It is something we pick up bit
by bit throughout our lives. </span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">So
as the salt of the earth and light of the world it is our job to
combat these racist and sexist notions at every turn. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">You
are salt of the earth and you are the light of the world. I am not
telling you how to be, I am telling you, you are. And I know many
people might be thinking, “yeah, sure, that's nice” or “wow,
the pastor obviously doesn't know me well!” But I bet you are
better than you give yourself credit for. In fact I challenge you to
keep a Salt and Light record. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> It
doesn't have to be anything long. At the end of each day, write down or just think to
yourself.... what did I do today to be worthy of the title: salt of
the earth, light of the world? How did God help me to help others
today?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;">I
keep a blessings log on and off in which I write, “Today I have
been blessed...” and then finish the sentence. That reminds me to
look for where God has worked in my life...Now I will have to add
this part.... “Today I have been salt and light by...” So I can
record where God has worked in my life <i>and</i> how God has worked
through me in others lives. It's hard for a lot of us to think in
this way because we are taught to be humble and not to boast. But
this log isn't about boasting, it's about empowering ourselves to be
better servants of God. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 0.17in; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For
we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world. As God's
will, let it be so. </span></span>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-26405204891993655242014-01-31T10:00:00.002-08:002014-02-28T19:43:00.584-08:00Five Minute Friday-- HEROThis is a Lisa-Jo Baker Five Minute Friday Post. It's simple, she provides a word and people all over the world write non-stop for five minutes about it. http://lisajobaker.com/2014/01/five-minute-friday-hero/<br />
<br />
This week's word? Hero.<br />
<br />
Go.<br />
<br />
Hero. what a complicated word. growing up in america I immediately think of a war veteran because that's the image that is ingrained in us from an early age. But what else does a hero look like? I'm currently watching the show, "Heroes" and while many of the characters have good hearts, there is one character that always seems to do the right thing-- his name is Hiro. Even if it means saying goodbye to those he loves and risking his own life, he always does what he can to "save the world." Isn't that what a hero is? someone who will do ANYTHING to save the world? what does it mean to save the world? for me, it means to build the Kingdom (or Kin-dom) of God. a hero, a true Christian, is one who will do anything to build the kingdom of God. who among us is brave enough? Sure, many of us have good hearts and give it some effort and do good, but who is brave enough to be like Hiro and risk everything to save the world? To be selfless, to put others first? To put God first?<br />
<br />
End.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-65738211780378106122014-01-22T06:25:00.002-08:002014-02-28T19:42:14.652-08:00Sermon-- Herod, the Holy Innocents & MLK Jr<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />This was my sermon from January 19th. <br /><br />This week we are going to talk about some whom we do not usually find in our nativity sets-- King Herod and the Holy Innocents. <br /><br />Herod was appointed king in 37 BC by the Romans. He was a practicing Jew and they gave him the title, “King of the Jews” because of the amount of Jews under his rule. Historians claim that Herod had a successful and generous reign in part because he oversaw the construction of fortresses, aqueducts and amphitheaters.<br /><br />However, what we know King Herod best for is the rage that he unleashed at the thought of losing his title “King of the Jews.” Whether or not Herod had the children killed is a matter of debate with historians since there is no record of it outside of the Bible. However, I think it is likely that it happened for three reasons, 1) There is record of it in the Gospel of Matthew, 2) The town of Bethlehem had only 20 or less children of that age in it so it's likely this massacre was not large enough to be recorded in historical documents and 3) King Herod had a history of killing those those that threatened his power, including his own wife, three of his sons and mother-in-law. <br /><br /><br />This is a part of the nativity story that many children do not know, but I think it is important for people of any age to know. This is a story I grew up hearing because my elementary school was named after the children that were slaughtered by Herod's command-- those children we call the Holy Innocents. <br /><br /><br />Those children, innocent people, were slaughtered because a man did not want to relinquish his power to the new king of the Jews—even though he didn't even know what that meant, or who that person was. <br /><br /><br />Many people do not even know about these Holy Innocents. These children who were treated unfairly, to say the least, because they were in the way of someone in power. <br /><br />This story is haunting. Surely, if we heard about it happening today, we would do something about it, right? Well, it may not be something as obvious as outright as ordering the deaths of innocent children, but there are injustices being carried out every moment of everyday all over the world and in this country because of people who do not want to lose their power. <br /><br /><br />Today in the United Methodist Church we celebrate Human Relations Day. This day is celebrated the Sunday before Martin Luther King Jr Day. <br /><br />Human Relations Day is a Sunday set aside to raise money and awareness for outreach and social justice. <br /><br /><br />Martin Luther King Jr. not only raised awareness for social justice—specifically racial justice-- he changed things in this country. He was the frontrunner in ending segregation in the south. He received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963 for his work and he was assassinated in 1968. He was slaughtered by those who did not want to relinquish power. <br /><br />Now for someone like me, I grew up thinking this was history. Martin Luther King Jr was assassinated 46 years ago, 18 years before I was born. But the older I get, the more I realize, this isn't history. Many of you were alive for this. Many of you lived through the civil rights era of the 60s. <br /><br />This man said, “no more.” this man decided he could not sit around another minute while people were being taken advantage of by those in power. In his famous “I Have a Dream” speech, Rev. King said, “We refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt...Now is the time to make justice a reality for ALL of God's children.”<br /><br />There is surely still racial injustice in our country and in our world, but the injustice that is truly plaguing the world is the love of money and power. Those with the money have the power. They will do whatever they can to keep their money and to keep their power. <br /><br /><br />There was once a king that slaughtered innocent children in order to get rid of a baby that threatened his rule. King Herod died when Jesus was less than 10 years old; Jesus was never a real threat to his kingship. Jesus grew up to be King of the Jews-- not a politically powerful way—but in a spiritually powerful way. <br /><br /><br />Jesus stood up to and spoke out against anyone who was not living in ways that would build God's kingdom. People like those that had a love of money and power. Those that treated others unfairly and unjustly. Those who put people on the outskirts of society. <br /><br /><br />Jesus had one great commandment and that was to love God and love another. But what does that mean to us today? To politely say hello to someone you meet? To take the trash out with complaining about it? To donate time at a food bank? To come to church?<br /><br /><br />Yes, it, can, but it means so much more. Loving one another means to learn about each other's struggles and do what you can to help. To live ethically. To not support the evil practices that you are aware of. To recognize and combat our own racism, sexism, classism, ageism, ableism, and all of the rest of the isms---anything that makes us think we are better than anyone else---we need to work to recognize them and actively combat them. <br /><br /><br />Everyone of us are God's children whom God created equally—from the President of the United States to the newest AIDS-infected baby born to a woman who was raped in Africa. In God's eyes we are all equal and we need to work to make the world see that too. <br /><br />If a tragedy happened to the world's richest and most powerful, we would surely know about it and yet a blind eye is turned to the world's poor and middle-class that deal with tragedy, famine, injustice, rape, lack of healthcare, and inequality everyday. <br /><br />Let us seek out truth and honesty instead of corruption; let us extend a hand of generosity instead of carrying greed in our hearts; let us find ways to be a part of the solution rather than a part of the problem; A part of kingdom-building rather than one who tears down the work that has been done. Let us have the courage, faithfulness, self-control and diligence to do the right thing in the face of evil-- To live ethically when we become informed of injustice. <br /><br /><br />I say these things because so many of us do not realize when our neighbors are hurting. We are ignorant to the hard truths of the world. We need to seek out the truth, find how we are harming others, directly and indirectly. And when we know, let us not brush it off, ignore it, or rationalize it. Let's change it. Let's make the world a better place, a fairer place. <br /><br />Jesus came to be a teacher of kingdom-building. We celebrated his birth and we celebrated it well-- so let's not drop the ball. Let's do something about this being that came to earth and sacrificed himself so that we may live and build the kingdom so that all may truly live. <br /><br />Let there be peace on earth and let it begin with us. If we begin to learn of the world's problems, we might grow weary and think, “there's nothing I can do.” If everyone thought that, the world would stay the same. But if everyone thought, “I want to love God and neighbor and not harm them” we could change the world. We could build the kingdom. We all have our role to play. <br /><br /><br />“Love one another” it sounds easy, but we know it's not. I know I am not being loving toward my neighbor when I buy things from other countries that aren't fair trade because the workers were not treated fairly. But how difficult is it anymore to find something of reasonable price that is made in America or fair-trade? Jeremy and I are in the midst of going vegan for ethical reasons and it isn't easy to give up cheese and ice cream. It is a struggle. <br /><br />But these things are worth the effort and worth the struggle because I know I'm doing my part to make the world a better place and I ask for God's forgiveness when I fall short. And I know there are still many ways I don't even know I'm harming my neighbors and I ask God's forgiveness for those things as well and ask God to open my eyes to them. <br /><br />Martin Luther King Jr. in his Letter from Birmingham Jail wrote, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.” <br /><br />We are not separate from each other. We are all connected to one other as children of God. It is our duty to love one another and in loving one another, to help one another have a chance at life. And not just a chance, but to live a life of wholeness. Or as our litany stated earlier, to "live simply that others may simply live." Everyone deserves a chance. With God's blessing, let it be so. <br /><br />Amen.</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
(I learned Herod's historical information from many different sources including National Geographic and the BBC). </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-30303637172341358902013-12-30T14:21:00.000-08:002014-02-28T19:43:38.386-08:00Those Helpless Nights<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
If you are a parent, you know the ones
I mean. The first night home from the hospital, the first time they
get a fever, the first time they get their heart broken...</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
Of course I've only experienced the
first two so far.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
I'll never forget the first night we
brought our son home from the hospital. It was like he transformed
into a super-crying baby. Nothing we did could get him to stop crying.
We walked him, fed him, changed him, put clothes on him, took
clothes off him, rocked him, laid him down, picked him up. He just
cried and cried. We didn't know what to do for him. I felt so
helpless, I cried.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
There were a few nights in the weeks to
follow where I felt similar, but not quite as bad. The next time I
felt almost as bad was last night. The first time he had a fever.
It was like time was rewound 15 months. I walked him, fed him,
changed him, put clothes on him, took clothes off him, rocked him,
laid him down, picked him up. He cried and cried and I didn't know
what to do for him. I felt so helpless, I cried.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
These are nights that moms dread, but
have to live through. And as we pace the floors, holding them tight in our arms, whispering comfort
in their ears, we pray. We pray to God that this passes quickly and
they are happy, healthy and whole again.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
This won't be the last time I feel
helpless as a parent, but I hope the next time is a long way off. I
don't look forward to comforting him after the first time his
feelings are hurt because I never want him to feel that pain. But
his mommy will be there for him, God-willing, to do whatever I can to
make him feel better. Even if I feel completely helpless doing it.
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
For all you parents, I hope your
helpless nights are few and far between. And even if you feel all
alone and completely helpless on those long, dark nights, God is
there...pacing with you, holding you, whispering comfort in your
ear. </div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-90915143171101847222013-12-05T14:18:00.001-08:002014-02-28T19:43:38.389-08:00Adventures in Breastfeeding<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">I know not everyone can or wants to
breastfeed. Whatever feeding road you are traveling or have traveled
is just as good as anyone else. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #274e13;">I am writing this post because I
believe breastfeeding my son is one of my greatest accomplishments.
</span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">My reasons for wanting to breastfeed
vary from health benefits, emotional benefits (on both ends since I
was at risk for post-pardum depression) and even financial reasons.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">From day one we had trouble
breastfeeding. My son had latching problems and it was so painful.
All the lanolin, salt-water soaks and artificial nipples couldn't
help the soreness! But I was determined to stick with it, scabs and
all.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">I still remember comparing the pain of
those early days of breastfeeding to child birth. (and since I had
just given birth, it was pretty accurate). I would scream out in
pain when my son latched. The first few seconds where a
blinding, breath-taking pain I can't fully explain. This is one of
the things no one tells you before you start breastfeeding.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">We went to our first well-baby visit
and they were concerned about my son's weight. They said if it
didn't increase in the next few days we'd have to supplement. I was
determined to exclusively breastfeed. So I upped his feedings and
barely slept.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">I tried pumping so I could get some
sleep but I wasn't producing enough. Those nights were brutal. I
was sleeping at most 2 hours before getting up to feed him. It took
about a half-hour to feed him at the time, so I would put on a TV
show to stay awake. (Luckily one channel was having a Golden Girls
marathon for a few weeks). Before I had my soon I needed 9 hours of
sleep to feel rested. In those early months I remember thinking,
“what I wouldn't give for four hours of sleep!”
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">My son was pretty fussy and I was
pretty sore so we went to the Breastfeeding Resource Center and had a
consultation. He did have latching issues. No one ever “taught”
him and I how breastfeeding worked. Sure it's natural, but that
doesn't mean every mom and baby naturally knows how to do it. We got
some pointers and it started going better. His weight increased and
the doctor backed off.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">He fed every hour and a half. I could
not be away from him for more than an hour at a time. I felt like a
prisoner. It was very taxing. It was very lonely. I was living a
half hour from family and 45 minutes away from my job. I guess I
could have taken him out more and fed him in public. While it didn't
make me uncomfortable to BF in public, I could tell it made others
uncomfortable. My husband was always trying to hide me. Most of my
“public” breastfeeding was done in the car.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">When my maternity leave was up I had to
quit my job because I could not continue to work there and
breastfeed. (By this time I gave up on pumping since it took longer
to pump than to breastfeed). Nights were still rough. Many family
members suggested supplementing at night so I could get sleep. But I
didn't want to. I was determined to exclusively breastfeed.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">My husband supported me all along the
way and kept letting me know that he wouldn't blame me for giving up.
He reminded me that again when I got mastitis.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">But I was determined. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">My son was getting very frustrated at the breast and would pull and tug a lot. So I went back
to the BRC for a follow-up consultation to see if there was something
I was doing wrong. Turns out I wasn't producing enough at a time
(which is why pumping didn't work). So for my son to get enough
milk, I had to feed him more often (which of course I was). And do
something they called “super switch” where I'd switch him from
breast to breast multiple times in a feeding. This helped with his frustration. </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">We continued to stick it out. It got a lot easier when he was 6
months and started eating solid food. Alleluia for solid foods!
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">There were a lot of times I sat in
rooms, away from the crowd, feeding my son. And while some might
have thought that wasn't fair to me; secretly, I loved getting away
from the crowd to have a quiet moment alone with my baby.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">I called the BRC again when my son
started teething and learned how to bite! (If you're wondering what
to do—take them off and end the feeding—they are usually done if
they are biting). Thank God for people who felt breastfeeding was so
important they opened the BRC!
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">Originally, my goal was to feed him for
a year and start weaning at around 11 months. In the early months I
wondered how I'd ever make it to 12 months. But as 11 months neared
I realized that not only were we not ready to wean, I didn't really
want to either.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">One day when my husband took him out,
he was asking for milk, so my sister-in-law suggested giving him
cow's milk. They put cow's milk in a sippy cup, gave it to him and
told him it was milk. He took a couple sips, gave them a strange
look and said, “No?” haha, it seems he wasn't quite ready for
cow's milk either.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">Here's a word of hope to those in the
beginning stages of breastfeeding--- it gets easy! Once the babies
get the hang of it, it's quick and easy. If my son isn't tired, it
takes about 5 minutes for him to eat. No set up, no refrigeration,
no cleaning bottles or sippy cups. It's pretty awesome.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">I would say that every feeding is a
beautiful bonding experience, and while some are, at this point it's
pretty routine and the middle of the night ones can get frustrating. The beginning was absolute hell-- we hit so many walls
in the beginning, but we made it through. So I hope this gives hope to mommas out there that are having a
tough time with breastfeeding. If you need to give it up, don't beat
yourself up.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">I know I'm blessed to be able to do
this. It doesn't work out for everyone. It's not always
glamorous... but it is amazing. I never really respected my body
until it conceived, carried, birthed and fed my son. I mean, how
could you not respect something that can do all that? So I may not
look like a bikini model anymore, but my body image is better than
ever.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">Maybe I'm stubborn, maybe I'm
determined, but I can say after almost 15 months, he's never had a
drop of formula. And we're so in sync. Of course when I ask him who
I am, he replies, “milk.” I guess it's true that the way to a
boy's heart is through his stomach! And my heart melts when I ask
him what he wants and he responds, “momma's milk.” </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #274e13;">The most supported I've ever felt was
when a pediatric GI doctor gave me a very enthusiastic high-five for
exclusively breastfeeding my son. It was such a great feeling, so
here's a high five to all of you moms who have stuck it out too. </span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-53148831598153071762013-12-05T06:43:00.005-08:002014-03-09T15:16:12.055-07:00Reflection on He Qi's "The Magi"<div style="border: none; line-height: 0.2in; margin-bottom: 0.1in; margin-top: 0.05in; padding: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 16pt;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Advent
is a time of expectation, hope, miracles, blessing, joy. When I was
a kid, Christmas was always a magical time. I would joyfully,
impatiently await the arrival of Christmas--- Christmas meant the
birth of Jesus, it meant church being alive, it meant family being
together, it meant Santa was coming, it meant profound joy. It was
that one day I looked forward to all year.</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I
have a vivid memory of sitting on the couch one Advent day with a
stuffed Santa doll, watching my mom decorate the house for Christmas.
I can remember another time being in Fellowship Hall right before
the big Christmas pageant and everyone was so happy and excited--
even the people in the church who were never happy. Christmas was
that time that brought out the best in everyone. I can think back to
those times and feel the warmth that Christmas brought. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">But
then I grew up. The congregation I grew up in is no longer in
existence. Advent is one of the busiest and most stressful times for
a person working in the church. Preparing for Christmas became more
of a chore than a joyous process. The magic was fading. Ever year,
I was losing the spirit and joy of Christmas more. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">And
then I experienced a miracle. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Two
years ago, while I was in seminary, I was taking a Liturgical Dance
class. For those who aren't aware, dance is my ultimate soul food.
I loved being in that class and communicating with God through
movement. Our teacher gave us instructions for our final project:
Embody something from the lecture series being held at our school. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">That
night I had a dream. I had a dream that I was holding a baby. It
wasn't surprising to me that I was having this dream. After years of
doctors telling me it would be near-impossible for me to conceive,
carry and a birth a child, all for different reasons, my husband and
I decided to try to have a baby anyway. We talked about adoption and
surrogacy, but kept coming to a stalemate. I finally put my fears
aside, went to the doctor and told them I wanted to try to have a
baby. So I had a dream that I was holding a baby and I was holding
this baby in a very specific way. When I woke up, the image was
seared into my memory. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">That
day, I attended the lecture series. There was an artist there named
He Qi. His paintings were all over seminary hall. They were nothing
like I had ever seen before. They surely captured my attention.
Downstairs they were selling prints of his work. At $10 a piece I
figured, “hey maybe there's one that speaks to me. I can buy it
and embody it for my dance project.” So I grabbed a stack of the
prints and started going through them. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">And
then one caught my eye. </span>
</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;"><br /></span></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XBMZEOn3FWs/UxzoC1-2p9I/AAAAAAAAAOE/6VFXHXRLVrY/s1600/14-The-Magi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XBMZEOn3FWs/UxzoC1-2p9I/AAAAAAAAAOE/6VFXHXRLVrY/s1600/14-The-Magi.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> (used with permission)</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It
was of Mary holding the newborn Jesus in the exact same way I was
holding the baby in my dream that night. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">I
knew instantly I had to embody this painting. So I did. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 16pt;">I
decided to perform a dance from Mary's perspective of what it was
like to be a mother expecting a child. I studied the first chapter
of Luke. I thought of what it was like for both Mary and Elizabeth
to be filled with joy in their unexpected conceptions. What it was
like for Mary to find out she was pregnant, carry that holy child
inside of her, give birth and then watch him grow up. I included the
elated “Magnificat” into my dance. I was having a hard time
coming up with a song, then “Here Comes the Sun” by the Beatles
came on the radio and my husband said, “You should use this song.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It
was perfect. The day of my performance came. I embodied my
interpretation of Mary's journey to motherhood to “Here Comes the
Sun.” I was then asked to perform it again at our seminary's
Advent Service which was themed “Mourning to Dancing.” </span><span style="font-size: 16pt;">So I
embodied it again. I don't know how many times I embodied this,
practicing it for both my final presentation and the Advent service,
but something registered inside me because a few weeks later</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 16pt;"> I
became pregnant with my son.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">It
was a miracle. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 16pt;">Every
time I look at this painting I am reminded of that dream and that
dance. The way I communicated with God and God communicated with me.
I am reminded of the hope and joy that Advent bring and this
miraculous moment in my life. Thanks be to God. Amen. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-73493999192012768202013-11-22T05:45:00.004-08:002014-02-28T19:43:00.593-08:00Five Minute Friday-- Fly As I mentioned last week, Lisa-Jo Baker is a blogger who has a writing exercise called Five Minute Friday. You write for five minutes on a word she provides---no editing--just five minutes of writing and then post. <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/">http://lisajobaker.com/</a><br />
<br />
So here goes:<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">Fly</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Recently I had a dream I was flying in
an airplane and outside my window was the most beautiful scenery I
had ever seen. </span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"> There were bodies of water, ice formations,s ky,
mountains, and all in the most beautiful colors you could possibly
imagine. I think it was the most visually beautiful dream I've ever
had. </span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Since I've had that dream, there have been times in my waking
life when I just needed to escape (although that's not quite the
right word)....and I fly above my problems and board that plane and
sail through the sky and watch that beautiful scenery go by and for a
minute I'm free and nothing else exists.
</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #0b5394; font-size: large;">End.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-38545584750344049102013-11-17T13:37:00.000-08:002014-02-28T19:43:00.587-08:00Five Minute Friday-- TreeI know, it's not Friday. But one of my favorite bloggers--Lisa-Jo Baker ( <a href="http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/">http://lisajobaker.com/five-minute-friday/</a> ) has this writing exercise called Five Minute Friday which I've done from time to time, but never had a blog to post my entries publicly. I have loved this since I've found out about it and wished I could get my friends to do it too. <br />
<br />
The rules are simple-- write for five minutes--no editing--on the word Lisa-Jo provides. <br />
<br />
Now I know it's not Friday, but I never seem to get to it on Fridays and I figure if I don't start now, I never will. So here it goes, my Five Minute Friday on Sunday.<br />
<br />
<br />
Tree<br />
<br />
Trees are.....air. the lungs of the world. history. solid. beautiful. Mary Oliver wrote that angels dance on the treetops, an image that has stuck with me. Trees connect us with the earth in a way nothing else can. have you ever looked at a tree? REALLY looked at a tree? Stopped and noticed the beauty and majesty of this being. it's alive. breathing life all around it. Have you ever stopped to look at a tree and wonder what it has seen? If the tree could talk to us, what kind of memories could it share with us? Trees outlive so many other things on this earth. They have seen our history first hand. They have endured our collective pain. They can heal us. They can provide food for us. Physical, emotional, spiritual. They are life-giving.<br />
<br />
End. <br />
<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-19809243469527064002013-11-04T09:36:00.001-08:002014-04-11T06:54:08.485-07:00The Time Between Driver's License RenewalsIt's the time again. Time to fill out the forms, head down the to photo license place, say cheese and get a new license. It happens every four years. <br />
<br />
But did you ever stop to look at your old ID? Place the new and old next to each other? Think about how the two people smiling up at you are so different? "They are both me," you think, "they both look like me, they both have my name, eyes, nose..." But who are each of these people, really? Yes, they are both you. But you at different stages in your life, in your journey. Depending on which four years of your life this falls on, these two "yous" could be perfect strangers.<br />
<br />
As I was looking at mine from 2009 and 2013, I thought about how much I've changed. My life, my worldview, my friends, my family, my address, my education, my career, my thoughts, my heart.....one was a girl, one is a woman. <br />
<br />
The first was taken right after I got married, moved out, and started seminary. I married my soul mate. Marriage taught me how to commit, how to make compromises, how to take care of another, how to be an adult, how to take care of a household. Over the past four years, we've grown together, gained a deeper respect for each other, and fall more in love every day.<br />
<br />
Seminary taught me how to view the world in a whole new way. I would need a book to explain how seminary changed me, but even if I had the space to write it, I don't think I could describe how many ways seminary has changed me. How it erased years of what the world taught me, to bring me back to my core knowledge. Seminary taught me how to be compassionate and to fight for justice. It opened my eyes to the problems, sufferings and injustices of the world. It taught me how to love people. All people. It taught me how to be more like Jesus. It wasn't just the classes, it was the community. It was the friends I made, the worship I attended, the knowledge I gained through lectures and through hearing the stories of my classmates. I can put a price tag on my seminary education since I'll be paying it off for a long time, but what I got out of it was truly priceless.<br />
<br />
Besides these two major life changes, I moved a few times, traveled, and had two other major changes--I became a mother and a pastor.<br />
<br />
In seminary I interned at churches, but interning really only gives you a glimpse into the life of ministry. Even though I am only part-time, being "the pastor" really changes things. It is harder and more rewarding than one can imagine. I am still working this one out, maybe when I've experienced it a bit more, I'll write a follow-up blog. But I can say, this is what I'm called to. I am so passionate about ministry as a pastor. <br />
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And finally, the other major life change-- becoming a parent. When people say, "You can't explain it." You really can't. Children change you in ways you didn't know you could be changed. They teach you things you didn't know you didn't know. You find that love goes deeper than you could possibly imagine. They change your views on things that you thought you knew for sure. They turn your world upside-down. They exhaust you more than anything else, make you more scared than anything else, make you worry more than anything else, make you laugh more than anything else, smile more than anything else, and make you want to be a better person. I never realized how strong I was or fully valued my body until I gave birth. I never fully understood the word "sacrifice" until I became a mother. And I wouldn't trade it for the world.<br />
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So when I look back to the younger, well-rested, fresher-looking 2009 version of myself, I think, "Girl, you have no idea how your world is about to change." And when I look at my current ID photo, I picture the 2017 version of me holding it and I wonder what she is thinking. Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-215875097094835570.post-2343394591528450832013-10-28T04:40:00.001-07:002014-02-28T19:43:38.383-08:00Reflections on "It's a Boy!"It starts with the ultrasound--before they are even out of the womb--gender identity. The sex of the child is male or female, but that's not what they tell you. They say "<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;">It's a boy!</span>" or "<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;">It's a girl!</span>"<br />
Immediately, visions of <span style="color: #0b5394;">a blue nursery, toy cars and soccer balls</span> or<span style="color: #e06666;"> pink frilly dresses, dolls and princess tea parties</span> come to mind. Sure, some things are innately male or female, but should we force our children into a gender-defined box? Specifically, our boys? What message does it send? <br />
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More and more it has become acceptable for <span style="color: #e06666;">girls</span> to like "<span style="color: #3d85c6;">boy things</span>." <span style="color: #e06666;">Girls</span> can <span style="color: #0b5394;">play with cars</span> and watch <span style="color: #38761d;">Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. </span> And more girls are out on the soccer field or doing karate. Because in the fight against sexism, we are starting to acknowledge that girls can do what boys can do. yay! <span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-size: large;">Girl Power! Girl.</span></span><span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="color: #0b5394;">Power</span></span>..... Power. We honor<span style="color: #0b5394;"> power...toughness...strength....thick-skin...</span><br />
The problem is, this isn't a 2-way street. While girls can be like boys-- powerful, strong, tough, thick-skinned....<span style="color: #0b5394;">boys </span>can't be "<span style="color: #e06666;">like girls</span>" --<span style="color: #e06666;">sensitive, nurturing, submissive</span> (in a good way). <br />
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<span style="color: #0b5394;">My son loves balls, trucks, trains, cars, airplanes, everything a boy "should" love</span>, but he also gets just as excited about <span style="color: #e06666;">dolls</span>. But we have received <span style="color: #e06666;">no dolls</span> as a gift or a hand-me-down. And I have to defend his choice when he is playing with one, because, yes, there are comments. But why is it so offensive to see a little <span style="color: #0b5394;">boy</span> play with a <span style="color: #e06666;">doll</span>? Because<span style="color: #0b5394;"> he's</span> being<br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">Lowered to the level of a female. </span><br />
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We are accepting of ^^^<span style="color: #e06666;">raising girls up</span>^^^<span style="color: #0b5394;">to</span> <span style="color: #0b5394;">the level of boys</span>--but not of "lowering" the boys. We don't easily accept the feminine attributes of boys-- the caring and nurturing side. The sensitive side (suck it up, be a man)---boys don't cry---boys don't give hugs (they shake hands and high five). <br />
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Similarly, we don't bat an eye when a girl likes <span style="color: #0b5394;">Cookie Monster, Grover, or Bert & Ernie</span>, but if a boy were to like <span style="color: #a64d79;">Zoe or</span><span style="color: #e06666;"> Abby Cadabby</span> his gender identity or even sexual orientation would come into question (which also perpetuates heterosexism) Yes, we wonder if 1 and 2-year-old boys are gay because they like a female television character. What other reason could a 1-year-old <span style="color: #0b5394;">boy</span> have for loving a <span style="color: orange;">brightly-</span><span style="color: #a64d79;">colored,</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span style="color: #45818e;">magical</span><span style="color: orange;"> </span><span style="color: #cc0000;">muppet</span>? <br />
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I'm not saying we need to raise<span style="color: #38761d;"> gender-neutral </span>children or over-correct and not let our sons play with cars. I'm gently inviting us to look at the reasons we might object to freeing our children from gender-based stereotypes. <span style="color: #e06666;">Girl.</span> <span style="color: #0b5394;">Boy</span>. <span style="color: #134f5c;">Girl?</span> <span style="color: #cc0000;">Boy? </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Thanks for reading.</span> <span style="color: #0b5394;">Blessings!</span></span><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16915197043809432715noreply@blogger.com0