Of Lending and Borrowing

I have mentioned several times how much better of an idea it is to borrow a seldom-needed item than it is to purchase a new item for yourself. This weekend I am particularly proud of this concept due to who I am "borrowing" from in this go-around.

Next weekend I am scheduled to go on a float trip with one of my "man vs wild" friends. Since we will be floating down the river, it dawned on me that I would need shoes that I could get wet but that would still function for traction when needed. Since I am trying not to buy un-necessary items, it seemed absolutely silly to me to spend money on a pair of river crafty footwear when at the very least I have an old pair of running shoes that could be called upon in a pinch. However as I was in the valley with my family this weekend, it dawned on me to ask one of my siblings if they had river shoes I could borrow. Sure enough, there was a pair that my eldest nephew had outgrown and that will fit my feet perfectly!

I also had multiple black out moments with my cell phone this weekend and upon taking it to my provider in the valley, discovered that my phone may potentially be nearing its death bed. Since I am two months away from being able to use discounts for a new phone, I would have to purchase a new phone at full price (the cheapest of which was $170). As I am staunchly opposed to the idea that my current phone has only lasted me for a year and a half (and shouldn't we be making things to last LONGER?!) I balked at the idea of buying a "cheap" phone to fill the gap until the two months are up and I could utilize the discounts to buy a phone I would actually desire. Thus I was SO surprised and pleased when my eldest nephew offered me up either one of his two tracfones in an attempt to switch out my sim cards and use one of his phones in the interim. Here is my nephew in the midst of his teen years of self-indulgence gratefully offering me an object that he holds most dear. What an absolute proud moment indeed!

Now the sim card switching technology didn't work, but thus far whatever the sales lady did when she fiddled with my current phone has led to no more black outs so maybe it will be able to hold out for a while now. I am just so pleased that the idea of borrowing is actually endorsed and working AND that it has been most pleasantly endorsed by my nephew. There's hope for this next generation-woo hoo!

The Body Element

A couple of weeks ago I tried to calculate my carbon footprint. Now my amounts were mainly estimates but I still thought I would do fairly well with many of the reductions I have made. So it was a bit discouraging when I realized just how much of a negative environmental impact I still create. Many individuals have posted about walking and riding their bikes, so a week ago I was able to fix my bike. And let me tell you-I am SO out of bike riding shape! I can't believe how difficult it is to do an activity that was so standard as a child. Granted I live in a very hilly community but it was still sad awakening in regards to my health. Yet I realize that over time my bike riding will improve and my health (physically and mentally) has already improved.

Yesterday I went for a quick run after work and then decided to walk to complete my afternoon errands. I am so encouraged however by the positive support from my coworkers. Every time I have shown up walking or on my bike (or talked about recycling or a million other frugal and/or green topics) my new coworkers have been incredibly supportive! What a change from my normal work environments! However by walking to complete all of my errands I walked approximately four miles. I did develop a blister on the bottom of one foot, but I also burned calories, cleared my mind from work stress, had time to process additional information, reduced my environmental impact, and engaged my senses. I took time to look at the fluffy clouds, to stop and pet the dragonfly on the ground, to smell the salt breeze, to feel the wind full blast upon my body. I felt the tension ease out of my body as each muscle engaged, stretched, and contracted. I felt the sweat come to my temples as I neared the tops of the tall hills and the breath of my body deepen. I felt my body and my mind connect to the natural elements of its being and of its surrounding. I felt truly alive.

Often times when I'm driving around in my own little enclosed space, thinking only about myself and my day, I forget just how connected I am to the rest of the world. It's when I travel by my own doing, whether by foot, by pedal, or by swim stroke, that I realize how dependent upon my body I am and how dependent that body is upon the world. And every time I walk, hike, bike, or swim, I think to myself, "Why don't I do this more often?"

The Beauty of "Used"

Unfortunately at times "used" has the tendency to equate with "bad" in the minds of some individuals. However I like to think of most used items as "look how much life is left in it for me!" Each item also tends to have its own story. I have had countless used items in my lifetime that have actually given me more joy than many of the newly bought items that I have purchased.

Many of my current used possessions are some that will always have the most meaning for me. My love seat, while I hope to recover it, has large amounts of meaning for me. It's clean lines and larger shape evoke a modernism that was ahead of its time. It also came from my grandparents house and thus will always represent to me large family gatherings and the strength and durability of my grandparents love and lives. Yet while symbolic to me, the love seat desires to be functionally used. (All items should be meaningful AND functional-I'm not one for lots of things just sitting around!)

I also have a gorgeous necklace that came from my great-grandmother, passed down to me by my mother on my 21st birthday. It's antique style has also had a rebirth in today's fashion accesory industry. The necklace had an accident at some point in its history and so one part is attached by very heavy string that has held out through the generations. While I treat it delicately and tend to wear it for special occassions, it still remains functional and beautiful all at once. And in it's non-perfect state it holds even more meaning especially thru the contrast of its strength and delicacy.

However the older I get the more glad I am for the "hand-me-downs" that I receive. As the youngest in my family with three older siblings, I have been privy at times to some wonderful items that my older siblings had replaced or maybe just felt like sharing. When I had my first apartment, my sister gave me some of her bakeware and other storable items. When my oldest brother passed one of his cameras onto our other brother, I then received the basic digital camera that had belonged to my second oldest brother and that continues to be my camera today. From that same brother, I have been the recepient of a past cell phone and of a wonderful bike! My first car had also been past down through my sister, to my mother, and on to me. While many of these used items are not always in perfect condition, they are still completely functional and have many years left of use. Thus being the youngest at times has its benefits!

Generally though it just makes me happy to see all of these used items continue to have life and to be of service until no more life is present in them. I like to imagine that some day we will be able to break down the individual pieces of items such as a love seat or an old camera, in order to use the parts to create our new items. However even if that point never arrives, I will continue to gladly accept the items that still have use for me and to donate or give to others items that I no longer use but will still be beneficial for another. May the hand-me-downs continue, the landfills be saved, and for all of us to appreciate the history and symbolism that our used items present for us!

The Little Things

Every day I am reminded of how the smallest things effect others and the planet. I know I mentioned before my attempt to practice random acts of kindness and how they positively impacted those who I interacted with. Yet I see these same elements come into play every day. I am often most touched by the smallest things.

The picture to the left is part of our backyard. Lately we have had two doves that have begun to feed off of our bird feeders, which doves are not common here. Watching the birds as we eat breakfast or dinner is so soothing and in the moments in which the neighborhood cats prowl and stalk under the feeders, it can be quite exciting.

Sometimes I am touched just upon exiting the house in the morning and smelling the dampness of the Earth or seeing the beauty of the sky. In these moments I remember to feel grateful that I am alive. Sometimes it is the feel of a picked leaf in my hand or in the smile of a child. Once it was in the brightest purest gaze and returned smile of one of the "poorest" men I have ever seen. Another time it was through conversation with a blind gentleman who sometimes walks down our street. All of these events occurred through unadulterated forms and through individuals and characteristics in their "natural" form.

Funny then how often when I am touched by the majority of other people it is in an "unnatural" form. It is through someone going above and beyond their normal interaction with others. It is through watching cars stop for someone to cross the road, when someone allows another with less items to go ahead of them in line, or through the opening of a door. It is when someone who is in pain still has the ability to smile in gratitude or when a person returns a lost pet to his or her owner. Or ARE these experiences actually our natural state when we are left unencumbered by having to be and do too much? If we all slowed down would the little things be what we noticed AND what we did?

I like to believe that we are all naturally capable and wired to both participate in AND appreciate the little daily gifts of life, whether through our surroundings or with those whom we come into contact.

The little things are most worth while,
A quiet word, a look, a smile,
A listening ear that's quick to share
Another's thoughts, another's cares,
Though sometimes they may seem quite small,
The little things mean most of all.
-Anonymous

Questions, Simplicity, and Trust

Simplicity is something that we talk a lot about in the form of tangibles, such as, "I'm living simply so am trying to not buy much." However the art of simplicity comes in many forms and can be applied to all areas of life, including some of the BIG QUESTIONS.

Today I had to go to a wedding. I always get apprehensive at the idea of weddings whether for friend or family, because I know I am going to get asked "the difficult questions." I have ready answers, however it is hard to transmit my answers without launching into a long explanation and seeming wishy washy. (This same concept applies to essay questions for scholarship, professional, and/or educational applications.)

So here are some of the BIG QUESTIONS, which even I am guilty of asking:
Where do you see yourself in the future?
What's your plan?
When are you going to get married?

The following is why I feel it is difficult to answer these questions. I trust that my life will unfold the way that it is meant to and therefore while I do have ideas of how I would like it to be, I know that it will ultimately turn out much differently than I intended. I am no where near where I thought I would be 10 years ago, however as I look back on the last 10 years I have no doubts whatsoever that every single experience was put there for a reason. I have always felt that my life has been guided, however it has been within the last year or so that I have really come to welcome and trust in that guidance. And it is that same trust and faith that allow me to feel even more simplified. I have a "worrying" demeanor, yet when I embrace that trust I am able to focus my energies on the moments at hand AND to feel so much more at peace. When it is not I who has to worry about the big pieces, how much more free I am to relish the everyday moments that I have been given.

One of my best friends used to have a quote on her fridge that said, "Make plans, but make them in pencil." How true that is. MY plans aren't always the best laid ones and therefore I have been redirected numerous times in my life. Sometimes these redirections have been simple, such as in the form of an out of the blue job offer, or traumatic, such as the illness or death of a family member. Yet in every event there has been a message to be gleaned from it and a change in focus and direction to be served from it. Not all of the past experiences I have had are ones that I would choose again (nor were they all my first choice at the time), however each one has had its place in preparing me for who I need to be today and in the future.

To some it may seem that I lack direction through my explanation, however my direction is in the forward movement of gleaning from life what I may as I endeavor to be a more faithful servant. While I admire the individuals that can tell you that they want x, y, and z from life in the form of a "life timeline," a career, and/or a spouse, I am not someone who can provide those answers. I can give general ideas of things I would like to do or "have," yet I don't feel that I have to do or have those things for life to feel complete. (Something that at this point people tend to try to placate me with by saying, "Of course you'll have those things" and then I realize they aren't really getting the point.)

Obviously I have areas of which I am passionate and those are the areas that I continue to move forward in. I feel that life is headed in the right direction and I trust that God will continue to guide my way, leading me on ahead. This simple knowledge has taken a load off my shoulders, however I don't believe that I am to just wait passively by until all the right doors are opened. While doors do open, there is no doubt in that, I still have to move forward in my trust and faith in order to realize and engage in the opportunities. Yet what freedom and simplicity is gained in embracing the trust that one can have and in the giving over of fears!

So for me, simplicity has been incorporated into many of those areas in which I am truly passionate: environmental impact, health, social justice, AND spirituality. As it is generally through spirituality and simplicity that I am able to (sort of) answer some of those nagging big questions. Makes me think twice about asking others these same questions! :-)

Bloggers for Positive Global Change

Today I was tagged for a Bloggers for Positive Global Change Award! How exciting! I hope ALL of us are trying to create positive change on the globe, as all the small changes add up into bigger changes! Thanks go to Ali at Our Patch for my nomination!! I am to now nominate five other bloggers who I think deserve the award for the inspiration and work that they are doing!

My five nominees are:

Living Plastic Free in 2007
Simple Living: Simplify and Reduce
Sara at Walk Slowly, Live Wildly and The Live Lightly Tour
No Impact Man
and Morning Ramble


The award was started at Climate Of Our Future to highlight blogger's efforts around the world to share their knowledge and thoughts in making our world better, healthier and more sustainable.

Fellow Positive Global Change Award recipients, it’s easy to participate in this meme. At minimum, you can proudly display the BPGC badge (Click here for the image url) on your blog and bask in the glow of our collective good will. If you are sharing the kudos, however, please make sure you pass this list of rules to the blogs you are tagging.The participation rules are simple:
1. When you get tagged, write a post with links to up to 5 blogs that you think are trying to change the world in a positive way.
2. In your post, make sure you link back to so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme.
3. Leave a comment or message for the bloggers you’re tagging, so they know they’re now part of the meme.
4. Optional: Proudly display the “Bloggers For Positive Global Change” award badge with a link to the post that you write up.

Consumption Confession #1

Over the course of the last five years or so, I have read and watched a lot on different health and environmental issues. My confession for today is that: I am often swayed by the research of these sources. I know about checking sources and that research itself can be swayed from time to time based upon who is funding the study, etc. I thought of this topic due to a posting by one of my favorite bloggers who mentioned that true authenticity comes from action not just from knowledge.

So what have I been swayed by? Well, during my undergrad I read parts of the book Fast Food Nation and that's all it took to decide not to eat fast food. The health benefits of most fast food places are next to nil and as health is important for a happy and productive life, I decided cutting out fast food restauraunts would be ideal. I also do not like how much waste is produced from the individual packing and that few of these establishments engage in recycling efforts. I do not even like to support these establishments by purchasing drinks, although on occassion I have done so. However I think I can count on one hand the number of times I have eaten in fast food restaurants over the last four years. I have the occassional Taco Bell craving, but then I think of how much healthier I am by refusing to submit to these non-healthy locations. (Although I still suffer from coffee shop consumption.)

Major swaying number two happens to relate to...the evil store.........Wal-Mart. After watching the documentary last year, I have entered a Wal-Mart maybe 5 times and purchased only one item. What do I have against Walmart you might be wondering? As the list is numerous, I'll just mention a few things quickly. Have you ever wondered WHY you can purchase a shirt for $5.96? Have you ever observed or talked to many of their store employees? The movie depicts foreign labor that Wal-Mart uses and also talks to past managers about how Wal-Mart cheats U.S. workers of hours in order to not pay overtime and/or health benefits. Wal-Mart also has a bad environmental record, although they are doing a great job of trying to make money off of their current "green" marketing campaign. (However I do feel that they are truly changing some in this aspect and for that I am glad!)

Plus there is just something that makes me so sad upon walking into Wal-Mart. The majority of individuals don't really need a large percentage of what they sell. And in my opinion people frequently buy extra things just because they're available cheapily and not because they need them. I call it the Wal-Mart zombie look as some people walking the aisles of Wal-Mart have a glazed over look on their faces and almost none of them walk out empty handed. Now I know a lot of people shop at Wal-Mart and I have to admit that I at times consume products that are purchased there by one member of my household. However I personally choose not to support Wal-Mart financially or by name due to my values. It all goes back to the values!

I am sure I could list numerous other ways in which I have been swayed by what I have read or seen regarding a particular company or establishment. Ideally it all goes back to being aware of the major and minor components of the items which we consume and purchase. As consumers we are letting corporations know that we are okay with or agree with their policies and that is very powerful on our part. Being aware is something that I need to do more frequently in all my purchases however--becoming the knowledgeable and thoughtful consumer!

Cooking from Scratch

Cooking from scratch is something that I think is so important for a variety of reasons, yet so few people engage in doing it anymore. In our family we still resort to the box and/or can frequently, but as food scares continue to be an issue (and as I learn even more about what is really on our food) I find it more important to cook (and grow!) our own food. Since I can't exactly grow everything I would like to at this point in my life, then I recognize that the next step with the most control is that of food preparation.


It took me quite a few years to enjoy cooking but it is something that I have begun to enjoy more within the last few months. (Partly due to The Moosewood Cookbooks!) The health benefits can be incredible as one recognizes exactly what is going into their recipes. It also leads one to be closely involved in the cooking process and allows for recipe alteration. Cooking is a great example of both science and artistic creativity.


In the pan on the left, I made a homemade spaghetti sauce of onions, garlic, yellow peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and broccoli. Usually it has white wine, tomato paste, and stewed tomatoes included in it also. Eventually it would be ideal to have the paste and stewed tomatoes be homemade. However for now, the sauce makes the ideal component for many of the vegetable left overs that we will have in the fridge from time to time. Corn? Throw it in! Now that our herbs are producing, I can also add those in.


The pan on the right is actually vegan banana bread. We've had many speckled bananas as of late, and as I'm on the only one that eats speckled bananas in the house, I sort of have fallen behind on the job! However it made the perfect opportunity to try out a new recipe and the best part (well besides that it tastes as normal as non-vegan bread) was that I could lick the batters and not have to worry about getting sick from raw eggs! It was also nice to be able to alter the recipe, so that sugar went from white to brown and half the flour became whole wheat.



Thus cooking from scratch is perfect because one is much more involved in what is produced. It does take more time, but in its own right it can be very relaxing. Nothing beats anger or stress like kneading bread dough that needs to rise. There is something very invigorating in creating an item for another individual, whether it be birthday or just regular meal time fare. (How often do we have fond memories connected to shared food moments with those we love?) It also allows for continued knowledge of the food and nutrient process. Do we have multiple colors present in our meals for balanced nutritional value? Have we cleaned the meal prep and food items appropriately? Through home cooking, we can better understand and control our health, our creativity, and our pocketbook. So give it a try and make something from scratch!

Inspiration

1) "Now what's important about these huge, slow changes is that we all participate in them every day...Your actions will add themselves to the actions of millions of other people, so it doesn't even make that much difference what you choose to concentrate on. As the proverb truly says, 'Every little bit helps.' You don't have to feel guilty if you're not saving the world all by yourself. You can just do your small fair share, and added to all the other shares it will change the world. It isn't necessary for everyone to do the same thing. What is necessary is for everyone to do something." -Ernest Callenbach


2) If I can throw a single ray of light across the darkened pathway of another; if I can aid some soul to clearer sight of life and duty, and thus bless my brother; if I can wipe from any human cheek a tear; I shall not have lived my life in vain while here.

If I can guide some erring one to truth; inspire within his heart a sense of duty; if I can plant within my soul of rosy youth a sense of right, a love of truth and beauty; if I can teach one man that God and heaven are near, I shall not then have lived in vain while here.

If from my mind I banish doubt and fear, and keep my life attuned to love and kindness; if I can scatter hope and cheer, and help remove the curse of mental blindness; if I can make more joy, more hope, less pain, I not have lived and loved in vain.

If by life's roadside I can plant a tree, beneath whose shade some wearied head may rest, though I may never share it's beauty, I shall yet be truly blest-though no one knows my name, nor drops flowers upon my grave, I shall not have lived in vain while here.-Anonymous


3) "Meaning in life doesn't come from superficial, short-term satisfaction by fulfilling our personal needs. And while the pursuit of our own happiness is necessary, finding balance and purpose by helping others (and maybe the planet?) is a greater reward."-Pat Bognar
(Quotation addition is my own :-))

Who Knew Cleaning Could Be SO Much FUN!?

Upon waking up this morning I realized that I had a whole lot of "cleaning" things I needed to do today. The usuals included vaccuming and laundry, however I had several things that were added to today's list. It had been a while since I weeded and dead-headed some of our flowers. But more importantly I needed to clean the bathroom, and on top of that I needed to do the absolute worse job of all: unclog my shower drain. I could have poured Draino or something along those lines down it, however I didn't want to add more chemicals to our water and I hate exposing myself to those chemicals also. So I had to do the usual unscrewing of the stopper and nastily getting my hair out. I try to do a good job of catching my hair so it doesn't go down the drain, yet as my hair gets longer and longer for Locks of Love and after it's been about two years I can understand how it became time to clean out the poor drain! Since I was already utilizing the natural drain cleaning technique, I decided to use the ol' baking soda and vinegar trick to clean out the rest of the drain. Then since the baking soda was already out I used it to clean the rest of the bathroom and let me tell you I NEVER KNEW CLEANING COULD BE SO MUCH FUN!

You might find that to be a strange statement but using baking soda was probably the cheapest, simplest, and healthiest cleaning I have ever done. A little baking soda on the surface or on my sponge and poof the dirt and grime came right off-even on the faucets! I haven't ever had it shine this easily! For the few tough spots, I just poured a little vinegar on top of where I had been cleaning and sizzle sizzle-science experiment, cleaning, and fun! And that's all it took!

I remember my last year in college, I had some of the best roommates ever but we all came down with headaches due to exposure to cleaning products anytime the floor or bathroom was heavily cleaned. I have tried to avoid heavy cleaning products ever since then, but never felt that some of the "green" products out there did a very good job. My wonderful time with just the plain baking soda today has been the best solution I have found since then. I'm attaching some pictures just so you can see what a good job it did!

Reasons & Relationships

There is a reason and a season for every relationship. Isn't there a saying like that or something? Relationship....it's something that seems to continuously change and it's something I tend to write, or at least, think about very frequently. If you remember one of my beliefs and goals is to try to increase community and to treat all others with empathy. Yet today I am reminded of how quickly relationship can form and how quickly it can be broken. I can't give too many details but yesterday a sad event happened at work, which potentially severed a newly formed relationship. You might be thinking that a week isn't a very long time to have impacted someone, but I think it can be based on the circumstances. However I also feel that one is able to truly impact another just throughout a five second interaction. How frequently does the word, touch, or facial expression of another change our own demeanor?

I often think of those individuals in my life that I have had as friends or family. Somehow relationally, my memory remains vivid and I can recall the faces and most of the names of those by which I have been impacted over the years. I have a hard time letting go of friendships that have remained stable and strong for many years, but it is something that I am slowly coming to terms with-because as stated above I have to remember that there really is a reason and a season for everything. I just hope that I positively impact the majority of those that I interact with on a daily or even yearly basis. May you all be blessed with wonderful relationships!

What do we value?

This summer I am involved in an interesting local pilot project of a Day Treatment Program. It is a compilation of efforts by a variety of parties but mainly between the local school district and a therapeutic services program. Our job is to provide treatment, education, and care to youth between 7 and 12 years of age with extreme behavioral needs. We can only have up to 12 kids in the program and for a variety of reasons not really worth discussing, we currently have two kids in the program. However, I thought it would be worth mentioning the Values of our program which include: Kindness, Humor, Honesty, Empathy, Responsibility, Respect, and Fairness.

I am writing about this for the evening because obviously these are the values that every member of the world should have, yet it is so rare that we find people who adhere to these values day in and day out. Part of what I hope to do with my blog is to increase awareness of a variety of issues in the hope that it will remind me (and hopefully us) of what it means to be a true member of this world. Through our personal choices we are every day communicating what our individual values are and are not. Do we value the person driving in front of us? Do we value the Earth? Do we value the future of our children? Do we value the child with AIDS in Africa? Do we value the indigenous worker harvesting our morning coffee? Do we value the cow in the field behind our house? Do we value ourselves? Whether we are aware of it or not, every single one of our daily actions effects the lives of everyone and every other living thing on this planet. In my mind, I guess it just comes down to whether or not we care. Are our lives for us or are we willing and able to contribute to the betterment of the whole?

One thing that I struggle with at times is just how many of my thoughts and opinions to share. I don't know that many other people are considerably moved by the things that move me and I also don't know if I completely believe in trying to change other people. This summer as I work with these youth, I am constantly pulled between meeting their individual needs and trying to educate them for and of the world. However can they truly be engaged in the betterment of the world, if they first do not have their own basic needs met? Is that part of the reasons that we at times also struggle in living for the world, because our needs are not met?

So many questions I know. So on a final note I will leave you with part of where these thoughts originated from. Culture is one of my biggest passions, so I have begun our summer lessons by exploring regions of the world from geographic and cultural standpoints. I don't know that I am doing the best job but under the circumstances I am trying to give a general overview.

Tomorrow we begin learning about Africa. A region immense in its beauty and yet full of strife from cultural, political, health, and environmental issues. You all have read my post about Blood Diamond, and some of you may be aware that I won't buy Shell gas anymore either. However yesterday I quickly glimpsed something about an additional conflict going on due to coltan, which is a component found in most electronics and that is creating more human rights violations in a region of Africa. Now I love my laptop and my digital camera and have already decided that I won't replace these objects until they completely die. However I feel guilty supporting an industry that, although maybe indirectly, contributes to increased difficulties in an already difficult region of the world. SO what do I value I ask myself? Where do I draw the line on that value? And how do I demonstrate what I value? These are the questions I am beginning to ask myself more and more and I would ask, what do you value too?!

Progress? (& Comic)

After watching the movie Walkabout again today, my only thought I feel like putting down is that I don't know that "progress" really is...well progress. We can't imagine living in a "native" state off the land yet people did it for hundreds of years without causing quite the same detriment to each other and to the land. Ironic too that the happiest place in the world is one that "progress" hasn't totally reached, and hopefully never will. So what truly is progress? And why do we think our progress is better, because is it truly? Personally I'm not so sure.

I am of "The Boomerang Generation"

So if you didn't know it: I'm in my mid 20s and I'm proud to...live with my parents. It has been an interesting phenomenon that has become more common amongst my generation in the United States. I remember being in high school and thinking how I would never again live with my parents and how strange it was to me that my host siblings were in their 20s and continued to live at home. Now I am one of them. There are a whole slew of theories as to why this has become more common within the U. S. (mostly based on the college debt my generation accrues and the fact that we wait longer to get married) and numerous opinions exist about the increased return to the nest.

This is my second return home and both times I have approached it with mixed feelings. However when my friends ask me incredulously how I like living again with Mom and Dad, they always seem so surprised when I respond, "I love it." There are always adjustments, but I feel most blessed by my parents and their willingness to re-incorporate me into the home. I am actually quite sad at the prospect of moving out in the fall. I have become accustomed to the support they offer me and their willingness to listen to my lengthy tirades over environmental health issues. I've been spoiled by their willingness to recycle, to cook, to let me engage in my fanatic house cleaning episodes. I've adjusted to sharing a printer and all household appliances. I've gotten used to "my" car with its better gas mileage and low-end features becoming "our" car and I've enjoyed having someone to watch baseball games along side. And in fact I have been spurned on by the quiet passion that both my parents have for their own work.

A couple years ago I used to have a habitat of using my Saturdays to engage in what I called the 3 Cs: coffee, cleaning, and communication. Today I spent my day as if it was one of those from the past. Coffee, laundry, 2 family phone calls, emails, lunch with a friend, and then one of my favorites: good conversation with my parents. These actually are some of the moments I cherish the most with good ol' Mom and Dad-when we get engaged in some element of conversation that opens into further deep conversation.

So all theories aside, I know that I enjoy living with my parents for a variety of reasons. I am emotionally supported, I am spiritually reinforced and living with great examples, I am financially freer to pay off my college and car loans, I am mentally stimulated by their opinions and thoughts, and I feel I am making a smaller environmental impact. My theory on the last one is that I am living in a home that would already be running on almost the same energy amounts (except f/ the water bill). I am not occupying a separate apartment with its own energy usage and additional "things". I also drive a more ecologically friendly vehicle which at times is the family vehicle thereby decreasing our carbon output. So overall I feel that my negative footprint on the world is smaller and my positive footprint is greater when I have, in fact, returned to the nest.

I realize not everyone has the same relationship as I do with their parents (which they also are generally actually glad to have me here) but I hope that we all can take the time to recognize those individuals in our lives that have provided for us and in many ways continue to do so through a variety of ways. I can't say that I won't ever live with my parents again but I do know that I would be blessed to have the opportunity to do so. I am so fortunate for the additional time that I get to spend with them and who knows maybe if I wait long enough, it'll be the two of them that are instead living with me! Maybe the multi-generational family home will become the norm....interesting thought and as generations live longer, it's a perfectly feasible option.

Dinner & A Movie

I promised to write several weeks ago about my charity Dinner & A Movie and finally here it is:

D & M is a charity that I discovered 4 yrs ago through Imago Dei Church in Portland, OR. The charity was newly begun and was passing out socks, sleeping bags, and other items to street youth. Now I know a lot of people can have negative opinions about the homeless of any city, so here are just some facts.

Portland has the highest percentage of street youth in the nation; about 2,500 individuals. It is estimated that 80-90% of street youth have been physically and/or sexually abused, often by a relative. (All information and picture taken from D & M site.)

Maybe it's me, but sometimes I find it very easy to understand how many of these individuals may turn to behaviors or lifestyle choices that much of society sees as negative. If I had suffered from physical and sexual abuse for any length of time, I think I might have turned to drugs, alcohol, harming behaviors, or living on the streets as a means to block the pain. There are times when I catch myself with negative thoughts when I see homeless addicts of any ages on the corner, but when I apply my thoughts I often realize that their previous lives probably led them to where they currently are functioning. I'm digressing...

D & M has grown and now is a Christian non-profit agency. They provide services to all individuals that need help w/o "pushing" Christianity onto them. They work as servants of Christ and hope that through their actions, the youth will come to desire to know Christ. Last year alone Dinner & A Movie did incredible work:

2006

10,000 meals served 2,000 pairs of socks

1,000 blankets 250 coats

586 sleeping bags 5 job placements

2 professions of faith 2 youth baptisms

4 church placements 3 drug treatments

4 first birthday parties 3 pair eyeglasses

1 dental care 1 paid college tuition

2 veterinary assists

D & M has several additional services. On Tuesday evenings they provide a home cooked free meal as well as entertainment and friendship to 150-300 youth each week. During these evenings youth can receive blankets, coats, etc, but the agency also passes out these items through outreach walks. They also pair youth with mentors from the community who at times function in roles similiar to those that the parents should have served. Through their services, D & M works to meet the physical, financial, emotional, mental, and spiritual needs of youth.

My current goal (which many of you know) is to try to create scarves that can be passed out to the youth during the winter months. There are times when I am cold enough in my own home and I cannot begin to fathom life on the streets during those times. Thus far I have made 3 scarves and have 4-5 others for donation. A few of my family members are signed on to help in the scarf making endeavor.

However if you feel inclined there are other ways to donate. If you care to make a financial donation to D & M, you can do so by clicking on the link. They have a good list of how far your dollars will stretch. However there are many organizations out there beyond D & M, and I would encourage everyone to donate to some cause. We all have different passions and donating our time, skills, or funds are just a few ways that we can improve the lives of others. And just in case you need more swaying: giving to others in turn can give back to you.

The Green Life Update

I haven't been doing a good job of blogging lately as I've been creating curriculum and lesson plans for my summer job. However I have more or less been keeping to my green principles which makes me happy. I'm still working on taking shorter showers, but (and I know this is lame) showers are like my personal daily therapy session. It's where I do some of my best thinking, yet I realize to save water I should learn to sort my thoughts elsewhere.

On a good note, the library continues to be my newest best friend. It has been my go-to resource for almost all of my teaching resources as of late. I also was lucky to discover a "discard" book stash at our school district's office. Basically the school district has all of these books that they are no longer using and don't plan on being able to use them in the future, so guess what happens? That's right-they trash them. All 30-40 boxes of books and materials will be taken to the dump, and that's just ONE of our nation's school districts. Now imagine, all the other organizations and offices in our nation and that's a lot of discarded materials every year filling up our landfills. So I was more than happy that we were able to take 6 boxes of books and materials and put them to use in our classroom for the summer.

I have continued to drive 1-2 times per day and it's been weeks since I've been in our neighboring town. I've picked peas twice already and our green beans are finally starting to grow. The herbs have taken off however the poor broccoli was eaten by worms/caterpillars. I've continued with my Bible reading and should make my August deadline, although it'll take a few more super focused days. I also have completed 3 scarves for the street youth (good thing to do while watching baseball!), and have a few others produced by family members for the cause. The laundry line continues to work well-last weekend was a little overcast but it cleared up in time for laundry day. I also had to retie the line as the dampness stretches it out.

I took in a couple of containers to use as recycling bins at our office after seeing lots of recyclable items being put in the trash. I asked ahead how others would feel about this and was glad to hear one of my other coworkers exclaim, "Oh good! She's GREEN!" Not sure how everyone feels about recycling but all seem to be contributing into the bins. One of my coworkers is a New England transplant so she keeps telling me to remind her to recycle. It's encouraging to hear that she is open to it!

I took several items to Goodwill in response to the sweaters I bought and the clothes I was given during my valley visit, but I also came back with a gorgeous used dress that my mother bought me. It needs a zipper replaced but that should be a fairly easy fix. It's incredible to me how much more at ease life feels when I don't have all this "stuff" around me. The shopping bug usually would have bitten me by now as I'm limited on my shoes and clothes that will work for my summer job, but I know I'll make due with the items I already own. It'll be a new concept for me to get used to wearing the same pair of shoes every day, but one that I am glad to endorse...think of how many people around the world would feel lucky even to have my ONE pair of shoes?! Oh the things we think about because of how MUCH we have when others have so little.

Hope you all are doing well!

Independence

So just what IS independence? That is my question for today. As today is our Independence Day here in the United States, I started thinking about what we originally aimed for in our independence from Mother Britain. We wanted equal representation and we didn't want someone else to be making decisions for us. Funny how it seems that in our global affairs, we all tend to make decisions that currently effect other countries and sometimes without their input (and to be honest all of us as citizens make these same choices everyday through our own actions). What we originally fought for and wanted for ourselves, does not seem to be the same as how we approach current foreign affairs or how we manage our internal government.

So my next thought is: Do we really want to aim for true independence? I think that is an individual question but my response would be no. I guess I care too much about all citizens of the world to aim for true independence and instead would settle for inter-dependence. Isn't this what we all do every day of our lives generally? We are all interacting with people on a daily basis, although for most of us it isn't always on an international scale.

However I almost question whether or not we truly ever are "independent" in our individual lives. We are dependent on utility companies to provide us with our water and energy sources. We are dependent on city services for our sewer and garbage needs. We are dependent on the car company for our car and the insurance company to be legally insured to drive it. We are dependent on the grocer to provide our food and the farmer to get it there. We are dependent on the clothing manufactures, designers, and (often) foreign labor to provide us with our clothing. We are dependent on the weather to provide ample conditions for our recreation, for production of our food sources, for our safety in our communities. We are dependent on our police force, fire people, and soldiers for our continued daily safety. Oh how we are dependent!

However on our Independence Day I guess I am more so reminded of two things. 1) That in knowing that my concept of independence is so intertwined with my dependence on others and their ability to provide for me (and for all of us), I feel utmost gratitude for all who continue to act positively and in a manner for the good of us all. I feel gratitude to the farmer who provides my food. I feel gratitude to the soldiers who fight for what they believe is the correct ideal of our nation. I feel gratitude to the foreign worker who works so hard for little pay to allow our nation to over consume (among other feelings). I feel gratitude to the water board for monitoring the chemicals in our tap water. I feel gratitude to our Earth that somehow up to this point has continued to physically sustain us. And the list goes on.

2) I am also again reminded of the freedoms that my nation allows me. Within our interdependence we still have many freedoms that so many individuals in other nations do not ever experience. As stated in previous blogs, I do not worry about a member of our government physically harming me because I fail to vote for him or her. I am free to vote for whomever I please, I am free to walk down the street without fear, I am free to own property, I am free to say and write what I please without being censored. I am free to make my own choices (although many of them do still have to fit the "protocol" of our nation). But overall my freedoms are so much greater than many others who live throughout our world, and for that I am also grateful.

I hope that while this is our "Independence" Day that we may all think of the interdependence that we have to each other-whether within or without the borders of our nation. And I hope you also appreciate those who every day work to enable your own freedoms. Happy 4th of July!

Foster's Simplistic Points

I have been reading an incredible Christian book entitled Freedom of Simplicity by Richard J. Foster. Now I won't go into all of the details but within the book he discusses how living the simplistic lifestyle is really one of the callings of the Christian lifestyle and he breaks it down into inner simplicity and outward simplicity. He also argues that to truly maintain a lifestyle of simplicity through our actions, we must feel spiritually and philosophically simplistic at our core. Interesting view point although makes sense, no?

So today I thought I would just summarize some of what he said were suggestions for outward simplicity, as they often are the same as what the green movement also suggests! (And these are in the order of how he listed them, which I believe is really no particular order).

1) Don't pay attention to advertisements and commercials telling you to buy things. Also don't let their false messages resonate with you, such as "You'll be happier/healthier/more handsome/etc if you bought our product." You don't need all that "stuff" and you probably already have items that will do the exact same thing or job that is being advertised. Reject junk mail and don't give in to contests.

2) Before buying any item that you think you need/want, wait a full week before actually buying it. See if you can find it through some other means besides purchasing.

3) Stress quality of life over quantity of life. Remember that life is about being rather than having. Enjoy moments of solitude and silence. Cherish your relationships and put time into creative endeavors. Life isn't about making it to the top, it's about the experience along the way.

4) Enjoy recreation pursuits and remember you don't need all the "products" to enjoy them! Get to know the Earth again and get active! A bike is a great mode of transportation! Play games for fun not for competition.

5) Eat sensibly! Think about what you put into your body. Eat organically and locally. Grow your own food. Don't eat out a lot and if you need food for "on the go" then take it along with you.

6) Travel with a purpose. Get to know the people of the places where you travel to and immerse yourself in that culture. Don't engage in self-indulgent travel.

7) Don't purchase things to impress others, such as clothes and home furnishings. Buy things for practicality and for their ability to be useful. Learn to make things and shop for bargains.

Again, simplicity looks different for separate individuals. These are just broad suggestions but some that are worthwhile also.

Hope you all enjoyed a relaxing and fulfilling weekend!