inspiration from the kids

Maegan's fellow classmates have joined the campaign to "find" 50 million pennies on behalf of the 50 million women and girls that are missing from India's population.
I'd like to feature a few of the thoughts from Mrs. Abell's class on this blog, and you can see them on IGP's blog (www.invisiblegirlproject.org).

Malakhi (age 8)
"We can collect pennies to help girls in India by having lemonade stands, findng pennies, asking your mom and dad, doing chores, and selling some things. You can also make things to sell. If you are grown and have a job you can give some of the money you earn. Sell some drawings if you are a great artist. Kids can help to stop girls from disappearing from India. We all can help it doesn't matter how old you are. Please just help! Some pennies is all it takes to stop women from disappearing from India."

Katie F. (age 8)
"We need to help girls in India because in India people aren't caring for the girls. Here is a way to help. Collect food, send medicine, real and tell stories about India to others, and help. These are things that are happening: girls are starving, girls don't always get education, girls are dying. You can help by collecting money. Here are things you can do to get money:
-Get a job -Make jewerly
-Play music -Sing
-Make clothes -Look for money
-Paint -Lemonade stand
-Make wood things -Make food
-Give hair supplies -Do chores
-Do people's hair

People join Mrs. Abell's class in the effort to "find" 50 million pennies for the Invisible Girl Project. Click on the link for IGP to learn more!

1 out of 100 million

The book "Half the Sky" is a compelling read that emphasizes turning oppression into opportunity for women worldwide. I'm just at the beginning of this book and it can be completely overwhelming to handle the details of the suffering of little girls and women around the world. I was driving today and thinking about, even if I could just help one person avoid some of the horrific scenes from this book, my life and work would be worth it. It's this idea of one person helping one that can keep us from giving up hope. If one isn't enough for me, than am I saying my life is worth more than theirs?
There are 100 million women missing. In places where girls have a deeply unequal status, they vanish. Every year, at least another 2 million girls worldwide disappear because of gender discrimination. This discrimination comes in many forms. Girls aren't valued so they are sold into sex slavery in order to make income for their family. Most end up dying of AIDS. Many infant girls are killed at birth because families can't afford another girl (dowry), or because killing the baby girl might lead to them having a boy the next time around. In countries where girls aren't valued they are the last to receive medical care (vaccines or care when they are sick) and food. A little Indian girl dies from discrimination every four minutes. A "bride burning" takes place once every two hours. This abuse doesn't just happen in other countries. In America, millions of women and girls face beatings and other violence from their husbands or boyfriends, and more than 1 in 6 undergoes rape or attempted rape at some point in her life.
All this is overwhelming, but there is always hope. You are part of this hope. Education is a huge factor in ending gender discrimination. Please take time to visit "The Invisible Girl Project" and "Purchased" which are linked on my blog.
If you hit the "Purchased" link it will take you to the "Run for One" event coming up in June.

eucharisteo!

Eucharisteo...the practice of giving thanks. I have recently realized that the one thing my children do that frustrates me the most is verbalize their ingratitude (or show it all over their face and body language.) Sometimes I so amazed that they can't see past their own selfish desires to see how much they have to be grateful for. So today I'm reading about this word 'eucharisteo'. Inside this word is 'charis' which means grace and 'chara' that means joy. So I can't understand why my kids aren't bopping around in a constant state of gratitude and joy, while I have a festering annoyance and frustration just lying beneath the thin surface. This annoyance and festering comes out by provocation of my children's complaints. I guess I find it easy to be thankful for the obvious things...."thank you God for my family, my friends, and all that you provide." But still, the lack of joy.
"On the night that Jesus was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it." Wait. On the night of His betrayal, and impeding torture and death....He gave thanks. Am I really grateful? If my gratitude isn't producing joy in the midst of what I considering frustrating and annoying (not even in the midst of betrayal), then am I really living in true thankfulness?
Paul wrote, "I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything." I always read this with material living in mind. But, today I read it..."what is the nothing I think I living with?" If I'm irritated for what seems to be no reason, I must think I'm missing something. What is the "everything" I living with? I've been told I have everything I need in Christ. Now it's time for me to open my eyes to this "everything" and give thanks and embrace the joy of this grace.

sudden realization of great truth

January 6 marks the day of Epiphany. For Western Christians it's the day to commemorate the day Jesus, the Son of God, was revealed to the Magi gentiles. For Eastern Christians it's the day to remember the day of Jesus' baptism. Regardless of what event you commemorate, both events were God revealing Himself in human flesh. The mystery of Incarnation. I like the definition of epiphany: a sudden realization of great truth. Do you ever have the feeling of awe rush over you when you realize anew how amazing God really is? Epiphany isn't a one time event, but a "take your breath" away occasion that can happen over and over again. I almost have to laugh when I really try and think about the reality of God and how it all blows my mind. We can get so hunkered down into our everyday lives that our lives seem big and maybe overwhelming. But, look up to the sky and think about the galaxies, and the solar systems (yes, that is plural). Think about how scientists keep finding ways to break our cells down into smaller and smaller parts. These scientist have even said something about there being 11 dimensions. Just let it all blow your mind. And this God, who spoke it all into being, came as a helpless baby. Emmanuel. Light breaking through the darness. There is so much more than this.

waiting

At this time of year we are waiting, that is what Advent means. Can I use Advent as a verb (at least just for this blog)? To advent takes purpose, and special effort. You can't hurry and advent at the same time. You can't shop and advent at the same time. We need time to imagine and be silent. God sent Himself in human form and revealed himself to the world. Have you thought about the revelation to the Magi? How did they know about the star, and why were they compelled to go?
There is so much beautiful mystery to Jesus first coming. Take time to think about it.
We look forward to Jesus' return...we are waiting for Him to come again. We say that, but are we really looking, and waiting?
What if I told you that I am looking forward to Jesus coming now, and again. You might be wondering if I'm depressed, or I think this life is just horrible, but it's not. I just have confidence that Jesus' Kingdom is much, much, so much more better than this. There is a lot of beauty for us to see now, who can even imagine what is to come!

journey to the sacred

I grew up in the non-denominational evangelical church. I came out of my formative years with a fear of other churches and other traditions. They were all possibly cults and no other teaching could be completely trusted. This is normal because children don't have the tools to make evaluations on matters of theology. Children want to be taught what is right. Now, this doesn't apply as much today with the post-modern generation. They want to figure it out somewhat on their own.
Until a few years ago words like tradition, ritual, and liturgy were words that, to me, spoke of uninspired religion. I'm being to fall in love with these words. My eyes are being open to the early church and the power of being intentional with my encounters with God and Church. I must thank Jim and Janna Matthias for guiding our group in Lectio Divina and teaching us that church tradition is beautiful and communal.
I'm on a journey to experience God in a new way, for me. Not a new way in regards to church history. The first believers continued to worship God in their daily scheduled prayers. Jesus didn't come and throw out the prayers of Judaism, but fulfilled the prayers; adding His teachings of the Kingdom (good book on this "The Jesus Creed").
At some point, soon, I hope my post will be titled "Journey in the Sacred."

"Language was the one sure and steady presentation of the sacred in life....the one space or exercise in which the human and divine truly met and in which every act of both was recorded beyond adjustment or deletion. To give oneself to understanding the workings of language was to accept vocation at the high altar." P. Tickle The Shaping of a Life

memoirs

I tend to get sucked into memoirs that I can't put down. This last memoir, "Her Last Death" was pretty disturbing. Doug was puzzled by the fact that I couldn't wait for it to be finished and I treated the read like something I had to get done. I was hoping for a little light to shine, but really nothing brightened the pages. Don't even pick up "Running with Scissors." I cut that one short around the 5th chapter. The review said it was disturbingly funny. What does that mean?! It was nothing but disturbing. I'm now reading Anne Lamott and I'm going to stick with her.
There are two common threads in all the memoirs I've read. The authors have major dysfunction in their childhoods' and they have a great passion for reading at a young age.
I've been taking great pride watching Maegan devour books and even reading as she walks about. But the other day I feared, "What will she write about me in her memoir?" Will she remember with fondness, "My mom was obsessed with healthy foods, and sent us to bed with nightmares of bio engineered foods." Or, "My mom's love for everything natural instilled in us a love for the smell of rain, and the satisfaction of eating meat that still smelled like the farm." (I'm not really that healthy, but I do rant about it).
You never know which lens your children are going to use to remember you. I'm hoping for quirky and endearing not controlling and naggy. I think the lens depends on the birth order of the child.
Another thing that strikes me about memoirs is the ability of the authors to remember stuff that happened at 3 years old and events that don't really seem that memorable. Maybe I'll start writing Maegan's memoir for her since I can get the memories right :)
Or, maybe her childhood won't be dysfunctional enough to make a best seller. But, I would like it to be interesting enough to write about; dysfunction makes good life lessons!