More Than a Feeling

I'm Moving!

2011-01-08T17:50:00.000-08:00

No... not to a new city. :) Just to a new blog site! My new address is:

http://reneedurham.wordpress.com

See what's new there!

One More Thing I Don't Need

2010-10-20T09:59:00.001-07:00

Six months of no spending was an adventure, and I learned a lot about needs, wants, giving, the Lord and myself during that time. Recently, I realized there is something else I don't need. It's different than "No More Stuff" because it's intangible, but often leads to lots of "stuff" that is really great and fun, but totally unnecessary. It's...

My Birthday

Here's the deal... I love birthday presents, I really do. But lately as Whitney and I have been talking about how we were going to celebrate on October 31 and what we want for our birthdays (yes... we are roomates AND we have the same birthday!) we also began to talk about how convicted we feel collecting THINGS when

ONE in EIGHT people in our global community don't have access to clean drinking water.

So... we are giving up our birthday in hopes that together, with you, we can help provide clean drinking water to a village of people on the other side of the world that none of us will probably ever meet. What does "giving it up" mean? It means that we are asking anyone who had planned on buying us a gift/card/dinner/coffee/whatever... to instead donate the amount of money they would have spent to help build a well, even if it's only a few dollars. All of the money we recieve will go to Charity:Water. And get this...

$20 will provide one person with clean water for...

20 years.

The purpose is NOT to make you feel obligated. We would never want to ask for gifts or ask anyone who wouldn't typcially do something for our birthdays to feel like they have to spend money. The purpose is to transfer something we don't need to something that others DO need.

My birthday: one more thing I don't need.

For more info on Charity:Water, the organization donations will go to, click on the link below:

www.charitywater.org

My Own Little World

2010-09-06T11:43:00.000-07:00

Lately I've had a couple of things that have been dominating my heart, mind, and prayers. They're not bad things... not earth shattering or negative. But they are mostly about me. Then, last night I was driving home and I heard a song on the radio that kind of wrecked my current little world. It goes like this:

In my own little world it hardly ever rains
I've never gone hungry and always felt safe
I got some money in my pocket
Shoes on my feet
In my own little world
Population me

I try to stay awake through the Sunday morning church
I throw a twenty in the plate but I never give 'til it hurts
and I turn off the news when I don't like what I see
It's easy to do when it's population me

What if there's a bigger picture?
What if I'm missing out?
What if there's a greater purpose
I could be living right now
outside my own little world?

Stopped at the red light, looked out my window
Outside the car, saw a sign, said "Help this homeless widow"
Just above this sign was the face of a human
I thought to myself, "God, what have I been doing?"

So I rolled down my window and looked her in the eye
Oh how many times have I just passed her by
I gave her some money then I drove on through
In my own little world there's population two

Start breaking my heart for what breaks Yours
Give me open hand and open doors
Put Your light in my eyes and let me see
That my own little world is not about me

Man, Matthew West just punched me in the gut! At this point I don't necessarily have any specific application, or what I'm doing differently or how it changed me. I just thought it was worth sharing. It's been in my head all day - not just the lyrics, but the reminder that it's

NOT.

ABOUT.

ME.

Letters & Love

2010-08-21T12:56:00.000-07:00

I love letters, in any form. There is just something exciting about receiving something unexpected in the mail. Something that someone you love has written. Created. Touched. It's so different than receiving an e-mail, text message or phone call. Letters are nostalgic, and they take much more thought and effort. From finding something to write on, deciding what to write in it, purchasing the stamp and walking it to the mail box, letters are a labor of love. They are special. And so, whether it is an old fashioned letter, a greeting card, postcard or something in between, I get a unique thrill every time something shows up in the black metal postal box outside my door. Recently, I got one of the most special and exciting letters I have ever received. This letter has changed my heart and my perspective. It has been displayed on my night stand since the day I opened it, right where I can see it every morning when I wake up, and every night before I go to bed. This letter made me smile, it made me laugh, and it made me cry. I've never met the person who wrote it, but he is slowly changing my heart.

This letter is from Guillermo.

He is 8 years old.

He lives in Nicaragua.

And each month,a few $$ are withdrawn from my bank account to help support his education and his health.

I sponsor Guillermo through an organization called Compassion International. Last spring, at the Catalyst West conference in California, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Wess Stafford, president and CEO of Compassion, speak about his outlook on children across the world, and how we are called to not only care for them, but involve them, teach them, and let them be a part of our world (he has an excellent book on this subject called Too Small to Ignore). After his speech, I lined up with many others to fill out the sponsorship paper work, and got to take a packet home that day with pictures and information about Guillermo, which sits on my desk at work.

Compassion is such a cool organization, and one that is reputable and responsible in how they manage funds. Founded in 1952, today Compassion serves more than 1 million children in 26 countries. The organization works to release these children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty. To learn more about Compassion, check out their website.

So, back to the letter. Why was it such a big deal? Well, in the months since Catalyst West, I have done my best to think of Guillermo and to pray for him. I talk about him when people see his picture on my desk, I even sent him a letter and a birthday gift not long ago. But the problem was that he was just a name. A picture. A child far, far away that I sponsored. Then, in an instant, things changed.

The moment I spotted the envelope sitting in my mailbox, I knew exactly what it was. I squealed with delight, as my roommate wondered what in the world I had found. I raced inside, dropped everything at the door, and jumped onto our velvet green chair to rip open the envelope. And the moment I opened it, I saw this:

He drew me a picture! My heart soared and tears filled my eyes as I realized that this child wasn't a picture, a face, or something I could check off on a list of "good deeds." He is Guillermo. He lives. He plays soccer, loves to eat rice and beans, has a dog, loves the color blue, and loves going to social studies class. He wants to be a christian musician when he grows up. He has a sister and a mother and has brown hair and he likes to draw pictures. He drew me a picture. One of the most precious things about the picture is hard to see in the photo above. It's all of the erased pencil marks from several attempts, until he decided he'd gotten it just right and colored it in with his crayons. It was Guillermo's labor of love. He is real. For the first time, I was holding a physical object that he had touched and created. And everything changed.

Holding something in my hands that had once been in his possession just made it click for me. It filled my heart with love for this little boy I may never meet. It fueled my desire and discipline to pray for him, not as an afterthought, but as a member of my family. I think of him in an entirely new way. All because of one letter.

Isn't the power of a letter marvelous?

One Day's Wages

2010-06-03T15:25:00.000-07:00

How much is a teacher paid in Burma?

$40.

Not per day.

Not per week.

Not per month.

$40 a YEAR.

At Catalyst West, I had the pleasure of hearing Eugene Cho, founder of One Day's Wages speak. He told a story of being in Burma and asking what the biggest obstacle to overcoming poverty there was. The answer he received? Education. They couldn't pay teachers' salaries. They lacked $40 a year to pay teachers.

After telling this story, Eugene said, "look: global poverty is HUGE. But it's not so big that we can't do something about it. You and I, we might not be able to change the entire world, but believe it - we can make a dramatic impact together in the fight against global poverty."

He then pointed out that we all have influence - we each make the choice as to whether that influence will be good, bad, or passive. Then he asked a question that made my head spin, and it hasn't stopped since:

Do you really believe that your life is valuable? Do you really believe that God can use you to make a difference?

Um, I sure hope so! Otherwise, what's the point?

Eugene Cho knows the answer to this question, and he IS making a difference as the founder of One Day's Wages.
This organization, only 7 months old, encourages people to consider donating only one day's worth of their yearly wage to help fight global poverty. What a cool concept.

100% of your donation goes to helping fight poverty
You pick where your money is invested

In 7 months, ODW's has surpassed $300,000 in giving. The story of this organization and the family who founded it is incredible. Head over to their website and check out the cool campaigns and parternships they have going, the album they have coming out, watch some cool videos, learn more about global poverty, and calculate what one day's wages is for you.

This is the real deal.

www.onedayswages.org

Cali, Cali, Cali!

2010-05-17T18:00:00.000-07:00

I LOVE California.

For so many reasons:
- The weather - yeah... I'm a warm and sunny kind of girl.
- The scenery - beach, mountains, valleys, beautiful agriculture... all in one place!
- The Food - between awesome mexican and IN-N-OUT, what more do you need?

But the number one reason I love California?

MY PEOPLE.

People that I love. A lot. People who don't share my blood, but are my family. People that I don't get to see often enough. And as usual, THAT is what made my latest trip to Cali back in April so special.

I started my trip in Fresno, for the California FFA State Leadership Conference. While I was there I had the privilege of coaching two of the national FFA officers, Levy and Bethany, and even got to see Levy on his home turf. They both rocked and I was very proud of them.

I also got to spend quality time with some of my faves:

Marcus just got his first "man job" working for California FFA. I'm proud of him!

Nessie was a national officer last year. She's all grown up. :)

Marcus and Audrey after our "team" dinner. The best teammates anyone could ask for. :) We gad a great time re-living old memories!

After the conference was over I drove down to Oxnard to spend a night with my dear friend, Andrea. Andrea and I were FFA state officers the same year (she is from Nevada) and we met in the summer of 2000 at a conference in Washington, D.C. We really became tight a couple of years later when we ran for national office together and took it upon ourselves to become roommates (she had an open bed in her room!) We saw each other several times in the years to follow, and we still talk on a regular basis, but it had been nearly five years since we'd spent any time together. But no longer! Andrea's husband is in the Navy and is currently deployed, so we had the house to ourselves for some quality girl time. :) (Although I wish I could have met Jeremy... I did get to talk to him on the phone!)

The next day we went to Ventura and did some window shopping, went to the pier, and spent some time on the beach!

Windy? YES! But totally worth it!

We spent a lot of time trying to get JUST our feet wet, but mostly ended up running away from the waves. And getting soaked. :)

The view looking inland was noteworthy as well. Again... how can you beat mountains and the ocean in one place?

Goal for the day... get the perfect in-air shot. It only took a couple of tries. :)

This picture describes my day without a single word. Scratch that... describes my whole trip.

What an awesome trip! (I didn't mention she also drove up to Fresno to see me and take in the convention before I drove down to see her. We got to re-live our days in the blue and gold a bit!) In addition to taking me to the beach while I was in her stomping grounds, Dre also indulged my craving for mexican food twice in less than 24 hours, let me sleep in her bed, and provided much needed conversation, comic relief, and hugs. Those two days were so good for my soul. I love this lady! Thanks Dre.

From Oxnard I drove to Orange Country - Irvine, to be exact. There I attended Catalyst West, a convergence of young adult Christian leaders. It was an incredible experience where I was inspired, challenged, and re-directed in my faith, thinking, actions, walk, and future. I heard speakers like Don Miller, Andy Stanley, and Dr. Wes Stafford among MANY others who helped expand the small box I put God and my relationship with him into. I worshipped with the likes of Chris Tomlin and Carlos Whittaker (check him out his blog and his music - good stuff!). AND I got some SWEET ideas for national convention! If you are a young adult involved in leadership within your church or ministry (or plan to be in ANY WAY) you must check out Catalyst. They have two conferences a year - one on the west coast in April, and another in Atlanta in October.

So there you have it... a recap of a great trip with great friends, even if a blog post and photos can't quite do it justice.

The Marvels of Modern Agriculture

2010-05-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

Something that my heart really breaks for in this world is global hunger. The social injustice of seeing so many people starve every day while we have more than we could ever need is tough to come to grips with. And sometimes it seems like there is nothing we could ever do to help solve that problem.

The reality is, the modern technology of agriculture puts us in a position to combat global hunger on a real scale. Will we use it?

Below is an interesting article on one scholar's thoughts regarding trendiness of the organic and sustainable movement that has become very prevalent in the western cutlure. Just some food for thought. Your thoughts?

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2010/04/26/attention_whole_foods_shoppers?print=yes&hidecomments=yes&page=full

Confesesions

2010-05-02T13:44:00.001-07:00

I recently returned from a great and eventful trip to California (my goal is to blog about those happenings and post pics this week!). While I was there, it happened...

I bought something. (long sigh)
Ok, more than one thing if I'm being honest. (cringe)

So... I'll give you the low down while trying not to make excuses.

Item #1: Black heels
With the changing seasons I've been running into a problem: the only black professional shoes I have in my closet are boots. Very wintery, knee-high boots. I was at the California FFA State Conference, and had packed several skirt suits to wear. I had two pair of black pumps in my closet: one had the metal in the heel exposed about 1/4". Very professional looking. The other I literrally can wear and walk in for approximately 4.5 minutes before feeling like I'm going to die and having to take them off. I've tried to break them in. I've tried to get used it it. It simply wasn't working. So... I went to Macy's, found a pair of well made, reasonably priced black shoes, and bought them. I made sure to buy a pair that I can wear with both casual and professional outfits, and a pair that will last me beyond July.

Item #2: Phone Charger
My phone charger is the kind that can adapt to many types of phones. It has a detachable piece on the end that allows you to change the connector to fit different models. My first night in Cali I reached in my bag and pulled out the charger, only to find the end that connects to my phone missing. Apparently in the hazy process of yanking it out of the wall in my bedroom and shoving it in my backpack (It was early. I was in a hurry.) I dropped the connecting piece. Because I was scheduled to be in CA for 9 days, I figured I really couldn't manage to conserve my battery that long. So, I stopped in at the Verizon store and picked up a new charger.

Item #3: Phone Cover
I'll admit: this item was arguably the least needed, and I really could have done without it. Here's why I got it: I've been carrying around my phone with only the back piece of the case since January. In TN in January I dropped it (which is a frequent occurance) and the front piece popped off, never to be found again. So the front of my phone has been exposed for several months. After a couple of good face-down drops on the concrete, it was looking pretty rough and I was starting to become concerned about the performance of the touch screen. I decided I'd rather spend a preventative $20 on a new cover than eventually have to replace a busted phone. Reasonable? Maybe. Maybe not.

So after this trip to the mall that resulted in three material items I felt pretty terrible. I only have two months to go, couldn't I have held out? Well... yeah, I probably could have found a way around all three things. But on the bright side, I realized how much thought I put into those purchases, and four months ago, I wouldn't have blinked an eye at them. In fact, four months ago I probably would have come home with additional things that caught my eye while I was shopping for what I went for. The way I think about "stuff" is changing, and that's the whole point. That new view of material items and the amount of thought I put into purchasing them is not something I plan to abandon when "No More Stuff" is over in July. I want to still think just as hard about a purchase as I did last week in California.

So that's the latest "No More Stuff" update. I can't believe that I have four months down! Two months to go!

Take a Walk With Me

2010-03-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

...a shoeless walk, that is.

Once again this year, I'll be going barefoot for a day on April 8th for TOMS Shoes "One Day Without Shoes." This day is meant to spread awareness of the impact a single pair of shoes can have in the life of a child. A few facts:

Most children in developing countries grow up barefoot.In some developing nations, children must walk for miles to school, clean water and to seek medical help.
Often, children are not allowed to attend school barefoot.
Cuts and sores on feet can lead to serious infection, including Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil.
In Ethiopia alone, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis.
Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes.

So how can going barefoot help? It's simply about spreading awareness. You go barefoot, maybe get your firends to go barefoot, and it gives all of you an opportunity to tell people about Podoconiosis and how you can help prevent it (umm... one easy and fashionable way - buy a pair of TOMS!)

Last year I walked barefoot for a day and it was an experience I will always remember. For one thing, it was gross. By the end of the day you could scrape layers of black off the bottom of my feet. And it hurt. My soft feet seemed to pick up everything, and were so tender after walking on the scorching streets and sidewalks on that sunny day. It was also humbling. As I walked downt the street and into establishments people stared at me. A lot. Some laughed, others gave me looks of disgust, and a few asked questions. Finally, it made me realize how little I know about having a tough life. As I sat on the edge of the bathtub that evening and watched the day's grime wash down the drain, I thought about how little my microscopic experience without shoes compared to someone who actually LIVED that on a daily basis. And my desire to help skyrocketed.

The most important part of the day, though, was the conversations I got to have. I was repeatedly asked why I wasn't wearing shoes, and it gave me the opportunity to talk to people about TOMS, poverty, social change, and making a better world. A good day, indeed.

So... what do you say? If you're going to walk barefoot, I'd love to know!

Register to go one day without shoes at http://www.onedaywithoutshoes.com/ and learn more about the TOMS story at http://www.tomsshoes.com/

I Have Enough - Day 54

2010-02-23T19:09:00.000-08:00

More than enough, actually.

Lately, I've found operation "No More Stuff" to be pretty easy. And that's been bothering me.

I kept thinking, "If I'm not struggling, I must not be learning anything!" I panicked. So I kept trying to figure it out... what have I learned lately? Why has this not been hard the last few weeks?

And then, sitting in church Sunday listening to a sermon on giving, it hit me like a ton of bricks...

It hasn't been so hard because

I HAVE everything I NEED.

Pretty novel concept, huh? It's something we don't think too often - at least I don't. But it's true. Do I have moments where I want to go buy a new pair of heels? Yep. Will it be tough when the sun finally starts shining again and spring fever makes me want some new warm weather clothes? I'm sure. But in His grace, God has started showing me through this experience that I can get by just fine with what I have. I'm more than fine - I am abundantly blessed with way more than I need to not just survive, but live a rich life of excess.

So I was sorely mistaken... yep, I'm learning all right. Pretty cool lessons at that.

PhotoJournal: Japan

2010-02-20T14:05:00.000-08:00

Japan was fantastic, as expected. It was a time of learning, growing, exploring and fun. I know I said I would post updates, but our internet access was more limited this year, and when we had it we usually had to pay for it. So I decided blogging was out. I took thousands of photos in an effort to capture all of the incredible moments we experienced, and it has taken me the last week and a half to sort through them. Below are some of the highlights:

Sightseeing in Tokyo

Participating in a traditional Japanese Tea Ceremony.

The ceremony teaches four principles:

harmony, respect, purity, tranquility

Rocking out to MJ with the latest technology at Sony Plaza

Casks of saki at a Shinto shrine in Tokyo

We caught a glimpse of a wedding procession at the shrine.

I love the cabs in Tokyo.

Tuna auction at the Tskiji fish market in Tokyo. It was 5:00 am.

Tskiji

Our breakfast at the fish market.

It was tough to eat this much sushi so early in the morning.

Visiting a family farm.

Pounding rice to make mochi... sticky rice dough balls which we ate for lunch.

This little boy, Aaoi, captured my heart.

He has grown up so much since last year. He knows his ABC's in Japanese and English!

The family's table, where lunch was served.

They live in a beautiful, traditional farm house.

Randa and Aaoi.

Fun and love know no language or cultural barriers.

Taishi Foods Tofu plant. We taste-tested 10 courses of tofu and

tofu based foods. Enough tofu to last me a year!

Toshogu Shrine, Nikko.

The snow made such a beautiful setting.

Kegon Falls, Nikko

We rode an elevator 100 meters underground to get this view.

Food presentation is always gorgeous and special in Japan.

Learning origami at a traditional Japanese hotel.

Our futons on tatami mats at the hotel. So comfortable.

FFJ members at one of the agricultural high schools in Tokyo.

They flew our flag at the high school that day.

The Japanese are so respectful of our culture and

make a huge effort to accomodate our norms.

At the port of Nagoya we got to board this ship carrying American corn.

That's the corn!

Corn was all over the deck of the ship.

Picking it up and knowing it had come from the US was crazy.

The view from the deck of the ship.

This bin was full of soy sauce fermenting.

It did not look appetizing.

We spent a morning making homemade udon noodles with the homestay host school.

It was quite a labor intensive process, and very fun.

Boiling our noodles for lunch!

Lindsay and I's cooking partner, Jun.

He spent most of his time doing damage control and correcting our mistakes.

That afternoon we went to a real kimono shop and got to try on kimonos!

This was a very special and unique opportunity. The kimonos we are wearing

are incredibly expensive. The women in the picture dressed us.

Lindsay, Jun and I.

Sightseeing in Kyoto. This is one of the few cities we agreed

not to bomb during WWII, so it has a lot of original and ancient architecture.

People come to this shrine to drink the water that is falling behind the officers.

The three streams are said to symbolize money, love and good health.

We were told to not be greedy and only choose one stream to drink from.

All 8 of us chose water from the same stream... can you guess which one? :)

Shabu Shabu dinner. Those platters used to contact slices of beef.

This table of three put away nine of them. They won... by far.

Linsday and I at the Golden Pavillion. Yes, the outside is real gold.

Our best samurai poses...

although I'm pretty sure we are not even close to looking like samurai.

My favorite Japanese soft drink... mitsuya cider.

Vending machines in Japan are awesome and have a huge selection.

While everyone else shopped for souveniers, Alex and I left the

beaten path in search of crepes. It took a while, but we were victorious.

And it was worth it.

Our last night in Japan, we got to karaoke.

So fun, and a different experience in a private room, which is common in Japan.

Saying goodbye to our wonderful tour guide, Chieko.
She has become a cherished friend in the last two years.

Japan... Take 2

2010-01-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

In just a couple of hours I am headed out to Japan! I am blessed to get to travel to Japan once a year for work. This year I'll be traveling with the national officer team and my teammate, Lindsay. While we are there we will soak in the culture, visit farms and Japanese companies, visit agricultural school programs (and meet FFJ members) and experience and try new things every day!

Last year I was amazed each day as my mind and world were stretched just a little bit wider. I am excited to go back a second time and experience Japan - this time looking for ways to learn and experience things at a deeper level. I suspect I will blog at least a few times on the trip, but probably won't post a detailed recap of each day like I did last year... I'll just see what kind of mood I'm in each night! :)

No doubt "No More Stuff" will be a big challenge while I'm in Japan. There are so many unique and fun things there to buy! And there were definitely some items that I put off buying last year because I knew I'd be back. Alas... I'll be sticking to buying only gifts for other people - which is pretty fun as well!

I look forward to sharing with you what is sure to be a trip that will open my mind and heart. Until then... Sayonara! (I have to finish packing!)

Target & T-Shirts (Day 18)

2010-01-18T19:01:00.000-08:00

Two of my weakness. This weekend I had to stare them both down in the face for the first time since starting "No More Stuff." Here are the stories and what I learned from them:

The T-Shirt:
This weekend I was heading back to Indy after a couple of weeks on the road for work. As I was walking through the Atlanta airport, a t-shirt in one of the shops caught my eye. I liked it. A lot. I went in the store knowing full well I wasn't going to buy it, but just to check it out close up. I must like to torture myself... when I saw it up close I liked it even more. And then... I looked at the price tag.

$12.00

Only $12.00!?! It's like it was BEGGING me to buy it! My heart sank, because any other time I probably would have bought it without another thought. And when I realized that... I began to think about how often I do that. And how often we as a society do that. I buy things all the time without analyzing whether I actually need it or not, how much I'll use it/wear it, how long it will last, and how much money I've spent on similar items. In that moment, as I walked away from the t-shirt, I was really struck by how little thought I give to buying things. I see something I want, and assuming it's reasonably priced, I buy it. Done. As I thought about this the rest of the day, this is what I began to think about:

$12.00 is practically nothing to me. So I don't give a lot of thought to spending that much on a t-shirt, etc. But to other people in this world $12.00 could mean a life saving vaccination, clean water for years, almost a year's worth of education... in other words, to me $12.00 is a cute t-shirt. To someone else, it could be the difference between life and death. How many lives could I help save but don't because I choose to buy things I don't need?

The Trip to Target:
Come on, what's not to love about Target? You can find practically everything you need there... and a lot of things you don't - but that are awesome. And that's what gets me in trouble every time I go. Every trip usually looks the same: I make a list. I take it with me. I have very good intentions to buy what's on the list and only what's on the list. As I'm checking off the list something inevitably catches my eye... I start wandering around... and before I know it I'm leaving Target having wasted way more time and money than necessary. It's ridiculous, and I usually end up mad at myself for it.

So when I lost my phone charger somewhere between the 7 or 8 hotels I stayed at in the last couple of weeks and a Target trip was deemed necessary, I was nervous about how hard it would be to not buy ANYTHING else. (After conferring with Whitney we agreed that while a material item, purchasing a new charger was a necessity, because she doesn't have the same kind I need and my cell phone is my only phone.)

As I walked in I decided my best bet would be not to tempt myself by looking around. I actually looked at the floor most of the way back to electronics. I grabbed the correct charger, and walked with purpose and tunnel vision to the checkout. As I grabbed my bag and reciept and marched out the front door I realized I had set a new record time for myself in Target... and another record - I didn't waste a single second or a single cent looking at or buying something I didn't need. And you know what? That felt really great!

No More "Stuff"

2010-01-13T20:18:00.000-08:00

THINGS...
What role do they play in our lives? For months I have felt restless every time I purchase something. I constantly ask myself, "do I need this?" I always justify my purchases, and if I can't, I look to other people to justify them for me. And someone always has a way to make me feel better... to feel justified.

So I've been praying that God would help me focus less on things, I've been ignoring the desire I feel when I look at Whitney's new SUV beside my much older car, and I've told myself I would give more of my money to people who need it. It hasn't been enough, and I've known that for a while. After talking with a friend about what areas of our life we weren't surrending to the Lord, I thought about it later that night, and my answer was clear... I have been allowing God to be in control of most areas of my life - except my desire and "need" for THINGS. Even after this realization came, and I told myself I'd do better, I simply couldn't let go. My roomate, Whitney, and I have been having a lot of conversations about this, but we just kept going in circles. About a week ago I was packing and cleaning my room in preparation to go to Tennessee for work. As I dug through my clothes and all of the other "stuff" in my room, I was absolutely disgusted by how much I had. And how much of it I never use or put on my body. God was calling. I decided I'd figure it out when I got home in two weeks.

But while Whitney and I were in Tennesee the answer came. We were reading some magazines and Whitney came accross and article about a family who had compeltely cut their spending for a year. As we talked about whether or not we could do it, it became more and more clear that I needed to. And I thought of more and more reasons why it wasn't practical. Whitney committed before I did. I just kpet thinking of excuses. Until one morning when we were sitting in a high school and I finally blurted out, "I have to!" Whitney looked a little confused, because we hadn't even been talking about the subject. I explained to her that as I was rolling the idea around in my head I finally realized that the fact that I was having such a hard time committing to this was my evidence that I needed to do it.

So... here's the deal:

I am committing to not making any material purchases for 6 months.

In looking back, I realized that I haven't purchased any material goods since the new year. So, my goal date is July 1.

The guidelines:

I can purchase depleteable goods (shampoo, makeup, gas, etc.)
I will obviously purchase food
There are a few purchases I have been planning on that I will make (for example: if I'm going to run a half marathon in May Inew running shoes will be essential or my knees will be shot)
I am working to re-define my use of the word NEED. I use it far too often... and in reality, there are many things I'd like to have, but very few that I NEED. I'm trying to eliminate that word from my vocabulary.

My prayer for this experience:

That I would be made more like Christ
That I would be more dependant on my relationship with Him for my joy.
That I would learn to live more simply - and that it would become a lifestyle.
That in focusing less on material things I would focus more on:

- Christ

- People

- Relationships

- Prayer

- Giving

- Serving

Here's the bottom line:

Things will never satisfy me and I REFUSE to let them take the place of the most important priorities in my life.

Along the way I will blog about my experience - how it's going, when it's hard, when I see it paying off in my relationships, and more. My request to you - my friends and family - is to hold me accountable. Ask me how it's going, and call me out if I need to be. I know this will be tough for me. That's why I'm doing it.

Here's to living more simply.

Sweet Memories & New Adventures

2010-01-02T13:23:00.000-08:00

It's the new year! I felt a weird mix of emotions as the clock counted down the final seconds of 2009. Usually New Years is exciting, but honestly not all that significant to me. But this year felt different for some reason. Perhaps I'm more aware of the fact that with each drop of the ball there is more time and distance between old memories that I hold dear. Maybe it's that as each year passes I feel more anxious about what I'm contributing to the world and how I'm making it better. Or maybe it's just that with the passing of 2009, I was closing out a really good year. I don't know what it was... nothing major, but just a strange, unfamiliar and very poignant mix of sadness, excitement, wistfullness and anticipation during the hours that led up to the noise makers, confetti and cheers as the new year rang in.

2009 was indeed a great year for me. Some highlights:

- The move to my new neighborhood, Broadripple, and the addition of a roommate (that's us below). These two events changed my lifestyle significantly, for the better. I've never enjoyed Indy so much.

- My first trip to Japan. I learned so much about culture, humanity, humility and love. I can't wait to go back later this month.

- I saw one of my favorite artists, Dave Barnes, in concert for the first time. He is awesome, and is doing good things with his success.

- Because of that concert, I joined Mocha Club and learned how much $7 can really do.

-Also, speaking of concerts, I spent a most memorable evening with great friends watching Fall Out Boy and Blink 182. So fun.

- I had a fantastic 2 week visit to California, a highlight of which was spending Easter with the Eller family and friends (below with Amy & Stacy.)

- I walked barefoot for an entire day, and was humbled as people stared at me, gave me dirty looks when I entered establishments and I felt each burn, scratch and stab on my blessedly tender and protected feet.

- I spent a totally relaxing and purely fun girls weekend in Florida for Tracy's bachelorette party.

-I was blessed to attend and help celebrate the wedding of two great friends, Christy and Elio.

-I had the best time standing beside my best friend Tracy as she and Seth (my new best friend in law) :) exchanged their vows and had a fantastic celebration to follow!

- I spent a fantastic week in DC with new and old friends - some of the best I have - catching up, adventuring around the city, and celebrating the 4th of July on the national mall & watching the fireworks (below). I miss and love that city and those people.

- I planned, directed, and "called the show" on my own for the first time for the National FFA Convention sessions in Conseco Fieldhouse.

- I spent a year with and said goodbye to my first full team of national officers as their manager. We all learned a lot. :)

- I started attending a small group at my church (when I'm actually in town) and have tried to lay a foundation to experience more authentic spiritual fellowship.

- My sister welcomed her first child, a sweet little boy named Bentley, and I got to experience the first joys of being an aunt and having your heart completely captivated by another person.

- I got to spend significant time at home for both Thanksgiving AND Christmas, and had a great time with family and friends.

So... all in all, 2009 was a year full of growth, joy, love, new experiences, learning, wonderful people, and great adventure. I guess that's why I was a bit sad to see it go. That being said, I am eagerly anticipating all that 2010 will bring. I don't have any "resolutions" for the new year, but do have some renewed goals that are focused on learning more, building deeper relationships with the people in my life and with Christ, and being more disciplined and healthy. As we embark on 2010, I'm looking forward to the unknown, and excited for what is yet to be.

Cheers to a great year, and thanks for being a part of my life.

Give Good Cheer

2009-12-20T15:06:00.000-08:00

'Tis the season where we hear a lot about cheer... spreading it, receiving it, reveling in it. And it's also a season in which for some reason, despite all that we hear and talk about giving, often we think of ourselves most.

What do I want for Christmas?

I wish people would get out of my way so I can get my shopping done...

All of the holiday traffic is so inconvenient for me...

I'm so busy this month...

I know I'm guilty of all of those thoughts, plus more. Recently a friend sent me a cool & short video about giving cheer... and simply giving. It was a great reminder to stop thinking about myself so dang much, and also a reminder that little things really can make a difference. Check it out!

www.levi.com/cheer

What if we each made the commitment to GIVE this season, in whatever way we can?

It doesn't have to be world changing...

GIVE...

BACK

A Little

A LOT

FREELY

SWEETLY

THANKS

TO PEOPLE YOU KNOW

TO PEOPLE YOU DON'T

UNEXPECTEDLY

GENEROUSLY

SINCERELY

Give.

Altruism?

2009-09-03T18:51:00.000-07:00

If you're a reader of my blog, you probably know by now that service is something I care a lot about. I believe that I have been called to leave what I touch better than I found it, and I believe that I was created - actually, that we were all created - to serve others in some capacity. And there are SO many cool things that people are doing in this world to help make it better using their gifts and blessings. That's obvious, as it's what I most often write about. That excites me and I think it deserves to be shared.

Lately, though, I've had many conversations and thought a lot about why we serve. Is it for our own benefit? For the benefit of others? If there is some good in it for us, does that negate the good we’re doing for the people benefiting from the service? Take for example companies that are centered around giving… let’s take one I’ve blogged about… TOMS shoes. A friend asked me not long ago if the founder of TOMS, Blake Mycoskie, is a humanitarian or a business man. I said both. He asked if it’s possible to be both at once. I said yes… he countered that while Blake is doing great things for people, he’s simply a brilliant business man who is making more revenue because of the fact that he’s helping people. So… if Blake is making money, does that mean he’s not a humanitarian? Do you have to give up monetary success, comforts, etc. to be a humanitarian? If you’re reaping some benefit, monetary, emotional, social or otherwise, are you still “serving”?

Altruism:
a concern or regard for the needs of others, entirely without ulterior motive.

Is that possible? Can we really do anything without ulterior motives? When we serve others, even when it takes sacrifice, is it out of pure concern for their needs, or do we always have ulterior motives? Furthermore, if people benefit, do our motives matter?

The truth is... I don’t really know.

Here's what I do know:

I believe in a God who has called us to love others as we love ourselves, and to be servants to them.
I have a heart that aches and is burdened by the state of our world and by the people who are hurting in it.
I am constantly aware that I am by far among the wealthy elite compared to the rest of the world, and I am often sickened that I do not do near enough about it.

But is my heartache over people in need and the resulting tug to do something about it actually selfish deep down? I don’t know… I hope not, but to be honest, it’s definitely possible. The truth is, I know my heart, and I know that simply because I’m human I’m sinful. But luckily, I believe in a God who redeems and forgives and changes me through knowing and experiencing Him. My model for not only service, but for how I want to live and who I want to become is Christ. I pray every day that I would be made more into His likeness. The fact of the matter is Jesus Christ lived a life - and died a death - that was about everyone but himself. And so I believe that serving others is one of the best ways that we can be made more like Him. He commanded us to serve. And so I think when we serve others in obedience to Him, we are changed through that experience, and our wickedness is slowly melted and replaced by the same love He has for us.

I also know that regardless of our motives or of how we benefit from results of service - whether that be feeling good about what we did, being recognized for our work, or reaping financial gain - the bottom line is, when we take action, people's lives are better. Period.

So... let's do some good, huh?

P.S. It was really hard to condense what I wrote into what is above. I've got so many other thoughts about this swirling around in my brain, and lots of them are conflicting. What are your thoughts? Please share!

Twitter, Facebook, and Your Network - Powerful Tools for Change

2009-07-13T17:43:00.000-07:00

So, I do the whole Twitter thing. I tweet (that’s fun to say!) fairly regularly. Once in a while it’s about something important, but most often it’s just random musings or happenings throughout my day. And... I admit that I follow A FEW celebrities on twitter. Not many – but a few who I think are witty enough to warrant reading what’s going on in their heads on a regular basis.

One of those celebs is Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy. I’m not really sure why I started following him, but I randomly added him one day… probably just because I like his music. I've enjoyed following him and reading his updates... although I'll admit sometimes it's kind of weird, because it's not like we're friends and I really know what he's talking about when referring to his life happenings. It's a weird world, this whole social media thing. Weird... and powerful.

So a few weeks ago (yes, this post is way overdue) there was a bit of a buzz that Pete was about to hit 1 million followers. (Can you imagine a million people reading your life's updates?) He posted that there would be a surprise to celebrate the 1 million mark. I was really interested in what this surprise would be, and how he would celebrate it, so I was excited when he finally reached 1 million. When I saw what he was doing, I was even more excited. And appreciative.

Pete decided to illustrate the power of 1, and how that can turn into the power of 1 million. He set up a website where his followers (and others) can donate $1 to help people in East Africa through Invisible Children (which I blogged about back in March). Read his message and thoughts about using social media as a tool to help the world (& maybe even donate a dollar) here http://petewentz.com/post/140798299/the-million-tweet.

Pete is using his influence – in this case via one million twitter followers - to contribute. To help get something done. To fight. $1 isn't much... but when 1 million people give $1 it's suddenly very significant.

So Pete Wentz has one million followers. I have a whopping 36 followers on Twitter. Clearly, that doesn't begin to compare. So what about us?

We all have influence. It may not be a million people – but we have it. We all have a network – of friends, family, co-workers, heck even facebook friends and followers on twitter. And the fact that we can't each make an impact through 1 million people should not stop us from using the influence that we do have. It starts somewhere, and each act is significant. Remember what $7 can do in Africa? (If you don’t, check out my Feb. 22 blog about Mocha Club) Take a nod from Pete Wentz.

How can you use the influence you have in your network - however big or small - to contribute?

Thanks to Pete I’m re-energized and inspired to blog about world changers again after being a major slacker this summer! Peace, love & change!

Long Overdue Update

2009-06-07T17:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure what happened to my blogging... But now I'm back! To ease back into it, I thought I'd just start with a long over-due update on my travels and happenings over the last couple of months. Nothing deep or serious, just what I've been up to.

I left off on my last post right before I headed to California to begin a 2 week travel whirlwind full of friends, work, and lots of fun! I arrived in Sacramento where my great friends Jesse and Marcus picked me up. As we were walking around Sacramento, somehow San Francisco came up and when I mentioned that I'd never been, they said it was less than two hours away. So of course... we hopped in the car and headed to the bay!

We didn't have much time, but here are some shots from our time at Pier 39:

Jesse and I:

Marcus and I: (Shout out to Jill & Cory... Marcus's VA Tech shirt drew a LOT of attention!) :)

Alcatraz... Jesse swam from the Island to shore last year, and he's doing it again this year, plus running the golden gate bridge when he's finished! He's my hero. :)

After a couple of hours in San Fran, we headed to Jesse's parent's house for Easter weekend. Lots of friends and family joined us for a sleepover, and we had a great time playing on the ranch, riding four wheelers, cooking out, climbing (and falling out of) trees, and just enjoying a special weekend with fantastic people! (Unfortunatley, I was having too much fun to snap any photos!)

From there I spent the week with Jesse and Marcus in Chico, where they go to school. It was a busy week, but we had a great time as I accompanied them to meetings, school, the office, and of course we spent some time having fun away from campus as well! Other highlights - girl time with Amy Lewis and helping Carey host trivia night at the Banshee!

Thursday night we loaded up in Carey's truck and drove to Fresno for California FFA's state convention. I got to see many friends, as well as watch and coach two of the national FFA officers, Nessie and Paul. They did a great job, and it was a great week! One of my only photos from the week: Marcus, Nessie, and her regional advisor, Mr. Beard:
After the conference was over, I spent an extra night with friends in Fresno. It was fun to spend some downtime with people I usually only see at work events.

I miss chocolate shakes and smoothies with Jimmy:

The next morning I got on a plane and headed to the opposite coast for a few days in Florida! My first stop was Gainesville. It was incredible to be back in a place that is so special to me, with people who are even more special. A girl's day with Christy, dinner with Elio, Erica and Brady at Sonny's (one of my favorites!) and chilling at the house on 34th St. with Elio just like old times was just what I needed.

Yay for Sonny's sweet tea & corn nuggets!
After my short time in G'ville I hopped in the car and headed to Tampa to pick up some of my favorite people from the airport! We were there for my best friend Tracy's bachellorette party weekend at the beach. Tracy, her mom, her sister Karen and Shauna flew in and we headed to our condo on the beach in Treasure Island! It was a very fun weekend. Time on the beach is always good... and there is nothing quite like being there with some of the people who know you best. A weekend with my best friend and second family was so good for the soul. Some pictures of the fun:

Playing on the beach at night: Dragging ourselves away from the sand for a fun dinner and night out:

Back in Indy, we celebrated Marty's birthday early before he left for China. Good times! Whitney and I put our bargain shopping and decorating skills to the test and spent a weekend re-decorating the downstairs of our town house. We had a blast hunting for furniture and accessories at antique stores and retro shops all over Indy, and were pretty excited with the results!

After a couple of weeks at home it was time to head out for another two weeks on the road. First I spent a week in College Station, TX with the national officers for a week of training and coaching. It was weird to be there and know that I almost ended up there for grad school, and wonder about how different life would be now if I had gone there! I had a good week being with the team, and catching up with my old FFA friend Dustin.

From College Station I headed straight to Asheville, North Carolina for the much anticipated wedding of Christy & Elio! I love both of them so much! It was a BEAUTIFUL setting (the Grove Park Inn), a beautiful ceremony, and a blast of a reception with great friends from all over the country. Congratulations to the Chiarellis! Friends at the wedding:

Of course I had lots of fun dancing with Barrett :) We don't get to do that very often these days! I really miss Tate, the most southern gentleman I know! Erica... she thinks her name is Shelby. Her favorite colors are blush and bashful. Amy. I miss long bike rides and suffering through runs with her.
From one wedding to another... I headed from Asheville to Fayetteville for the wedding of Tracy & Seth. Talk about a fun and special week! I spent a few days with the family before Tracy & Seth arrived in town (and got to rub my little sister's pregnant belly for the first time!). After that, wedding fun and preparation began!

Me with Melissa and Tracy, high school best friends at the bachellorette party:

Breck and Jennie: new friends are a perk of friends getting married!

Tracy married a Buckeye fan. Luckily I have Jennie, a fellow Gator to keep me company when I'm among all the OSU people... We love to give them a hard time! I love her! (Us downtown after the rehearsal dinner)

Jennie and I with the groom's cake. In case you're not familiar with Gator football, we're holding up the score of the national championship football game the Gators won against the buckeyes. (41-14) It was so good to hang out with Melissa!

We love getting together with Hawley when we're home!

If everyone had a Tracy in their life, the world would be a better place.

She married a wonderful man! (Who I like to claim responsibility for her meeting, as I drug her to the concert where they met) I like to call Seth my best friend in-law. :)

The girls from high school: Melissa, Sarah, Tracy, Crystal and I.

The Nash-Rothey wedding was so fun and such a blessing to be a part of. Thanks to both families for your work and hosting wonderful events! It couldn't have been better!

So there you have it... the last couple of months summed up into a few pictuers and paragraphs. As for what's happening now, things are really starting to get busy again. Although national FFA convention is not until October, planning is starting to really pick up, and I'm doing a lot of prep work for when the national officers are in town for convention planning and training. This week I'll head out on my last bit of vacation for a very long time :). I'm going to DC for the 4th of July - I'll get to see my roommate who I've been without all summer, as well as LOTS of great friends from all over the country. After that, it's back to Indy, traveling for work, and full-on convention planning and execution. I'm excited, nervous, anxious and ready for all of it! Bring it on!

One Day Without Shoes

2009-04-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, April 16th go barefoot to help TOMS Shoes rasie awareness for the One for One movement. One Day Without Shoes is a nationwide event to get the word out about how TOMS is changing the lives of children in need. Learn more and check out the video here.

There are also many local shoeless events - check out TOMS shoes to see if there is one in your area!

Hope you'll join in to raise awareness! Peace, love & TOMS. :)

A Good Read & the Power of Pennies

2009-04-07T17:35:00.000-07:00

One day I was in the airport and I randomly picked up this book and decided to buy it:

I really wasn't sure what I was getting in to when I opened up, but I was soon engrossed in the AMAZING story of Greg Mortenson. It describes his journey that started out as a failed attempt to climb Pakistan's K2 (the second highest mountain in the world) and ended with him establishing schools to promote peace in some of the most remote regions of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He went from lost to homeless to hero in a matter of a few years. If you're in to mountain climbing, adventure, peace, fighting terrorism, or changing the world, this is a MUST READ. (You can get it on Amazon for less than $10!)

My good friend Jill:

is involved in something really cool related to Three Cups of Tea and Mortenson's cause. Jill works for the Center for Peace Studies and Violence Prevention at Virginia Tech that was formed out of the tragedy that happened there April 16th, 2007. The Center's student affiliate organization, Students for Non-Violence, is bringing Greg Mortenson, author of the book, to campus on April 15th. (I am so jealous and wish I could be there!) As a part of that they are organizing a "Pennies for Peace" drive on campus as well. Their goal is that the VT community can raise enough funds to build a school in Pakistan/Afghanistan and maintain it for 5 years at a donation of only $1.77 per student on campus. How cool! Some of us at FFA are getting busy collecting pennies for Jill as well. If you're interested in learning more about the cause or how you can help with the Pennies for Peace campaign at VT (or just have some spare change!), please let me know!

Good luck, Jill! You are involved in a really cool cause!

In other news, this weekend I'm heading out of town for a couple of weeks. Stops include Chico & Fresno, CA, Gainesville & Clearwater, FL. I'm hoping to have some fabulous stories and pictures to share from my adventures! And... if you're in one of those towns I'm so excited to see you soon!

My Favorite Bracelet

2009-03-29T16:39:00.000-07:00

I have this bracelet that my friend Marcus gave me. It's pretty simple - red and black, and made from reeds. The cool thing about it is that it was hand made in Uganda and the cash that Marcus paid for it went to help put children in Uganda through school.

The Bracelet Campaign is just one of the cool things that Invisible Children is doing to change people's lives around the world. A quick run-down on Invisible Children:

Three young college filmmakers, Jason, Bobby and Laren traveled to Africa in the spring of 2003 in search of a story. When they witnessed how the unseen war in Northern Uganada was affecting the children there they were both "disgusted and inspired". They told their stories in Invisible Children: Rough Cut, a documentary about their experieneces in Uganda. The complete story, The Final Cut, is coming to theatres soon. Keep your eyes out for it!

Becuase of these experiences, Jason, Bobby and Laren went beyond the film and founded Invisble Children, a nonprofit working to transform apathy into activism. They have many campaigns in addition to the bracelet campagin mentioned above, and I could never do this organization justice in a blog post. So... check out the website - http://www.invisiblechildren.com/home.php - it's really powerful, really cool, and really inspiring. Also... here's a link to one of my favorite Invisbile Children videos... it's short - and the message applies to so much more than just this singular cause... please take a minute to watch it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JUwYkiKWlI

PS - thanks for the bracelet Marcus! :)

Shoes for Tomorrow

2009-03-05T14:13:00.000-08:00

When I first started this blog I knew that one of the first people/companies I wanted to share was this one:

TOMS

(Shoes for Tomorrow)

So, what's so special about TOMS? It's pretty simple:

My (healthy) obsession with TOMS began last year when my friend forwarded me a job post... She said it was with a really cool company that made her think about me. Well, I wasn't looking for a new job, but it sounded interesting, so I checked out their website.

I was surprised and inspired by the story I found there.

In a nutshell, this guy Blake

went to Argentina on vacation in 2006. While he was there he was stricken by the poverty he saw, especially among children. Many children couldn't afford shoes to wear, and as a result were contracting some pretty nasty diseases through their feet. (Let that sink if for a moment. NO SHOES. And because of that, they were getting sick. Can you even imagine? The reality of that situation is so hard for me to grasp when i have a closet full of shoes I only wear with certain outfits.) Anyway...

That could've easily been the end of the story, but it's not.

Blake designed a simple canvas shoe based on the traditional Argentine alpargata.

That May Blake started selling the shoes from his apartment with a simple philosophy: for every shoe he sold he'd give one to a child in need. By October of that year he'd sold over 10,000 pairs and in turn delivered 10,000 pairs to Argentina in what TOMS calls a shoe drop.

Since then TOMS has given away over 130,000 pairs of shoes and plans to give over 300,000 more this year.

After learning more about TOMS I was sold. I purchased a pair for myself and for every staff member of the Washington Leadership Conference last year. Because the conference was about service, I figured TOMS were the perfect shoes for us to sport all summer. We got white shoes, had a party, and painted them... TOMS calls it "Style Your Sole." http://styleyoursole.tomsshoes.com/ (We each painted ours to represent an area of service we were committed to).

We had a ton of fun and all ended up with a very unique pair of shoes!

Me painting my shoes:

The group modeling our finished products:

Reasons I love wearing TOMS:

1. They're very comfy

2. They're unique

3. I always get asked about them when I wear them, which gives me an opportunity to share the story about a cool company making the world better.

There is definitely a color and design for everyone:

And they don't just sell shoes. They have some pretty sweet other merchandise, like my most recent purchase:It combines my favorite shoes with my favorite quote! And the "one for one" applies to anything you buy from TOMS - so you buy a t-shirt, hat, etc... a kid gets a pair of shoes!

All this being said, here's what is most incredible and ispiring to me about this company: The founder,

Blake Mycoskie.

This is a guy, pretty young, who saw a need in the world ... and then - get this -

DID something ABOUT it.

To me, Blake is proof that we really can change the world. That one person can make a difference. It all started selling some canvas shoes out of his apartment... and now, 130,000 lives are better because of him.

So what does it mean for us? Realistically, most of us are probably not called to start a company of such magnitude. But... every time I put on my TOMS I'm reminded of how lame my excuses are for not doing more to make the world a better place. If Blake Mycoskie can do so much in such a short time, we can all do a little more... whether it's making the extra effort to separate trash and recyclables, volunteering for a local cause, giving a little more to the charity we support, or even making a commitment to seek out and buy from compainies that give back, like TOMS. It's just about changing our mindset to realize that what we do does matter... and that

CAN

Change the World.

Read more about the TOMS story or buy some shoes at http://www.tomsshoes.com/, and check out this cool video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LD4f-KkAqwM.

Peace, love & TOMS :)

I Need Africa More Than Africa Needs Me...

2009-02-26T11:39:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was an exciting day... because I got a new t-shirt in the mail! I bought a shirt from Mocha Club's latest campaign... "I need Africa more than Africa needs me." It's a pretty sweet shirt - I've already worn it (and it's REALLY comfy!) Check it out below!

So why do I need Africa? Check out this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAB-zJPsJjs

The really cool news is...

anyone who joins Mocha Club right now gets the shirt for FREE!

And the even better news... Marshall and I's team
ORANGE & BLUE
is on-line!

To join our team for just the cost of 2 mochas a month go to: www.mochaclub.org/joinme/Renee_Durham.

An Invitation

2009-02-22T12:21:00.000-08:00

Do you love coffee as much as I do? Not only do I love coffee, I love coffee that costs a ridiculous amount of money. Although I know that in my head, I just can't help stopping at Starbucks for a latte or mocha once in a while. I wonder how much money I spend at Starbucks in a month. What does this have to do with anything? Keep reading.

A few nights ago Marshall and I went to a small music venue here in Indy to see a Dave Barnes concert. I've been a Dave Barnes fan for a couple of years, (thanks to Marshall who introduced me to his music). He's got a great voice, puts on a fantastic (and really funny) show, and I love his music. So for those reasons alone, you should check him out.So all that is really cool, but there's even more reason to love him. Many of Dave's song lyrics hint at something bigger than himself. Hearing him singing about changing your own actions because of others in need (10,000 children) and changing the world (Brothers & Sisters), I assumed that on some level Dave Barnes 1) is living for something more, and 2) has a heart for service. Seeing him in concert for the first time, I realized that both of those assumptions are true - and probably to a bigger degree than I'd realized.

In the middle of his set, Dave slowed things way down and took about 15 minutes to talk about his experiences serving in Africa (he's been 4 times) and working with Mocha Club. Mocha Club is an organization working to tie together two communities - ours and Africa - by encouraging people to give as little as $7 a month... roughly the cost of two mochas. In fact, I'm sitting at Starbucks right now and the board lists a grande mocha at $3.65... so two of those is less than a monthly membership to Mocha Club.

A musician rocking out and then all of a sudden stopping and using a chunk of his show to talk about serving and giving? And... seven dollars? To help create change? Seriously? Yeah. Here's what $7 can do: You know, I often struggle with doing "small things" to help. It never feels like enough... and sometimes because it's so small it makes it feel like it doesn't really matter (verbalizing that makes me feel wretched). But I looked at the numbers above. And I looked at the faces in the pictures and videos on the Mocha Club website and have done my best to make them real to me and not just images.

And I try to put myself in their place (which is SO hard in our life of excess and riches.) And I realized - if I got to drink clean water for a year, or I got a quick shot that saved me from dying from Malaria - I would fiercely believe that $7 is enough to make a difference.

So I signed up. Marshall and I created a team - Orange and Blue (I know... real creative) and because of that, we each got a free Dave Barnes CD. Come to find out, Dave Barnes (as well as other musicians like Matt Wertz) has been giving away free CD's all year... for signing up to join Mocha club, for recruiting more people to join, etc. I wonder how many CD's Dave Barnes has given away in the last year that he could have profited from, but chose not to.

He's parting with serious revenue. I'm parting with a couple of cups of coffee. Coffee that I really enjoy... but still just coffee. You know, maybe it's not coffee for you. Maybe you hate coffee. If that's the case, what's your "mocha"? What do you spend $7 a month on that is nice but you could easily part with and not really miss or maybe even not notice it's gone? McDonald's? People magazine? A movie? I know that we hear these pitches all the time for hundreds of different charities. Quit ignoring them. Pick one - whether it's Mocha Club or not - and give something that you don't really need anyway. Now.

If you want to join Mocha Club, or just learn more about what they're doing in Africa, check it out at http://www.mochaclub.org/. You can join my team! (However... because I signed up on paper at the concert my team info isn't live on the website yet, so hang tight :))

And... be sure to check out Dave Barnes on his website or iTunes - a really cool musician doing cool things for the world.

"10,000 children are my invitation to change. To continue in excess suddenly feels oh so strange." - Dave Barnes, 10,000 Children

Thoroughly Japan (now with pictures!)

2009-01-30T03:26:00.000-08:00

The last few days have been exhausting! For the first time since we arrived in Japan the travel and all the activity has started to catch up with me. (So... because of that I'm going to be lazy and not post pictures. I'll update soon). Something else that's happened in the last few days - it seems our experiences have become more and more authenticly Japanese (well... most of them).

Wednesday we left Tokyo and headed to Nikko. The landscape was very different - we entered mountain country. We visited one of the best tofu factories and sampled A LOT of tofu cooked many different ways. Some of it was a struggle to get down... some of it tasted amazing! Who knew you could make donuts and cheese cake mousse out of tofu? After lunch (of more tofu) we toured a huge shrine in Nikko.

Then... one of the highlights of our trip so far (ok... I know everything seems to be a highlight, but I'm SERIOUS.) We arrived at a ryokan... a traditional Japanese style hotel. When our bus pulled up we were greeted by 4 staff members at the door (in kimonos no lesss) and immediately whisked into a sitting room for sweets and green tea. Then they took our bags up to our rooms for us - traditional japanese style with multipurpose rooms, tatmi mats and slippers so you don't wear your shoes inside - and made tea for us and showed us how to put on our yukatas - casual cotton kimonos. While at the Ryokan you wear your yukata EVERYWHERE - in the lobby, to dinner, to the bathouse (a whole other story)... it was AWESOME. I loved the yukata and will definitely be buying one before I leave to replace my bathrobe.

Yukatas:

A shot of my room: You can see my futon bed on the floor, and a massage chair (yeah... I had two!) behind that.

After we got settled in, all the girls went to the communal bathouse. (The boys did too, but I definitely don't know those details!) We were a little nervous, but we were the only ones there, so it was perfect for our first time. We were definitely more modest than the Japanese, but we LOVED the hot tubs - two inside and one outside.

Dinner was served in a private room and was amanzing - and 100% japanese. Some of it was fantastic - for the first time I sincerely ENJOYED my raw tuna (and a whole baby trout - eyes and all - see below) and some of it was harder to stomach with a smile.

After dinner we had an oragami and calligraphy lesson from Chieko - we had so much fun hanging our with her and learning from her!

Oragmai:

We went back to the bathouse after that and that night I slept on the floor on the futon mat and tatmai mats in my yukata - with the balcony door open so I could hear the running water of the stream outside - and it was the best sleep I've had yet. I could seriously go on and on about this experience...

The next morning we took to nature and visited two beautiful waterfalls and a crystal clear lake in the mountain area. It was really cool to see some of the natural beauty of Japan:

Then we went to our first FFJ school visit. It was awesome - the students were so friendly and excited!

National FFA and National FFJ presidents:

Yes, they even wear slippers in school!

We went back to Tokyo for the night and ate dinner at a famous Indian restaraunt near in Ginza (ok... so not everything is Japanese!) I was nervous because my one experience with Indian food was not a pleasant one, but it was FANTASTIC!

Today we took the bullet train to Nagoya. Sadly, we all fell asleep and totally missed passing Mt. Fuji. In Nagoya we went to the port where they import hundreds of thousands of tons of US grain every month. It was very cool. Some pictures of us at the port:

This afternoon we visited another school with FFJ members. They had a party for us where we ate many food products prepared by the students and played games. Then the officers left with their host families, where they will be for the next two nights. What an exciting experience for them!

Riley at the party, helping make dumplings:

Paul and his host brother, Riley meeting his host brother, and Regina with her host sister:

The adults are staying a hotel in downtown Nagoya. Tonight we get some extra (and much needed) rest. We'll meet up with the officers and their host families tomorrow for a farm tour. For now... I'm getting some sleep. Sayonara!

There are no words...

2009-01-27T00:25:00.000-08:00

A quick recap of yesterday:

We started off the morning at the US Embassy where we were briefed on the state of agricultural trade and affairs between the US & Japan. We spent the afternoon and evening at the headquarters of Mitsui, our sponsor for this trip. After our meetings with Mitsui they hosted a reception where we got to meet and hang out with several of their junior staff members, who are close to my age. It was fun to visit with them and learn from them.

I tried a sushi roll with salmon eggs. My Mitsui friend was very nervous for me, but I ate it like a champ.

Mitsui Junior staff

TODAY

Today was a very special day - one that I think will be hard to top! I think it's hard to describe what we experienced today in words, but I'll give it a stab. (That's why there are lots of pictures, which also don't do the day justice).

This morning we left our hotel at 5 am for the Tsukiji fish market - the largest market of its kind in the world! The place was already busy when we got there way before dawn. As we walked down the streets of Tokyo we could smell the fish several blocks away from the actual market. We arrived and walked through a maze of allies packed with small shops like the one below: already open and preparing for a busy day.

Then we made our way to a warehouse. As we stepped in we saw a floor that was lined with fresh tuna ready for auction:

There were men running around everywhere, examining the tuna closely and taking notes on which ones they wanted to bid on:

It also seemed like a social affair as many of them visited and laughed together. It's clear they work together often. But then, the bells started ringing and things got serious. Everyone started dashing for the lines of tuna they wanted to bid on and the auction started. As they auctioned it sounded more like a song or tribal chant than our auctioneers.
Below: an auctioneer with a bell.

After that we made our way to another warehouse full of frozen tuna:

As we left that warehouse I heard a guy talking to a japanese man about how the acution worked, and I looked up and one foot away from me was Zac Effron! No kidding! And then I looked to my left and there was Vanessa Hudgens! I was being pushed out the door and didn't get to say anything or get a picture, but we saw them again later in the market and Regina snapped a couple photos of them.

This is where the tuna goes: (this market is right outside the warehouse)

In the alley/market place there were small restaraunts. We went into one and the 12 of us litterally packed the place - there was only a bar to sit at. We had a very expensive breakfast - tons of:

Sushi. Yeah - kind of strange at 6:30 am, but I ate a lot!

This afternoon we went to the home and farm of the Hagiwara family. This is Mr. Hagiwara, a 13th generation farmer!

He and his family were absolutely wonderful. We met the whole family, including his son Aaoi:

When we first arrived they showed us how to make "sticky rice" balls - a very traditional food in Japan. Here is his mom steaming rice (this is in their front yard):

The rice was put in a stump that was carved into a big bowl:

Then we took turns pounding it!

Then we went inside their home (a very traditional and beautiful Japanese home) where Mrs. Hagawara prepared lunch for us (including sticky rice balls made out of the rice we helped make outside). It was very special - the food was wonderful and everything we ate came from their farm (and was all organic). They definitely welcomed us as family at their table.

They also showed us many family heirlooms that are very old, including this pipe below:

Then we toured the farm - the grow a number of things there, including organic vegetables and herbs. I really liked this old van that had been converted into a storage place for tools:

We spent several hours walking around their farm, and down neighboring paths. We visited with the family and especially played with Aaoi who was so fun and energetic. He was such a great reminder that people are the same no matter where you go. He had no idea that we were Americans trying to learn a new culture - he just climbed in our laps, ran, and played with us all afternoon.

Aaoi and his grandma:

One of their neighbors working on her farm: (I think she thought we were crazy for taking pictures of her) She rattled on in japanese to Nessie and I as if we could understand even when we kept shrugging our shoulders - but she just smiled and kept talking.

We made our way to a playground where the officers had a lot of fun:

We were all very sad when we had to leave. It's incredible how quickly you can bond with people - even people very different from you - when you have open hearts and open minds.

Viva Tokyo!

2009-01-25T03:46:00.000-08:00

Today was fabulous! We spent the day sightseeing in Tokyo. Here is a snapshot of what we experienced:

In front of Imperial Palace:

The largest shrine in Tokyo. First you walk through the gate & you are purified mentally and spiritually. Then you cleanse your hands and mouth with water to purify physically.

We took part in a traditional Japanese tea ceremony. This ceremony dates back five hundred years. I was chosen as the guest of honor :) and sat to the left of the host, was served first and gave a speech on behalf of our group.

Some of my favorite photos are ones I took of the locals:

I dont know what this place was called. Our guide Chieko just called it `the large paper lantern and place with 100 shops`. It was very cool.

The Japanese believe smoke has healing and beautification powers, so the stand near it and waft it in their face. This is Hannah and Nessie trying to get beautiful.

Inside you could pay $1.00 to get your fortune. If it was good you took the paper with you. If it is bad you tie it to the pole and leave it behind. Nessie was sad because she got a bad fortune. (mine was a `regular` fortune).

The architecture here is very unusual. The building on the left is the headquarters of a beer company and is designed to look like a glass of beer (with the foam on top). The building to the right is meant to be a flame of peace.

This evening we took a short cruised down the river that leads to Tokyo bay. We crossed under several brideges. These are some of my favorites:

This picture shows several Tokyo skyline highlights: Japan`s own Statue of Liberty (yes, they got one from France too... who knew?); Rainbow bridge, and the bright structure behind the bridge is Tokyo tower - the tallest structure in Tokyo (it slightly taller than the eiffel tower and up close looks similar).

Sayonara for now!

Welcome to Tokyo!

2009-01-24T03:32:00.001-08:00

We left the FFA center at 4:30 Friday morning and over 20 hours later arrived in Japan. During that time we were on two planes, crossed the international date line, lived basically a whole day, and never saw darkness. We landed at the Tokyo/Narita airport Saturday afternoon (Tokyo time), got our passports stamped and hopped on a bus to downtown Tokyo to check in to our hotel. For the first couple of nights we're staying at a Courtyard Marriot. It's very western overall, with a few subtle differences - the most noticable being the size of the rooms. I was surprised when I opened my door and found a space barely big enough for a bed and a desk, although it makes perfect sense. With land selling for up to $300,000 a square meter in some areas of Tokyo space - one of the many things we take for granted in the US - is not exactly abundant here.

After checking in we walked to Ginza street - a famous area of Tokyo that is very beautiful and very busy. Looking around at the high end department stores, lights, cars and many people, I was visually reminded of Times Square.

But there were some key differences: the city is very clean and very quiet. No honking, no yelling... people talk at a very low level and primarily keep to themselves. The loudest sound I heard in our 15 minute walk was a baby crying.

Dinner was traditional Japanese tempura. It was very good, and a very safe choice for our first meal in Japan... and the best Miso soup I've ever had!

Tomorrow we spend the whole day sightseeing in Tokyo - it's sure to be exciting. For now... I'm looking forward to laying in a bed for the first time in nearly two days! Sayonara!

Blogging

2009-01-21T18:51:00.000-08:00

Blogging... I’ve been a skeptic for a long time. I’ve rolled the idea of starting a blog around in my head many times, but never felt like I had anything worth blogging about. So I decided that I would not create a blog until I could write something that had purpose. So... the purpose of this blog is twofold: First, I have been incredibly blessed with a job that allows me to travel often and to some very cool places. I rarely get to share all of the pictures, stories and experiences with the important people in my life. So tune in here for the latest updates when I’ve been out and about (coming soon… Japan).

What makes my job and my travel such a blessing is more than just where I get to go and what I get to do. It’s the people that I meet. This world is full of problems bigger than most of us who live comfortable lives take time to realize. The needs that surround us – hunger, disease, environmental issues, equal rights, poverty, (just to name a few) – are overwhelming. That’s the bad news. The good news is that there are many people in this world who see those needs, and more importantly, are doing something about them. Individuals, groups, families, organizations and companies are taking steps every day to help make our world better. I’ve been lucky enough to be thrown into the paths of some of these people and organizations, and I think their stories deserve to be shared. Purpose number two.

It’s also noteworthy that the people whose stories I’ll share inspired the title of my blog. “More Than a Feeling” – yeah, it’s a song I love to listen to on a sunny day with my windows rolled down. And it’s also a reminder for me. A reminder that life is about more than the feelings we have – it’s about what we do with those feelings. So we’re inspired, energized, frustrated, elated, or convicted… big deal. Until we do something about what we experience, see and feel, it means nothing. So... here’s to doing.

Speaking of doing something, check out Pledge 5… an initiative by Starbucks to encourage community service. Imagine if everyone in America gave just five hours of their time to their community. What kind of impact could we make together? What a simple idea! Check it out at http://pledge5.starbucks.com/

I’m heading to Japan with the national FFA officers Friday morning. I’ll do my best to post updates and pictures throughout the trip. The officers will also be posting daily as time and internet access allows. You can read their blog at http://www.ffa.org/blogs/nationalofficers/index.html.