So I'm pretty terrible at this whole blogging thing. But I will keep trying. Life just gets busy sometimes and days go by without much fanfare. I could only tell you of little bits and pieces of the last few weeks that I even remember. It kind of makes me sad. I have a lot of thoughts in my head but somehow none of it seems important so it gets left behind and the days keep going by. Wow. So depressing. So lets move on and be constructive in this life. I am deeply saddened by all the pain and suffering that seems to be going on around me lately. Money woes, divorce, wandering people with no purpose, selfishness causing hurt. My own selfishness has made me apathetic to all of this and I want to stop it and love and care for these people who are hurting in the way that God made me to care for them. This is my goal. to reach outside of myself and see what other people are doing and how I can listen, or hang out, or care for and stop being so selfish. I also want to create for the purpose of healing my soul. I want to experience the joy of creating things and working out some of the ideas in my head that have plagued me for years. I think i could stay pretty busy with these things and hopefully my family and the people around me would be blessed and God would be glorified.
yeah.
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Monday, November 8, 2010
How I feel alot
Make a difference today! Reflections of a fundraiser by Laurel Hoffmann
Tell me what I'm supposed to do.
I work in communications for a social justice non-profit. And the hard truth is that we need money, and emotional (read: manipulative) fundraising letters work. they effectively siphon money out of the wallets of well-intentioned people who somehow aren't jaded by the non-profit appeal mechanism.
I'm proud of the work we do. Our programs are designed to help those living in poverty remain housed. We serve an evening meal, provide clothes and hygiene items, as well as run a food depot, all to increase the chances of people having enough money to pay their rent. For us, success is being able to invest in the lives of the people we work with. As cliche'd as it may sound, we focus on the person, not the problem. What we do best is create a place where people can belong, which in turn build community, which ultimately allows for hope to grow. We believe that what appears on the outside as an inefficient system is in truth the all-powerful efficiency of God's love at work. Donations make all this possible - they contribute to feeding, housing and clothing the poor, as well as paying the below-industry wages of our socially justice minded employees.
While we celebrate what we are able to do, we also ache that we force our community to stand in line for food and clothes and coffee and yet again for a place to sit and visit. We ache that we are a part of the machinery that takes away their choices by deciding for them what they can eat , when they can get clothes and how often they can withdraw from our food depot. We ache that we can't be all inclusive, even though we know that God is. And we ache that we have to daily turn people away.
So we write letters that move people to give more so we can do more. We look for photo opportunities. We plead with you, the moneyed, to have compassion for the people we work with daily. I call donors friends - "Without the continued support of friends like you..." - even though, in most cases we've never met. Our literature creates a sense of urgency; it says, "Make a difference... Today!" and "Donate Now!" It uses exclamation marks. I understand that perceived urgency motivates people; I know it motivates me. I just don't like the feeling of being played. Or that I'm playing with someone else's emotions. But the needs we see everyday are, indeed, urgent. We need the money. So tell me, what am I supposed to do?
Laurel Hoffmann works at a faith-based, inner-city organization in Edmonton, Alberta.
Tell me what I'm supposed to do.
I work in communications for a social justice non-profit. And the hard truth is that we need money, and emotional (read: manipulative) fundraising letters work. they effectively siphon money out of the wallets of well-intentioned people who somehow aren't jaded by the non-profit appeal mechanism.
I'm proud of the work we do. Our programs are designed to help those living in poverty remain housed. We serve an evening meal, provide clothes and hygiene items, as well as run a food depot, all to increase the chances of people having enough money to pay their rent. For us, success is being able to invest in the lives of the people we work with. As cliche'd as it may sound, we focus on the person, not the problem. What we do best is create a place where people can belong, which in turn build community, which ultimately allows for hope to grow. We believe that what appears on the outside as an inefficient system is in truth the all-powerful efficiency of God's love at work. Donations make all this possible - they contribute to feeding, housing and clothing the poor, as well as paying the below-industry wages of our socially justice minded employees.
While we celebrate what we are able to do, we also ache that we force our community to stand in line for food and clothes and coffee and yet again for a place to sit and visit. We ache that we are a part of the machinery that takes away their choices by deciding for them what they can eat , when they can get clothes and how often they can withdraw from our food depot. We ache that we can't be all inclusive, even though we know that God is. And we ache that we have to daily turn people away.
So we write letters that move people to give more so we can do more. We look for photo opportunities. We plead with you, the moneyed, to have compassion for the people we work with daily. I call donors friends - "Without the continued support of friends like you..." - even though, in most cases we've never met. Our literature creates a sense of urgency; it says, "Make a difference... Today!" and "Donate Now!" It uses exclamation marks. I understand that perceived urgency motivates people; I know it motivates me. I just don't like the feeling of being played. Or that I'm playing with someone else's emotions. But the needs we see everyday are, indeed, urgent. We need the money. So tell me, what am I supposed to do?
Laurel Hoffmann works at a faith-based, inner-city organization in Edmonton, Alberta.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Cora's first day of Pre-Pre School
Here is Cora getting ready to go to her first day of pre-pre school. really it's just a mom's morning out program that she will be going to on friday mornings. She was so excited she talked about it for a week.
She jumped right in with both feet and is definitely not a shrinking violet. She is ready to take on the world. I just hope Scarlet and I can keep up.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Moving
So we have been moving again so I have pretty occupied with that the past few weeks. Moving sucks and even though we have moved 4 times in the last 4 years it doesn't get any easier. Every time I think that I have thrown so much crap away that this time it will be much easier I still get done and realize how much crap I have that still needs to be thrown away or taken to goodwill or something. Nevermind the stuff that is still at my parents house, my brothers house and my sisters house that I haven't touched in three years. ugh! So I will update more once we get all settled into the new place and maybe this time I will be diligent in throwing things away.
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Hummus is Yummus
Hey Everyone,
here is my hummus recipe with much thanks to Rob McKenzie. I got the recipe from him and am slowly making little tweaks as I make more and more so try out the recipe and see where it takes you.
2 cans garbanzo beans with water from the can, put in a pot and heat until just barely boiling. remove from heat.
while the beans are heating.
in food processor put
2/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
as much garlic as you want. I put in about 4-5 cloves minced, sometimes more.
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a little more for a little bit of zip. sometimes I do a tablespoon.
salt to taste. i usually start with a tablespoon and go from there.
put in the garbanzo beans and about half of the water and your food processor should be pretty full about now. blend the crap out of it until everything is blended and then keep blending until you have the desired consistency. if you want it a little more smooth just keep adding little bits of the leftover garbanzo bean water and blend until you have the consistency you want. I like mine just a little bit thicker than most so it's up to you.
it will still be warm when you are done blending so get something to eat with it fast cause warm hummus is sooooo good.
After a day or two sometimes I add a little bit more olive oil and mix it in by hand cause it will thicken up in the fridge.
while the beans are heating.
in food processor put
2/3 cup lemon juice
2/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup olive oil
as much garlic as you want. I put in about 4-5 cloves minced, sometimes more.
2 tablespoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or a little more for a little bit of zip. sometimes I do a tablespoon.
salt to taste. i usually start with a tablespoon and go from there.
put in the garbanzo beans and about half of the water and your food processor should be pretty full about now. blend the crap out of it until everything is blended and then keep blending until you have the desired consistency. if you want it a little more smooth just keep adding little bits of the leftover garbanzo bean water and blend until you have the consistency you want. I like mine just a little bit thicker than most so it's up to you.
it will still be warm when you are done blending so get something to eat with it fast cause warm hummus is sooooo good.
After a day or two sometimes I add a little bit more olive oil and mix it in by hand cause it will thicken up in the fridge.
Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Last Week
Just got back from a week in Gunnison Colorado running sound for a junior high youth camp called the Great Escape. 400 junior high kids from all over the country. It was a good week working with some great people. Spent a couple of afternoons way up in the high country above Crested Butte and it was gorgeous. The runoff from all the snow was making magnificent waterfalls everywhere. Here is some video I shot.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqUJChhh6
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqUJChhh6
This waterfall was well over 500 feet tall. It was amazing. It was good to get up to the mountains as I don't do it as much as I should. I love the beauty and creativity of God's Creation. He is really amazing.
Monday, June 7, 2010
I hate flip flops
So summer is here and with the warm weather comes warm weather fashions. I am a Colorado native and for some reason I prefer cold weather yet I wear shorts year round. people make fun of me and I am ok with that, but my favorite weather is 50- 60 degrees and overcast, I love wearing shorts and a big hoodie. But summer is here and with summer comes flip flops. I can't stand flip flops. I don't mind other summer fashions but flip flops drive me crazy. I'm not really a fan of any kindof sandal but flip flops are the nastiest. I was walking through the grocery store the other day and I could hear some guy coming up the isle behind me and I just started to cringe. I don't like that sound, I know it is where the name comes from but it is an annoying sound. The second thing that bugs me is the little strap that goes between the toes ugh. it kindof creeps me out a little bit. Now I have to confess, I do have a pair of flip flops. I don't know where they are at the moment. but I bought them to use in the shower when I went to Bulgaria in 2003 to make sure I didn't end up with some kind of foot fungus. I think I had a pair of flip flops when I was seven but those are the only two instances of flip flops in my life. If you wear flip flops, I am not making fun of you. It really is just a personal thing that I deal with in my life, the life of summer. Oh the life of summer. I am excited for fall.
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