It seems that we are all living in a time of such contraction. Everything seems to be "less"...less time, less work, less money, less self esteem...
But I really do believe we will all come out of this. Today, we all survive. But can't we all thrive tomorrow? Now, in the midst of all of my spiritual "The Universe Provides" beliefs, I am also somewhat practical. What if "tomorrow" doesn't come soon enough to put even a single Christmas present under the tree for your kids?
Try logging on to FreeCycle.org. The idea of FreeCycle is to keep stuff out of landfills by using the "One man's trash is another man's treasure" philosophy. But it is not all trash! I have gotten some great stuff, I have also given some great stuff when I was getting ready to move in with Tom last spring.
You can register for your location, then you can post for things you want or things you have to give. You can also search for items you want...just in time to put a present under the tree.
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
Recycling for Charities is a non-profit group right here in Royal Oak. This Saturday, Dec 12, they will be at the Eastern Market from 8-2 collecting your electronic waste. This keeps hazardous waste out of landfills and allows you to dump this stuff without having to pay the fees a lot of the agencies charge to dispose of e-waste for you. The best part is that the money raised by Recycling for Charities supports over 800 charitable organizations. This is the perfect opportunity to "give" without having to open your wallet to do it! It also gives you a chance to purge things from the house that you no longer need. I find having more "space" and less unwanted "stuff" is one way to say to the universe "I now have more room for the things that really matter..." More room for the people we love, more room for opportunities, more room for a little peace.
And you thought you were just recycling an old iPod... Oh yeah, AND donations are tax deductable!
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
Do kids read any more? I was going to print something out of an email I received titled: "What if Santa Wrote Back?" but I decided the email was a bit too vulgar to re-print here...
The point was that a little boy wrote to Santa requesting some new electronic gizmo for Christmas. The boy began the letter with: "deer santa..." and it gets worse. Santa writes back and says: "Nice spelling. You are on your way to a career in lawn care. (No offense to lawn care workers anywhere...) How about I give you a #&%^ book so you can learn to read and write?..."
As our pocketbooks get smaller and smaller, our ability to give back gets smaller and smaller too. Organizations that support "non-crucial" activities, such as literacy, are WAY down in receiving necessary funds to even keep their doors open. But think about it. If our children cannot read or write, what will our country be like then?
Buy books for the holiday! Buy them for yourself. Buy them for your kids. And here is a way to buy them AND support literacy programs at the same time. Try buying your books at BetterWorldBooks.com.
They are a smaller on-line bookstore. They never charge shipping. They carry new and used and you can sell your books back after you read them. They have great prices on clearance books. And best of all, with every purchase you make, you can pick a literacy fund that a portion of your purchase goes to support.
I love books. I love to read and I love to write. I would go so far as to put this at the top of the list of characteristics I possess that makes me a good Wedding Minister. Help pass on the love for words to your kids and to your community.
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
The holidays are coming and most of us tend to wrap gifts with lots of pretty paper and ribbons. Unfortunately, much of this gets thrown away. (Unless you have a two year old who would rather play with the packaging than whatever gift you bought...)
Whole Food is selling 100% organic cotton and natural
burlap bags. Made as eco-friendly and fairly as possible in audited and
certified facilities. You can buy the bags on-line for $25, or I have found them at the Whole Foods Market at Orchard Lake Rd. and 14 Mile for just $10.
For just $10 you can join Whole Foods Market in providing 100 meals to
kids via the World Food Program’s Rwanda School Feeding operation. They
pre-paid that $10 per bag to feed the kids and have also donated the
costs to produce these high-quality totes. Hard to believe we can feed that many kids for the same price we pay to go out for coffee.
Anyway, I bought these totes to put my holiday presents in. So the bags themselves become gifts to my family, gifts to hungry kids, and a gift to our earth. The bags themselves are awesome. They fold into a zippered pouch. They have pockets inside and a sturdy handle.
I pick up one more every time I shop just to "give to the cause". I hope it is a cause you can give to as well.
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
The following information can be found on the Buy Nothing Christmas website. I think the Canadian Mennonites may have something here...
They say:
This Christmas we'll be swamped with offers, ads and invitations to
buy more stuff. But now there's a way to say enough and join a movement
dedicated to reviving the original meaning of Christmas giving.
Buy Nothing Christmas is a national initiative started by
Canadian Mennonites but open to everyone with a thirst for
change and a desire for action.
Buy Nothing Christmas is a stress-reliever, and more people
need to hear about it. You can change your world by simply
putting up one of the posters (or make your own) in your church,
place of worship, home or work. Be sneaky about it if you
have to. The point is to get people thinking. It's an idea
whose time has come, so get out there and make a difference!
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
Many years ago, I decided I need to learn how to throw pots. I signed up for a pottery class at Oakland Community College. It didn't go well... I'll stick with writing poems. But I have always loved a beautiful hand-made pot. (I did learn that no matter what the "vessel" it is still called a "pot".)
For more than 30 years, local artisits have been coming together in December to share their wares in a forum called The Potters Market. This year, the show runs from Dec 4-6 at the UF & CW Union Hall located at 876 Horace Brown Drive in Madison Heights. Admission is free. No strollers please.
Please support these wonderfully talented and creative souls. And give a gift that was made with love to someone whom you love this holiday season.
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
The December 2009 issue of Metro Parent had two good articles that focus on the topic of giving. One is called Gifts that Keep on Giving...11 Things You Should Give Your Child That Doesn't Come Under a Tree. (The first gift is the Gift of Self Confidence.) There was a second article titled The Season of Giving. This highlights some local organizations, ways you can give, and a related link to their website for more information about how to know if the organization you wish to give to is reputable.
On a side note, you may also wish to check out the article titled Losing My Religion. This speaks to how parents can raise children to be moral and good, without being raisedin a formal religious atmosphere.
Log on to Metro Parent to find a location where you can pick up a free copy of the December issue.
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
Restaurant.com offers restaurant discount certificates for restaurants of all kinds all over the United States. For example, a $25 certificate may cost between $10 and $15 if you pay full price. However, once you register, they send discounts to your email for anywhere between 50% and 90% off. I had a girl's night out in Ann Arbor last Friday and I was able to purchase a $50 certificate to a high end restaurant for just FOUR BUCKS. Even better, for the month of December, you can sign up with Restaurant.com and participate in their feed it forward program.
Every day through the end of the year, you can send up to 30 FREE $10 restaurant certificates PER DAY!! to friends and family. The catch, of course, is that they need to register with Restaurant.com to download the certificate. But if they find that their service is really not for them, they can unsubscribe any time.
But think aboiut it. That is $300 of free food every day for the next 30 days...
So, your Aunt in Wisconsin, whom you never get to see? Send her a certificate with a personal note that she is special and you are thinking of her. Have a daughter in college like I do? She'll want one! And best of all, get a certificate and enjoy a meal together. (Talk about something other than work an schedules!)
This is all a great way to share more of yourselves with one another. It is a great way to give a gift without spending any money at all. And it is a great way for folks who may not even have enough to know where their next meal is coming from at least one nice warm lunch.
Sign up to receive our blog and we'll have more ideas on the spirit of giving.
Be Well,
Rev. Sherry
My husband and I are out to breakfast this morning when he says "Today is Cyber Monday." "What is that?" I ask. Apparently, this is a day devoted to spending money (that I don't have) to buy things (that I don't need) over the internet (which keeps exactly ZERO dollars here in Michigan!)
So I stop eating my omelet and pull out my note pad (which I never leave home without) to think through this a bit more. I honor that we set aside the coldest, darkest time of year as the "season of giving". Think about it. No matter what faith base you are, it seems December is the time we all "give". But give what?
I keep coming back to the concept that we need to give more of ourselves to the ones who love us, not more stuff that we can put under the tree (or menorrah, or where ever you put thses things). In some of our wedding ceremonies we share the words "...Allow us to bring more of our gifts to the alter of humanity." I don't think they were talking about sweaters or I-pods.
I have some ideas for how we can all give more of ourselves this holiday season. I have some ideas about giving gifts (yes, the ones that go under the tree) that are affordable, sustainable, and that support our local communities. I have some ideas about giving gifts that also "give back" by way of making donations to the under-privileged and under-served when you make a purchase.
"What does this have to do with weddings?" Well, I'm here to create with you not just a beautiful wedding ceremony. I am here to support your unfolding relationship. As you are planning for your wedding AND planning for the holidays, let's face it, money (or not enough money) can be a real issue. Let me help you to "give" without "giving til it hurts".
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Be Well,
Rev. Sherry