Gifts that keep giving

Welcome once again to the holiday season! It becomes so hard this time of year to separate the true spirit of Christmas from the rampant consumerism and materialism. In my life, no matter what I request, my family will still spend money on me. I've conceded that the best I can do is thoughtfully create a wishlist. I try to pick gifts that will give back, and support others. I have a few organizations that I simply adore, for both their products and their missions! If you find yourself in the same situation, and are looking for an altruistic way to participate in Christmas, here are a few ideas for you!

Slim from the SUUBI collection at Light Gives Heat
http://www.lightgivesheat.org/collections/all-products/products/slim

I just adore this collection of jewelry! I have three necklaces and a set of earrings from these folks already. All of their jewelry is made with paper beads. The paper beads and the necklaces themselves are made by women in Uganda as a way to support themselves and their families. I have two Slim style necklaces, the Mustard one and the Wildberry one. I wear them all the time, and they between the two, they have colors in them that match every outfit! I love the dark glass bead detail in this necklace in particular.


Multi-Knit Women's Classic TOMS
http://www.toms.com/womens/classics/multi-knit-women-s-classics

You have to know this about me - I am a huge TOMS fan. I currently have five pairs, but there's always room for more ;-) These shoes are cute and cozy for winter, adding a little extra warmth that regular TOMS lack. And the mission of TOMS (if you are unfamiliar) is that for every one pair of shoes bought, they give a pair of shoes to a child in need so that they can go to school and avoid getting worms and other parasites. Perfect justification for buying one more pair of shoes!


Hold Your Own Messenger Bag
https://thehungersite.greatergood.com/store/ths/item/43436/hold-your-own-messenger;jsessionid=981C6D896525409B003B8BAB3353775E.xs-c?source=4-3001-9

This bag is so cute and very functional! I can just imagine carrying my books around school in it. These bags are made by women in Nepal who support themselves through this project, but also receive education and some health services from the Women's Skills Development Project, sold on the Hunger Site. Comes in two colors too! Black and brown


Hello Somebody Watch
http://hellosomebody.bigcartel.com/product/watches

These are the watches that started it all! Hello Somebody started originally selling these watches as a way to fundraise for their organization which provides care for children, focusing on four areas: food, education, hydration, and freedom. The extra plus is that every time you look down, you'll see this watch and you can remember the child that you're helping, and maybe say a quick little prayer for him/her.

Project 7 Goodies
http://www.project7.com/

These are great stocking stuffers, or even just little gifts for friends. All of their products benefit one of the seven "project" areas: heal, save, house, feed, quench, teach, hope. They sell a variety of small products like coffee, gum, bottled water, cell phone cases, etc. The best part is that these products are even for sale at most Wal-marts and Targets, and they are affordable! Couldn't be easier to change the world! (-:

Cotton Modern Eco Handbag
http://www.earthdivas.com/acb-010-cotton-modern-eco--handbag.aspx

This is my favorite bag right now! I really want it for school; I just love the print and colors! It is fairtrade certified, and also eco- friendly. You can rest assured that everyone was fairly paid for their contribution to this product, and that it helps, not harms the earth. What more reason do you need to buy it?!

Reflections on LA - lessons in love

It's been almost a month since our Youth Venture group has parted, and I've done plenty of reflecting. I've found though that I am having a difficult time putting the experience into writing. For me, the queen of words, this comes as quite the surprise. As I was preparing to share with my home congregation, I found myself getting frustrated that I couldn't explain everything well enough, or share all of the lessons I had learned. Perhaps it is simply that the experience is too holy for words. Are there ever words to describe God? And really, isn't that what we encountered in LA - God? So now, faced with the impossible task again, I think I shall focus on describing some of the lessons I learned, instead of the experience itself.

Lesson number one: it's important to follow the calling of the soul, and to surrender ourselves to float in the current of God's will. For each of us in the group, it seemed random that we ended up in LA. I came because I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, saw a post about the trip, and felt an instant pull to go. Tess came because she heard about the trip on a blog. Matthew came because his cousin urged him to go on the trip. Jordan came because Matthew told him about it. Tayllor was supposed to go to Africa, but the doors closed to that and opened to LA. I had a feeling soon into the trip that God brought us all together for a reason. From the very first day, the group felt like family, like home. Though we may never meet again, or as a group at least, each person: Tess, Matthew, Jordan, Maya, and Tayllor, they all have a special place in my heart. God brought us together for service and learning and late night heart to hearts.

Lesson two: we're all family. This was a recurring theme of this trip. It felt like wherever we went, we were welcomed and treated like family - and in reality we were! The vastness of God's family astounds and touches my insignificant heart. To travel across the country and still feel a sense of welcome and belonging - it is amazing. We were welcomed into Maranatha's congregation during a tender time as they said goodbye to their beloved youth pastor, and we were allowed the privilege of standing by and listening to the memories and seeing the tears. We got to hear prayers and share in the holy moments of community. We were treated like family. It was the same at Family Mennonite. From that first Sunday morning, we were showered with hugs and blessings from everyone in the congregations. They allowed us to join with them in their Vacation Bible School ministry, and they welcomed us into their lives that week. We got to hang out with the youth like old friends, and be blessed by the elders as if we were their own youth.

Lesson numero tres: it feels good to be loved. As I was telling a friend about some of our experiences in LA, and the warmth of the greetings that we received everywhere we went, she said, "It feels good to be loved, doesn't it?" Why yes, it does. It feels great to be loved, and what we received in LA felt even better because it wasn't our tiny human love, it was God's love. We weren't loved for who we are or what we can offer or we've done or anything like that. We were loved from the very first moment because we are children of God, and nothing has ever felt better. To be loved feels wonderful, don't get me wrong! It feels great to be loved by parents and friends and people who know us deeply, but there is something holy and special about being loved by people who know nothing more than your name, if even that! As Mumford and Sons says, "Love: it will not betray you, dismay or enslave you, it will set you free, make you more like the man you were meant to be." Love feels good friends.

Lessons number four: Humility is the most beautiful thing. During the Sunday morning English service, there was a sharing time, and something happened that makes me tear up still, even as I write this. A man shared about his landlord whose baby granddaughter was recently diagnosed with cancer. Last month, he had offered to pray for her, and the landlord accepted. A month later, when he went back to pay his rent again, he asked about the little girl only  to hear that things had gotten worse. The man said that he would say another prayer for her, and the landlord slammed the door in his face. Many Christians I know would respond to this situation with arrogance. They would pray for the "nonbeliever" or the "unsaved" like they were on a higher moral pedestal, or that his man was somehow less for not wanting prayers for the soul crushing situation he was faced with. This man who was sharing was so different though. He asked for prayer for his landlord, that he could know God's love throughout this time and then he said something that touched my heart, "I hope I didn't do God a disservice." This man's humility was strikingly beautiful. What would the world be like if more Christians were concerned about truly serving God and loving others, instead of getting on our cloud of judgement?

Lesson five: Service isn't about feeling productive or accomplished or anything like that. There were many times on this trip that we realized how little we mattered in terms of what we could offer to the people that we "served". I mean, we quickly realized;that although we were serving Maranatha, without us they still could organize a VBS. The families at the Korean Housechurch could get a babysitter. The Peace and Justice Academy could have students or parents do the tasks that we did. Family Mennonite could easily pull off VBS without our help, and Maranatha youth could've painted their new youth room. The service wasn't about us and how great and talented we were. We weren't especially needed for being us. We simply helped out, or checked things off of somebody else's to do list, but by the end of the trip, we realized that the heart of service lies in the little things. As Mother Teresa once said, "Be faithful in the small things, for it is in them that your strength lies." It could've been easy to get discouraged on this trip by how "unneeded" we were, and how little we could give back to the people that gave us so much, but we helped where we could, and we were faithful in the small things. On one Saturday, as Tess and I were scrubbing the walls of numerous classrooms at the Peace and Justice academy, it seemed like our actions were fruitless and pointless. Moving along with growing discouragement, I found a poster that changed my whole outlook on the day. It was a Ghandi quote that read, "Of course what you are doing is insignificant, but it is important that you do it anyway. " Can I get an amen? What we did on this trip was entirely insignificant, but it was so important that we did it anyway. Last but not least, number six: home is a feeling not a place. Home is where family is, whether it be biological, or spiritual. Though it was thousands of miles from my bed, Los Angeles was just as much home as Lansdale, Pennsylvania is. I felt at home and at peace during our two weeks in sunny California. I saw and felt God's love everywhere I turned, and met new family every day. Los Angeles has a special place in my memories and my heart, and I hope to someday (hopefully even soon) return to my West coast family. I thank everyone that we met from the bottom of my heart. The hospitality, kindness, and love that you showered on us was extravagant, and don't think that it went unnoticed or unappreciated. I love you, and hope that we will someday meet again. I look forward to someday being able to welcome you into my town and my life like you welcomed me to yours.

Until we meet again,

Your sister in Christ,
Beth

Mary, Martha, and Lessons in Love

While I was in Los Angeles, we attended church at one of our outreach churches, Family Mennonite: an church filled with first generation adults from Belize, and kids born in Los Angeles. Hopefully I'll get around to writing an account of the dynamics, as well as the whole experience, but for now, just settle for the knowledge that it was fascinating and very fun! One of the Sundays that we were there, it was youth sunday at this church, and the church's youth leader, Sister Jeanelle gave the sermon. She is currently studying at a Southern California seminary, and she is one of the most talented speakers I've heard. Her sermon covered a wide spectrum of thoughts, but ended on the idea of rest, and one of the stories she explored was that of Mary and Martha, and it sparked a lot of thought for me.

Let's just rewind and imagine this scenario. Two sisters, one house, one celebrity who just happens to be the son of God, just dropping by for a visit. Mary and Martha were probably sitting at home, enjoying their quite afternoon, when Jesus and his entourage take over their house. Both sisters were surprised, but they react in different ways. Mary chooses to sit in the living room and listen to all of Jesus's stories - after all, it isn't every day that the son of God stops by, or that a man would include her in his storytelling at all! Martha, on the other hand, heads straight towards the kitchen to prepare dinner. These people are going to be hungry soon, and somebody had better feed them!

After an hour or so, Martha is feeling pretty bitter. Here she is, slaving away in the hot kitchen while her baby sister sits in the cool front room with Jesus. Doesn't she know her place, her duties, where she belongs? How dare she neglect responsibilities in favor of listening to the men!? Finally, Martha storms into the living room. "Jesus!" she interrupts, "How can you let my sister do this? Don't you know that I'm killing myself in the kitchen to make your dinner? Why should she get to sit here and not do any work?!" And I can just see Jesus's expression as he turns to her. His eyes are full of grace and love, but he is pained that she is missing the point so greatly. "Martha," he sighs, "you still don't understand, do you? You have chosen to leave us and work, but Mary has chosen to listen to me, and she chose the better thing. I can't take that away from her!"

Maybe it finally clicks for Martha, or maybe it doesn't, but the story still speaks to us. Every day in life we are faced with a thousand choices like this. What do we choose? Where do our values lie? What is the most important thing, work, or community? So many of us choose the path of Martha, we choose to stress and work. When people come to our house (figurative or literal) we worry about the details instead of choosing to enjoy their company. We need to learn to put people first. I've learned lately that other things will fall into place. You can order out, you can make dinner with other people, you can just snack. People aren't going to remember your meal, that's not why they came over. Jesus didn't drop in on Mary and Martha because he knew about her cooking. People come to fellowship, they come for soul time, and community. They come because of how you make them feel, not because of what you give to them.

Mary saw how precious her time with Jesus was. She chose to laugh with him and listen to him and interact while she had the time. She had her priorities straight, and put people first.

Sister Jeanelle addressed a different angle to this story, that I also find just as valid. In our chaotic culture, we seldom find rest, and seldom make time for God, but consistently throughout the Bible, God is reminding us that he needs to be our first priority. The world is overwhelmingly filled with things that need us. It is so easy to get sucked into an exhausting cycle of trying to fill needs and solve problems, and in short, trying to save the world. We begin to see these problems as our own missions, things that we need to solve, and it leads to burn out. We pour ourselves into serving others, but at the same time, we are neglecting community. It's not our mission or our purpose, it's God's, and it's meant to be done in community. We can't do this alone - we were never made to! We work and worry and again and again, we fail to make God our priority. Martha stressed about serving others, but failed to see the value in spending time with God. Mary on the other hand "chose the better" and spent time at Jesus's feet. Service is important, and integral to our faith, but spending time with God is more important. It needs to be done first, before we can serve. We need to be filled by God before we can seek to fill others.

It's important to take time to rest, and come before God. Our world worships busyness, and I've fallen into that trap consistently. It's so easy to believe the lie that being busy makes me more valuable, more appealing, more satisfactory. It somehow makes me a better person , or increases my worth. I say that this is a lie for good reason. It leads only to burn out and exhaustion. Busyness has been my downfall. Adding one more thing suddenly topples the delicately balanced pile, and I'm left in a tangle of unfulfilled obligations and let downs. Placing my value in my ability to juggle many activities leaves me questioning my value when I drop a ball; when people stop saying, "My what a busy girl you are!" and start saying, "Are you sure you aren't taking on too much?"

It is important to value rest, regardless of what the world teaches us. What our world needs is more people, rested and filled with God's spirit, ready to tackle brokenness in partnership with other broken people. We can't do it alone my friends, and we certainly can't do it without God. Make time to rest this week, and fill yourself at God's feet.

Cathedrals in My Heart

As soon as school was out, I packed my bags and headed for Europe for an 18 day tour with my choir. It was an experience of a lifetime, and I learned a lot, and saw a lot. A reflection will also be coming for this trip, but here are some pictures meanwhile.

(Some of these photos are credit to a few of my choir friends with nicer cameras than I)

California Dreamin'

I just returned from spending the last 16 days in LA as a part of a service trip with Mennonite Missions Network. I spent the first week at an Indonesian church, organizing bible school, and the second week at a Belizean Church, helping with their bible school. My group consisted of three girls, and two guys, and we clicked like no other group. This experience filled my heart, soul, and mind in an amazing way. Here are some pictures, with reflections and thoughts to come