Environmentalism vs. My Mail Box

About a year ago, I dropped a few bucks on becoming a member of the National Wildlife Federation. Our backyard qualified as an official "Backyard Wildlife Habitat" that met certain criteria, and the membership offered some nice perks like a monthly Backyard magazine geared for children. This all came about as a result of the childrens' winter nature study for schooling. For the first month it seemed like a nice idea.

However, the tide has turned. I love the environment, but I'm about to go ballistic over all of the waste I have been receiving in my mailbox over the past year as a result of joining an organization whose sole purpose is to support and protect the environment. On a tri-weekly, if not daily basis at times, I receive unwanted solicitations to save this land or animal, contribute to this cause (or else our world will end), or use these beautiful wildlife return address labels and calendars we sent you, but so you don't feel guilty, please send us money. None of it I asked for...and all of it seems like a hard slap in the face to many of the talking points of environmentalists today.

I hear complaints from environmentalist groups about all of the paper that is wasted by various companies in the form of catalog production. About the clear cutting in the rain forests, and the thousands of acres that are irreversibly destroyed every day. However the same environmentalists seem to have no problem sending me hundreds of unwanted solicitations, stickers, glossy calendars and the like, all printed on stacks and stacks of paper. Not to mention the expenses of printing (waste of molecules), delivery (waste of gas), glue (I'm sure that goes back to the rubber trees in the rain forest), etc.

I've already taken my name off the list...but of course the 500+ organizations that now have purchased my name from The National Wildlife Federation don't know that. So ironically, by joining a cause that I thought was a small move toward supporting our environment, I have cancelled out my own contribution as a result of at least one giant tree in the rainforest who is no longer because it was sacrificed to solicit me for further donations.

How odd.

The Lost Art of Reading

Today the weather outside is the kind I used to look forward to as a child. A wet, rainy, and cold fall day. On days like this, I used to bundle up, grab my banana seat bike and head out to the local library. With huge anticipation, I would dream of finding a handful of cozy chapter books to snuggle up with for the afternoon, while enjoying the steady beat of the drizzling rain outside my window.

I fear I have lost the art of reading. Not all reading, just a good solid novel. I still read a good deal of apologetics type books, the Food and Wine magazine, or National Geographic, but for years I have missed that old anticipation of a day like today, an hour of quiet in the house, and a page turning novel. Now my trips to the library revolve around two kids, a huge basket of children's books, and an equally huge library fine to match. I'm still just as giddy as the children are when we come home with a basketful of children's books looking forward to an hour of reading at least 8 books in one sitting...but, my anticipation revolves around their anticipation and excitement.

Today...I really would love to dig into a good book. Any knock out recommendations?

In Survival Mode

Panic. And yet oddly calm. My mind is forcing me to focus on one day at a time.

This month was already full of activity. Yesterday, I had ten ladies over at the house for our monthly homeschooling meeting. I am not a hospitality queen by any measure so this requires more effort on my part than for the natural Martha Stewarts out there. This event by itself would have triple astricks on the calendar for November, and would have enough pull to be my main focus (even over planning for Thanksgiving).

November has also been my month to lead my women's weekly Bible study discussion. Something that again, usually requires more prep on my end than for the natural teachers and leaders in this world. Christ has been calling me into leadership over the last few years, first steering me clearly into leadership, and now actual leading responsibilities. It was not a position I ever volunteered for, however I have felt his hand on my shoulder the entire time, and finding it impossible to turn against His firm grasp, I have been obedient to His calling.

Thankfully, after some rather bold prayer requests on my part (I'll do this, but...) He has gotten rid of the butterflies that used to consume me, and helped me overcome my feelings of inexperience and youth (I am the youngest person in the entire group). But I am still working letting Christ lead through me. This month I have been able to whittle my 6+ hours of prep down to 2-3 hours, so I suppose that is a promising move in the right direction.

In addition to the above it seems like I have numerous projects that are on my plate at this time: the impending birth of our daughter..the holiday shopping...homeschooling. Not to mention the growing pressure and and now pain in my pelvis from baby Faith, that makes daily chores feel like a double the work.

To cap it off, last week I was informed by my father that everyone was coming down to MY house for Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving this year was originally just going to be my brother and sister-in-law. All of a sudden it turned into a full week of managing room and board for 7 more people!!! Oh..and by the way...let's do an early Christmas gift exchange. Honestly, the visit is a grand blessing as it also includes the presence of not only my immediate family, but also my 80 year old grandfather who will be flying in from Arizona. I've always wanted to have him at our house, and it will be my honor, and a visit I will treasure always. Plus, my lovely sister-in-law will be helping greatly with the room and board aspect of it all. But I must still admit that the feeling of "Oh, Lord please help me..." floods over me daily.

Tonight I lead the last portion of my part of the Bible Study. The mother's homeschooling night is over. The ground floor of the house is immaculate after two days of intense cleaning...so I am hoping to breathe deeply over the next week and focus on the cooking, the upstairs disaster, the basement, the advertising assignments I have due before the month's end, the doctor's appointments, the early gift shopping, the grocery shopping...PANIC.

One day at a time...breathe...One day at a time...

Wishing We Were Here Again

Last summer, our family took a trip up to the Cape, to spend a whole week in a beach house with all of Ken's family. We each received one free kid-less date, and this was ours - a quiet lazy afternoon kayaking around the inlets and docked sailboats.

With a husband who works from home, I know how spoiled I already am. He's only been traveling for less than 24 hours and he'll be back by tomorrow. But stumbling upon his picture tonight in my photo archives really brought home the "missing you" feeling. Sure wish we were here again hun.

Taking Stock of The Excess

You know it is time to open the cupboards and do a running inventory in the kitchen when you discover that you are housing 8 bags of flour total for a 4 person family. I am finally tackling the one thing I have been meaning to do for years: Creating a number of inventory sheets in the house for food and cleaning products to help with the grocery shopping.

It is accomplishing two things: a much needed deep cleaning of the cupboards, and a few good laughs at just how many repeats of this and that I have. It never fails that I end up buying a 5th tub of sour cream because I can't quite recall if we are out, or I purchase a 3rd Dijon mustard because I can't remember if Dijon mustard is one of the many different mustards we have in fridge (whole grain, honey mustard, yellow, hot mustard, etc.)

Am I the only one who pulls these stupid stunts? NO MORE. I'm on an inventory mission.