This is the second year in a row that I have shopped at the Alternative Christmas Market at Solana Beach Presbyterian Church. Actually, I should say that this is the second year that I have shopped ACM online.
You may have an Alternative Christmas Market at your church or a church near you.
The following is from Solana Beach Presbyterian's ACM website:
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For those of you who don’t know about the ACM, it’s an opportunity to buy gifts of food, shelter, medicine, water and education for needy people right here in our own neighborhoods as well as in many countries around the world. Purchase these gifts in honor of your family members, friends, neighbors, colleagues or children’s teachers and give them a beautiful Christmas card with an insert explaining the gift you gave in their honor.
Our Alternative Christmas Market (ACM) is turning 24 years old this year.
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Read more by clicking here or on the title of this post.
Below is a list of just some of the different causes to which you can make a donation. You can print out an insert to drop in a Christmas card that you give to a loved one.
I took these details from the actual online receipt less than an hour ago. If you look closely you'll see that I could have saved $3.00 by shopping "live" at our Alternative Christmas Market during recent Sundays at Solana Pres. Have you ever bought 1/2 kilo of earthworms for someone for Christmas?
I will tell you that I did purchase midwife training on behalf of the Afar, meals at Ladle Fellowship and earthworms in the Philippines as well as other worthy causes.
Who do you know that might appreciate something from the list below? (Would you?) Please take a couple minutes and look it over. You never know...
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Name of Event: Alternative Christmas Market 2009
Shipping Information: Not Applicable.
The base cost of $3.00 above is the service charge which will be added to each
order. Please enter the quantity for each item in the box. Your total will be
calculated and shown at the top of the payment page.
First Name Charles
Last Name Hicks-Moore
Afar Partnership (Ethiopia) - A Weekend Training for an Afar Midwife
Afar Partnership (Ethiopia) - A Month Supply of Sterile Blades to Cut Umbillical Cord
SBPC Creation Care - Spell & Smell for the Hamilton Children's Garden
Floresta - 10 Trees for a Family
Food Truck Ministry - One Child's Care Package
Ellie Goolkasian - 100 Cups of Milk for Migrant Kids
Ellie Goolkasian - A Pair of Shoes for an Orphan
SBPC Hispanic Ministry - One Pair of School Shoes
Ladle Fellowship - 7 Hot & Savory Meals
Marchena & Allred (Intervarsity) - Attending Leadership Conference for a Student
M.O.M Camp Pendleton - Fresh Produce for a Family
Oaxaca Partnership (Mexico) - A Breeding Pair of Rabbits
Oaxaca Partnership (Mexico) - A Brood of 10 Chickens
Presbyterian Council of Military Chaplains - One Share of "Chaplain Family Conference"
Presbyterian Council of Military Chaplains - Shipping Fee for Chaplain Devotional Materials
SBPC Reality Changers - One Share of Academic Scholarship
SBPC Reality Changers - A Forest Home Camp Scholarship
SBPC Reality Changers - A Full UCSD Academic Connections Scholarship
Greg & Kathy Saracoff (Team Tijuana) - Beans to Feed Hungry Kids
Greg & Kathy Saracoff (Team Tijuana) - 5 Dozen Eggs for Esperanza Rehab
SD Rescue Mission - A Hot Meal for 12 Homeless People
SD Rescue Mission - A Night at the Emergency Shelter for 3 Women & Children
SD Rescue Mission - A Day of Work Therapy, Recovery Class, Bible Study & Meals for 3 Homeless Men
South American Theological Seminary (Brazil) - 2 Weeks of Tuition at SATS
St. Leo's Dental Clinic - An Extraction
Farming with Natural Solutions (Philippines) - 1/2 Kilo of Earthworms or 4 Ducks
Safe Water Solutions (Gambia & Tanzania) - Training & Materials for a Village Group
Tranforming Lives Thru Micro Loans (Peru & Sri Lanka) - A Start-up Loan for a Family or Community
Tranforming Lives Thru Micro Loans (Peru & Sri Lanka) - A Small Business Expansion Loan
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Keep walking!
Showing posts with label Reality Changers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Reality Changers. Show all posts
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Speaking And More Speaking
What a great night!
I arrived 40 minutes early to start teaching some Reality Changers how to be more comfortable with public speaking and the students in attendance dove right in or should I say, stood right up! Hopefully some or all will go on to the Lion's Club speaking contest in the New Year.
The Reality Changers speech contest night was the best I've ever seen. The seniors had some of the most moving and inspirational true stories to share of their trials and tribulations and triumphs. They have really overcome some huge hurdles to get to where they are and now colleges and universities are just around the next bend in the road for them.
Compared to what they are doing and have already done, exercise is snap!
Keep walking!
I arrived 40 minutes early to start teaching some Reality Changers how to be more comfortable with public speaking and the students in attendance dove right in or should I say, stood right up! Hopefully some or all will go on to the Lion's Club speaking contest in the New Year.
The Reality Changers speech contest night was the best I've ever seen. The seniors had some of the most moving and inspirational true stories to share of their trials and tribulations and triumphs. They have really overcome some huge hurdles to get to where they are and now colleges and universities are just around the next bend in the road for them.
Compared to what they are doing and have already done, exercise is snap!
Keep walking!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Reality Changers At Ladle Fellowship
Yesterday I joined Reality Changers as they joined Solana Beach Presbyterian Church's youth on a trip to Ladle Fellowship at First Presbyterian Church in San Diego. I urge you to find a way to serve at Ladle Fellowship at least one time. If you can't serve at Ladle Fellowship, there is probably a group that feeds the homeless in your area. Don't wait like me. I realized that the last time I had been to Ladle Fellowship was probably 1989 - 20 years ago! Our son is now in college and that was before he was born. WOW!
Stew Montgomery led our group and drove the "party bus" down to First Pres. Thanks, Stew! Last Sunday I searched on Twitter for Ladle Fellowship. I thought I could visit as my wife was in the desert for her "Teacher's Away Mission"(nod to Stargate SG-1) with several women from work. I found HEADSPARKS* had tweeted about his impending trip to Ladle Fellowship and asked about it. He said that you had to ask in advance for permission to come so I figured I would do it in the near future. Last Wednesday night I was at Reality Changers and they were making plans to volunteer at two different events on the weekend. They said they were going to feed the homeless on Sunday and since my wife would be visiting family I decided to go if my schedule was open. It was and I did. I'm really glad I did, too.
I chose to serve as a line monitor. I like to talk to people and I definitely did some of that. I met a young man named Reiner who is part of Solana Beach Pres.'s youth group. He took the end of the line and I was at the front. The people we were helping were in line for clothing and stuff like sunscreen or shavers and the like. As he and I were talking briefly about musical styles we liked, I mentioned that although I only liked a little bit of country (like Johnny Cash), I had heard of what many consider to be the #1 country song of all time, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones. One Saturday afternoon I was missing my dad, who was a country music fan, and flipped through the channels and found the end of the countdown on the country music channel. I listened to the words of this song for the very first time and realized that it was really moving. I can get choked up just by telling people about it. Because I actually listened to the lyrics I realized that this was about a guy who loved a woman for his entire life, even after they were divorced. The real grabber is that you realize that the reason the songwriter says that "he stopped loving her today" is because this is the day of his burial. Oh. My. My.
As I was relating this to Reiner a lady in a wheelchair started to tell me about how painfully aware she was of the meaning of the "he stopped loving her today". As we talked I found out that her name is Deborah and her husband James passed away a few months ago. She can no longer stay in the house where they lived (I assume they were renting) and now she's not only in a wheelchair, but she is homeless and a widow. She and I talked on and off while I kept an eye on the line. Because she was in a wheelchair, she couldn't fit in the line. Ladle Fellowship has come up with rules for all kinds of contingencies as they've been doing this since 1983. In the case of someone who can't sit in the chairs that constitute the line, they had me give a piece of paper with a number on it to the last person in line at the time that someone in a wheelchair showed up. There's a twin to that piece of paper with the same number on it that I give to the person who can't fit in the line. That way, everyone seems to understand that they are being treated fairly and the person in the wheelchair isn't perceived as cutting into line.
After Deborah reached the front of the line, she and a friend made their way to the food which was reaching the end of its line and there wasn't as much selection at that point, but at least they got some soup and bread. She said it was more important for her to get the clothing than the food on this particular day. When all the volunteers were cleaning up there came a point when Deborah and her friend were done eating and she waved goodbye. We had talked about more than I have shared here and I feel like I know just a little bit more about her than I do most of the people who came to get fed yesterday. I expect that I'll have mixed feelings if she's there again the next time I visit Ladle Fellowship. I suppose that's even more true if she's not there next time I go.
Of course, our line for clothing was just one thing going on yesterday. The main reason people come is for the food. You can click here or on the title of this post to visit Ladle Fellowship's website and find out more.
For those of you who pray, please pray for Deborah and all who served or were being served at Ladle Fellowship.
Keep walking!
He Stopped Loving Her Today Lyrics Search
Stew Montgomery led our group and drove the "party bus" down to First Pres. Thanks, Stew! Last Sunday I searched on Twitter for Ladle Fellowship. I thought I could visit as my wife was in the desert for her "Teacher's Away Mission"(nod to Stargate SG-1) with several women from work. I found HEADSPARKS* had tweeted about his impending trip to Ladle Fellowship and asked about it. He said that you had to ask in advance for permission to come so I figured I would do it in the near future. Last Wednesday night I was at Reality Changers and they were making plans to volunteer at two different events on the weekend. They said they were going to feed the homeless on Sunday and since my wife would be visiting family I decided to go if my schedule was open. It was and I did. I'm really glad I did, too.
I chose to serve as a line monitor. I like to talk to people and I definitely did some of that. I met a young man named Reiner who is part of Solana Beach Pres.'s youth group. He took the end of the line and I was at the front. The people we were helping were in line for clothing and stuff like sunscreen or shavers and the like. As he and I were talking briefly about musical styles we liked, I mentioned that although I only liked a little bit of country (like Johnny Cash), I had heard of what many consider to be the #1 country song of all time, "He Stopped Loving Her Today" by George Jones. One Saturday afternoon I was missing my dad, who was a country music fan, and flipped through the channels and found the end of the countdown on the country music channel. I listened to the words of this song for the very first time and realized that it was really moving. I can get choked up just by telling people about it. Because I actually listened to the lyrics I realized that this was about a guy who loved a woman for his entire life, even after they were divorced. The real grabber is that you realize that the reason the songwriter says that "he stopped loving her today" is because this is the day of his burial. Oh. My. My.
As I was relating this to Reiner a lady in a wheelchair started to tell me about how painfully aware she was of the meaning of the "he stopped loving her today". As we talked I found out that her name is Deborah and her husband James passed away a few months ago. She can no longer stay in the house where they lived (I assume they were renting) and now she's not only in a wheelchair, but she is homeless and a widow. She and I talked on and off while I kept an eye on the line. Because she was in a wheelchair, she couldn't fit in the line. Ladle Fellowship has come up with rules for all kinds of contingencies as they've been doing this since 1983. In the case of someone who can't sit in the chairs that constitute the line, they had me give a piece of paper with a number on it to the last person in line at the time that someone in a wheelchair showed up. There's a twin to that piece of paper with the same number on it that I give to the person who can't fit in the line. That way, everyone seems to understand that they are being treated fairly and the person in the wheelchair isn't perceived as cutting into line.
After Deborah reached the front of the line, she and a friend made their way to the food which was reaching the end of its line and there wasn't as much selection at that point, but at least they got some soup and bread. She said it was more important for her to get the clothing than the food on this particular day. When all the volunteers were cleaning up there came a point when Deborah and her friend were done eating and she waved goodbye. We had talked about more than I have shared here and I feel like I know just a little bit more about her than I do most of the people who came to get fed yesterday. I expect that I'll have mixed feelings if she's there again the next time I visit Ladle Fellowship. I suppose that's even more true if she's not there next time I go.
Of course, our line for clothing was just one thing going on yesterday. The main reason people come is for the food. You can click here or on the title of this post to visit Ladle Fellowship's website and find out more.
For those of you who pray, please pray for Deborah and all who served or were being served at Ladle Fellowship.
Keep walking!
He Stopped Loving Her Today Lyrics Search
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
"Ralph Rubio Is Coming!"
Tonight, as on most Wednesday nights, I go to Solana Beach for Reality Changers, where high school students are preparing to be the first generation in their family to get a college degree. We have a group lesson, share a meal, and then most adults are teamed with one or two students as their tutor/mentor right after we have a speaker. This is the night that Ralph Rubio, founder of Rubio's Fresh Mexican Grill, is the guest speaker! Very Cool! Thanks, Ralph!
In addition, Sydney, manager of the Carlsbad Rubio's listed below, is providing free meals for 50 people! And, in the new year we'll have a Reality Changers night at her Rubio's that will benefit the Reality Changers program. I hope you'll join us and enjoy some yummy Rubio's food. I regularly enjoy the Fiesta Chicken Salad which is great even if you're doing a high protein/low carb regimen.
If you would like to serve as a tutor/mentor, check out the Reality Changers website. Click on the title of this post to see directions to Palomar Airport Road Rubio's (Gateway Road Rubio's).
CARLSBAD - Palomar Airport Road & El Fuerte
2675 Gateway Road
Carlsbad, CA 92010
Keep walking!
In addition, Sydney, manager of the Carlsbad Rubio's listed below, is providing free meals for 50 people! And, in the new year we'll have a Reality Changers night at her Rubio's that will benefit the Reality Changers program. I hope you'll join us and enjoy some yummy Rubio's food. I regularly enjoy the Fiesta Chicken Salad which is great even if you're doing a high protein/low carb regimen.
If you would like to serve as a tutor/mentor, check out the Reality Changers website. Click on the title of this post to see directions to Palomar Airport Road Rubio's (Gateway Road Rubio's).
CARLSBAD - Palomar Airport Road & El Fuerte
2675 Gateway Road
Carlsbad, CA 92010
Keep walking!
Thursday, November 20, 2008
For Those Who Are Tired
Last week I was tutoring high school students at Reality Changers and one of the kids told me he was really tired. They each had to write at least a paragraph in a short period of time and I think he wanted to give up. I told him that this was an opportunity to push himself a little bit. I told him that I didn't know what his week had been like, but he could choose to stretch himself.
For those of you who are executives and business owners and stellar employees, this might not seem like a big deal. But I was glad I could say a little something to get him to make an extra effort. I hope that with ten thousand of those little choices to do a little bit more, he will alter his path and be the first one in his family to go to college. Maybe one day he'll be a stellar employee or business owner or executive, too.
I hope that the little something below encourages you to do a little bit more when you aren't sure you can or when you don't have the desire. I'm pretty tired right now and I'm glad I got this post done before I got to bed.
One may go a long way after one is tired.
French proverb
From ThinkExist.com
Twitter quote 104
For those of you who are executives and business owners and stellar employees, this might not seem like a big deal. But I was glad I could say a little something to get him to make an extra effort. I hope that with ten thousand of those little choices to do a little bit more, he will alter his path and be the first one in his family to go to college. Maybe one day he'll be a stellar employee or business owner or executive, too.
I hope that the little something below encourages you to do a little bit more when you aren't sure you can or when you don't have the desire. I'm pretty tired right now and I'm glad I got this post done before I got to bed.
One may go a long way after one is tired.
French proverb
From ThinkExist.com
Twitter quote 104
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Over Two Miles Before 6 AM
Last night I did my Wednesday night tutoring at Reality Changers and I was inspired by the efforts of some of the kids I know. One guy picked up "The Dialogues of Plato" for pleasure reading! Another student has decided to take a trip with People to People's Student Ambassadors and it's exciting to see them expand their horizons. I guess my inspiration carried over to my sleep time and my brain woke up a little after 4:30 thinking about the same stuff. If you are in San Diego or the North Coast portion of San Diego County and you would like that to tutor/mentor senior high students, give me a shout.
After laying in bed for 15 minutes or so I decided to take Mellow for a walk and he was one enthusiastic retriever. We live in a pretty safe neighborhood but it's nice to have a dog with you walking that early. We walked just over two miles while I counted in my head to double check the landmarks every quarter mile. I know from walking the track at Palomar College that just under 500 of my steps is approximately a quarter mile. I got back before 5:45 and surprised my wife with mushrooms and scrambled eggs with Trader Joe's green salsa.
Last time I mentioned "that's another post" and late in the day my wife and I walked two miles at Solana Beach again. This was the same day that I had done the four miles plus earlier in the day and I was a little tired near the end. I didn't quite lift my foot high enough as we were exiting the beach and I ran into the hardest lump of seaweed I ever remember encountering. Almost broke my fourth toe on my left foot and it's a nice rainbow of purple now. That incident on what should have been the easiest walk of the day has me sort of resting my foot. I walked over a mile yesterday and it's not quite as bad today, but it's much more painful when I walk barefooted as I was on the beach. Wear shoes or watch out!
After laying in bed for 15 minutes or so I decided to take Mellow for a walk and he was one enthusiastic retriever. We live in a pretty safe neighborhood but it's nice to have a dog with you walking that early. We walked just over two miles while I counted in my head to double check the landmarks every quarter mile. I know from walking the track at Palomar College that just under 500 of my steps is approximately a quarter mile. I got back before 5:45 and surprised my wife with mushrooms and scrambled eggs with Trader Joe's green salsa.
Last time I mentioned "that's another post" and late in the day my wife and I walked two miles at Solana Beach again. This was the same day that I had done the four miles plus earlier in the day and I was a little tired near the end. I didn't quite lift my foot high enough as we were exiting the beach and I ran into the hardest lump of seaweed I ever remember encountering. Almost broke my fourth toe on my left foot and it's a nice rainbow of purple now. That incident on what should have been the easiest walk of the day has me sort of resting my foot. I walked over a mile yesterday and it's not quite as bad today, but it's much more painful when I walk barefooted as I was on the beach. Wear shoes or watch out!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Tell Someone Publicly
I volunteer with Reality Changers most Wednesday nights. We have a sharing time that includes the tutors and I let them know that I have been going backwards and/or standing still in my weight loss goal. When I started in January, I assumed that by publicly letting people know through the internet, I would have enough incentive to reach my goal.
Now I am in a position to show you that even though you get off track, you can get right back on the horse. It's helpful to tell at least one other person about your goal and in my case, I told about a dozen. Later this morning I will weigh myself and see where I'm at.
I did do something I haven't done before last Friday. My son and I went to Solid Rock Gym in San Marcos for an hour and a half and we definitely worked up a sweat on the climbing walls. He asked me if we could go and I thought about it and decided I would do it. I didn't realize that he was only asking if I would take him and be the belayer. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and worked some muscles that needed working and Stuart and I had a great time. We are on schedule for this Friday, too.
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Check out my new blog at BurritoMultiplierEffect.blogspot.com
Now I am in a position to show you that even though you get off track, you can get right back on the horse. It's helpful to tell at least one other person about your goal and in my case, I told about a dozen. Later this morning I will weigh myself and see where I'm at.
I did do something I haven't done before last Friday. My son and I went to Solid Rock Gym in San Marcos for an hour and a half and we definitely worked up a sweat on the climbing walls. He asked me if we could go and I thought about it and decided I would do it. I didn't realize that he was only asking if I would take him and be the belayer. So I stepped out of my comfort zone and worked some muscles that needed working and Stuart and I had a great time. We are on schedule for this Friday, too.
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Check out my new blog at BurritoMultiplierEffect.blogspot.com
Thursday, February 28, 2008
45 And Lowest Weight In Years
Today is my 45th birthday. My weight has not been this low for a couple years and if the trend continues, tomorrow or the next day I will be at a weight I haven't seen for a dozen years! Rest assured I am still walking. I will get up after this post and see if I can get my 8 am to 4 pm mini-day to 10,000 steps. If you view the right column on this page and click on "Walk Out!" under Walking Links, you'll see that I post my minutes/miles 3 times a day.
Yesterday I was swamped preparing for a 40 minute presentation last night to a group of college bound high schoolers at Reality Changers. I was so adrenalized after I got home that I couldn't get to sleep until around 3! So, I'm a little tired right now. I'm going to walk and get back to you after my birthday and the Toastmasters speech contest tomorrow.
Please keep in mind that you walk a little EVERY day and some days you get inspired to do more and some of those inspired days you do A LOT more. That's the way it's working for me. I believe it's because I'm simply not stopping. If you don't see a post, which happens about 10% of the time, you can know I'm still walking. Remember to check my "Walk Out!" for my current numbers.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
Yesterday I was swamped preparing for a 40 minute presentation last night to a group of college bound high schoolers at Reality Changers. I was so adrenalized after I got home that I couldn't get to sleep until around 3! So, I'm a little tired right now. I'm going to walk and get back to you after my birthday and the Toastmasters speech contest tomorrow.
Please keep in mind that you walk a little EVERY day and some days you get inspired to do more and some of those inspired days you do A LOT more. That's the way it's working for me. I believe it's because I'm simply not stopping. If you don't see a post, which happens about 10% of the time, you can know I'm still walking. Remember to check my "Walk Out!" for my current numbers.
I am walking. You can walk. Please walk today. No matter what.
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