Motivation for Monday - Work Hard. No Excuses.

Sometimes I encounter obstacles in my life, but homelessness has never been one of them.

Sometimes my daughters feel challenged in school, but they will never take a test after sleeping in a shelter.

Sometimes my husband and I are recognized for efforts, but we've never been the valedictorians of our classes.

Check out the story of this Georgia teenager who didn't let anything get in the way of her education:



Stories like this one fuel my passion for organizations like HomePlate Youth Services. I've written a ton about serving meals for couch-surfing teens, but the staff help with so much more than dinners. Assistance with education being one of those resources. My birthday is in 2 days and I'm asking all of you for a gift. 

Will you contribute some of your hard earned cash to an organization dedicated to helping youth grow into stable adults? My goal is to raise $430 in honor of my 43rd year on this earth to help fund those vital HomePlate resources. 

I couldn't ask for a more worthy present than giving a chance to a kid who may not have had any chances before. 

Follow this link to donate.

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Permission to Be

Like 98% of middle school girls in this country, I struggled with identity. While more of my peers came into their own during high school, I popped around from clique to clique. 

In college, I believed the distance from home and not knowing a soul on campus would allow me to write my own story. And it should have. But I fell back into the same patterns. The framework stuck in my 20’s, changing my tune depending on the man I wanted to impress. After marriage, I strived to be the wife I perceived Edd wanted - all while still trying to discover who I really am. (Note to Newlyweds: Never perceive. Always ask directly. Open communication will save you tons of heartbreak.)

Parenthood? Forget it. I will just never be the mom any published book says I should be.

Lately it’s the internet, of all places, where I finally find permission to be me. Yes, people whine about Facebook fakeness or the impossible expectations of Pinterest. That stuff rolls off my back.

I’m finding my encouragement in the blogging world. 

Reading a blog is different than reading a book or magazine article. The edits are quick and there aren’t a ton of re-writes. The frequentness of posts allows the author’s vulnerability to come forward. Through others’ openness, I’m beginning to realize there are more in this world like me. Conversely, there is no one like me. And that gives me permission to just be...well, me.

Here are links to a sampling of blogs bringing inspiration to my days:

A Deeper Story
Ordinary Courage
Natalie Trust
Simple Mom
Jen Hatmaker
Celebrating Life
Momastery
Zen Habits

I began my blog reading journey on Google Reader, but their imminent departure forced me elsewhere. I use Bloglovin’ as my go-to site now and I haven’t been disappointed. I’d like to take a look at Feedly, too. Any others I should know about?

What blogs bring you clarity, knowledge, or at least a good laugh? Share in the comment section so we can all benefit from new inspiration.

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Summer Serving with Kids

Tomorrow is it. The day kids have been anxiously awaiting since Labor Day last September. For our school district, June 13 marks The Last Day of School. (Capital letters. The day deserves proper-noun status.)

How great is the first week of summer vacation? Sleeping in, no rushing, not worried about packing lunches or homework being turned in on time. And that’s just me! The kids can find their own ways to relax.

Inevitably, lull times will hit. My girls are pretty good about finding their own things to do, but I want to ensure we spend time volunteering and giving back in our community.

Last year I wrote about my 5 favorite places to volunteer with kids in the Portland area. These organizations remain at the top of our family summer “to do” list.  

In the spring, I listed 10 ways to encourage compassion in our children. I’ll also be drawing upon these ideas to keep the girls busy. 

The summer volunteer activity I’m most looking forward to with the kids is our weekly commitment to serve sack-lunches at a local elementary school. The school district provides funds to feed kids that benefit from the free and reduced lunch program during the school year. For weekend lunches, St. Matthew Lutheran Church’s Faith Cafe prepares the lunches and delivers to the school site. (They also pay for additional costs, like adult lunches and games and toys for the kids.)

Our commitment for weekend lunch duty is simple: we show up, hand out food, and play games with the kids who come for meals. My girls love to set up the toys and then participate in the fun.

What will you do with your kids over summer break? Do you have favorite volunteer activities you do together?

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Motivation for Monday: Life is About the People You Meet

I dare you to watch this video and not smile. And it's a commercial. It's not often I'm truly inspired by an advertisement, but thanks to my friend Kathy who shared the Holstee Manifesto on her Facebook page, I've found a life-reminder AND another company's ethics I can stand behind.

My favorite takeaways: 

If you don't like something, change it.

If you don't have enough time, stop watching TV.

The only thing disturbing me a little is the sharing of ice cream. Blech. I can't even lick my kids' frosty cone, let alone a friend's. Or, God-forbid, a stranger's. Eww.

What stood out to you in this message?

Company Website: Holstee

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All I Want For My Birthday Is...

So, it’s my birthday this month. I turn 43. There’s nothing particularly significant about 43. The age doesn’t warrant a huge party or a trip to Hawaii. But for me? I want 43 to be legendary. 

At least legendary for me and a bunch of homeless kids.

This year, I’m asking for gifts. I know! A good upbringing tells me it’s rude to ask for presents. But I’m doing it anyway. And I’m doing it for the kids who aren’t fortunate to have the same positive childhood I was blessed to have.

For my birthday, I’m asking you to donate $43 (or $3, or $23, or whatever you can) to HomePlate Youth Services.  

The staff at HomePlate have the biggest hearts of any group of people you’ll meet. Some of them spend their days on the MAX line, handing out water bottles and granola bars, inviting kids without stable housing to come to dinner. Some staff assist kids researching job possibilities, collect items for clothes closets, or find medical resources. Others coordinate groups to cook the meals, to garden, to participate in fundraisers.

The entire staff love on these youth who haven’t been shown a lot of caring in their lifetimes.

Click on this campaign link at Causes.com, and donate an amount to HomePlate. Together we can make “43” a very special milestone.

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