Intentional Acts of Mercy and Service

What have you intentionally done to be merciful to others?


That was the question the priest posed to the congregation at Holy Name Cathedral yesterday.


He went on to say that donating our used, unwanted clothes or the cans of lima beans that have been sitting in our pantry forever are not true acts of service.  We're just giving away stuff we don't want.


In order for our acts of service to be truly meaningful, they have to pose a certain sacrifice on our part.


The priest shared a story of a time when Mother Teresa was about to give a poor woman a bag of rice.  At the time, Mother Teresa was holding the last bag of rice.  She knew this woman was very poor and had a large family to feed.  However, there was another woman waiting for some food as well.  Instead of just walking away with the bag of rice, the woman asked Mother Teresa for an empty bag so she could share the rice she'd been given with the other poor woman. 


Mother Teresa's companion tried to tell her that there was another truck on its way with more bags of rice, but Mother Teresa stopped her.  Later asked about it, Mother Teresa said it was because she didn't want to deprive the generous woman of her intentional act of mercy.  Here was a woman who selflessly offered her share of food, knowing she and her family would be lacking, because she wanted to help someone else.


What have you intentionally done to be merciful to others?


This is a tough question to ask ourselves.  We're all busy and many of us have our share of problems.


But if we think about it, there really are many others worse off than us. 


We can all do something once in a while.


If you look up "acts of mercy," you'd most likely be shown "works of mercy" instead.  And those are: feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, bury the dead, shelter the traveler, comfort the sick, and free the imprisoned.


Those are very ambitious goals.  And even if we don't solve all the world problems, we can all at least contribute. 


The easiest way, of course, is to donate.  But remember, we shouldn't just donate unwanted items.  Let's try to donate new clothes or school supplies.  We can donate money to organizations that aid the poor or homeless. 


Even if you're like me - unemployed and broke, we can still make a difference.


We can donate our time.  We can volunteer at Feed My Starving Children, by packing up food for the poor.  We can volunteer at a soup kitchen.  We can volunteer to help with religious education programs at our parish.


But really, our acts of mercy don't need to only be directed at the poor.


We also need to practice it within our own communities and at home.


I like to help others and try to be of service as much as I can, but I know I'm particularly guilty of being less merciful with my own kids and husband. 


This was especially true when I was teaching.  I tried to be patient and compassionate with my students, but by the time I got home I was out of patience when it came to my family. 


I know I need to work on being more patient and understanding when my tween is being moody or my 7-year-old is tired and cranky. 


We need to be merciful with others, but also with our own families and friends. 


The priest yesterday offered up a challenge.  He said that there are only 12 weeks left of this Jubilee Year of Mercy.  The challenge is to do as many intentional acts of mercy and service for the rest of the year.


Are you up for that challenge? 


I am.  This is my year of selective yeses, after all.  I say yes to acts of mercy and service.


Life is short; let's do the best we can to help others.

 


 








  

Family Fun at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort

Picture this... You're sitting in front of a campfire next to your significant other, gazing at the flames dancing in the dark, while your children sleep soundly in their tent, worn out by the whirlwind of fun activities from the day.  Ahhhh...

The morning is just as relaxing... With the quiet hours enforced until 8 a.m., you can sit back and listen to the birds chirping while your children groggily - but quietly -  lounge in their chairs or in the tent, waiting for breakfast to be grilled.  They're eager to comply with your wishes, because they know there's so many things they want to do today.  Ahh, so peaceful...


Yes, it's possible! 


I know, because this is how my weekend played out! 


Well, almost.  It wasn't peaceful the entire time; my children are not perfect little angels.  Nor do I expect them to be.  But, even with the occasional grumpiness and meltdown, we still had a "beary" fun and memorable time.

 

Jellystone Park Camp Resort in Caledonia, Wisconsin is a fun, family-friendly place! 

 

I overheard a lady say to one of the rangers this morning that out of all the Jellystone Park campgrounds she's been to with her family, this one was the best.  She said she likes how the staff here is so friendly and really caters to families and especially to children.


Now my family and I have never been to any other Jellystone Park campground, so we can't compare.  But we have been to other campsites and this one is, by far, our favorite!

 

One year, we visited Jellystone park about a month after visiting Disneyworld.  And guess what?!
Yep, my girls all agreed that they had more fun at Jellystone!  Seriously!


Maybe it's because our family really enjoys camping!  Yes, even roughin' it and sleeping in a tent! Well, personally, I prefer sleeping in a hotel or a cabin... But my girls really do enjoy sleeping in a tent.

 

The nice thing about Jellystone is that you're not completely roughin' it here.  This is the part where my Army brother-in-law shakes his head.  When he camps, it's out in the deep woods - with no outhouses, much less bathrooms or showers.


At Jellystone, there are bathrooms and showers!  Hallelujah!!!

 
They keep 'em clean, too! Yay!


They also have cabins with bathrooms for those of you who really do not care for any kind of "roughin' it".

 

Besides giving you and your family a healthy dose of the outdoors, Jellystone Park also provides a multitude of activities to keep your children entertained.


If you have little ones, they will enjoy waking Yogi Bear up.  My youngest, who is now 7, still enjoys this.  At 9:05, the children gather around Yogi Bear's cave (which is really more of a little house) and then they all yell as loudly as they can to rouse the bear.  Once he's awake, a staff member helps Yogi read his mail and then the kids get to take photos with him.

 

 

At night, the children can tuck him into bed and read him a bedtime story.

If you have older kids, those two activities might generate some eye-rolls.  My 11-year-old and 13-year-old are now too cool for the wake-up and bedtime fun.  But they are absolutely not too old for Candy Bar Bingo!!!

 
A regular-sized candy bar buys you a Bingo card.  And a Bingo wins you a stack of candy bars!  Woo hoo!  What makes it even more fun is the different versions that they play like Loser Bingo, Yogi Bingo, and Black-out.


My 7-year-old was lucky enough to be a "Loser!"  During Loser Bingo, the staff member calls out a number and if you have that number on your Bingo card, you have to sit down.  The last one to stay standing wins. 

 

(We later used my daughter's Bingo winnings at Georgie Porgie's in Oak Creek which is a less-than-ten minutes drive from the campsite.  We bought a quart of vanilla custard and then each of us chose a chocolate bar to use as topping for our custard.  Yummm!)

 

Another activity my girls unanimously agree on is jumping on the jumping pillow.  They could jump on it for hours!  I guess it's the same appeal as jumping on a bed.  Simply fun.

 

There's also the pool with water slides and a water balloon fight area.

 

There's a game room, mini-golf, archery, laser tag, giant chess, playgrounds... Like I said, a multitude of activities!

I almost forgot to mention the hay rides!  This weekend, there were two - a "Wet & Wild" one and a glow-in-the-dark one.  For the wet & wild hay ride, a select few rode around the campsite spraying campers.  We were told to feel free to "fight back" and luckily, my youngest happened to have her squirt gun in the car!

The other hay ride was after dark, but the kids wore glow sticks or brought their flashlights which was pretty cool.  Oh and Boo Boo the Bear rode with us.  Yay!


Cindy Bear also made appearances throughout the weekend.  My girls noticed that Cindy Bear usually was the one that showed up when there were sweets involved.  Cindy Bear was the one who delivered milk and cookies to the campers that signed up for them.  And she was the one who was there for the decorating of doughnuts and for the ice cream social. 


Speaking of food, there is a snack shack onsite as well as an ice cream shop. There's also a coffee shop for those of you who need that caffeine nudge in the morning.

 

 

There are also a bunch of restaurants in Oak Creek. (Less than 10 minutes away,  remember?) There's a Noodles & Company, Subway, Buffalo Wild Wings, Panera, Papa John's, and also a Starbucks.


Now if you're like me, you'd want to point out that part of the camping experience is grilling your own food.  True.  But hey, if you get tired of grilling, there's no law saying you can't leave the campsite to get some food!


If you decide you want to stick with grilling though but then run out of food to grill, no worries!  There is a full-service supermarket called Woodman's nearby.  They've got meat, veggies, fruits, candy bars for Bingo, and liquor...  Everything you need to get your camping party going!

 

Oh, while you're at Woodman's, might as well pick up some laundry detergent.  I don't know about you, but I hate re-using wet towels! I know, I know, we can hang our towels to dry on a make-shift clothesline tied to the trees, but Jellystone has washers and dryers!  Might as well use them, right?

Besides, those towels and blankets are starting to smell like wet dog.  Which reminds me...


Jellystone is a pet-friendly camp resort.  They even have a little doggie park where you can let your canine companions run around. 

 

What did I tell you?!  Fun for the whole family!!!

Jellystone Park is a wonderful place for families, because it mixes the right amount of camping/outdoor experience with modern amenities and enjoyable activities.  It may not be for die-hard, true-blue campers, but for those of us with little ones (and not-so-little ones), this is the ultimate place for family fun!

Life is short; enjoy it, enjoy your family, be a happy camper! :)

 
 

Went Back to Work Today...

No, I did not get a job yet.

I went back to my former workplace.


No, I was not offered my job back. 


I had to go back, because my former boss had texted me a few days ago, asking me if I left any personal belongings and I told him I would go back and double check. 


They've hired my replacement and understandably she needs to make my classroom - I mean my former classroom - into her own space.  So, of course, I had to go back and get whatever was mine out of there.


It actually wasn't so bad.


I ran into some former colleagues which was nice.  Got to catch up a little.


And meeting my replacement was nice.  She will be my daughter's teacher, so it was a treat for my daughter to get to meet her new teacher before anyone else.


What a lovely day today was!


Okay, okay, that's not exactly the truth... Well, 1st of all, it was rainy this morning and...


OKAY!!!


Honestly, I was heartbroken today.


Being there, sifting through the pile of unwanted things, tugged - no, YANKED - at my heartstrings.


If my girls had not been with me, I might have cried in the car after leaving the school.  But I kept my cool.  Inside, though... My heart was being ripped. Into pieces.  Again.


The thing is, I am at peace with my decision.  I don't regret leaving.  I really think it was the right choice for myself.


But it doesn't hurt any less.  Because I cared about that job.  A lot.


17 years!  For seventeen years,  I poured my heart and soul into that job.  I've watched many of my students grow up before my eyes.  My own girls grew up at that school.  Heck, they spent time there even before they were born, listening en-utero to the chatter of my students. 


We - my girls and I - spent so much time at that school.  We often joked that it was our second home.  And it pretty much was.  Most of our waking time was spent there. 


I cared - still care - about that school and, of course, the students. 


So, yes, being back there today broke my heart. 


But I guess that's how it's going to feel for a while, huh? 


Until the grieving ends.


When will that be?

 

Life Is Short!

 

Life is short!


I've been saying that a lot.  But really, if you think about it, Life IS short!


We are merely here on Earth for a lifetime.  For some it may be decades, for others a whole lot shorter.  Even if you live to be a 100 years old; in the grand scheme of things, that is a short amount of time.


If you love someone, truly love someone, you'd want to spend an eternity with that person, not merely 100 years.


If you want to make a difference in the world - perhaps help bring about peace and clean up the Earth, then 100 years wouldn't be enough.  There's so much to do and change takes time.


But really, life is short, because we are not meant to stay on Earth forever.  We are merely here temporarily - on a mission. 


Aren't we supposed to be preparing for our eternal life in Heaven?  And, of course, being human that's a pretty tough job.  We aren't perfect; we make many mistakes. So we need to continually strive to do better. Now. Today and everyday.


We need to realize that we do not have the luxury of making mistakes now to fix later.  We do not have the luxury of doing all the great things later.  We have to do our best now.


I think some people mistakenly think that because Life is short, that they should do whatever they want now.  Enjoy Life without a care in the world.


Not quite...


Yes, enjoy Life...  That part is fine.  Enjoy Life!  But we also need to remember to enjoy Life responsibly!


We have to remember our mission, our responsibilities, our duties.  To help others, to make a difference, to try our best to make the world a better place. 


And I'm saying this to myself just as much as to you all - actually maybe even more to myself.  I'm trying to motivate myself to find that job that will help me make a difference.  Trying to find a way for me to contribute to the world.  I'm also trying my best to fulfill my everyday roles well.  Trying to be a good mom, a good wife, a good friend...


I often make mistakes, but I try my best.


Because as much as I enjoy having fun and basking in the glow of Life, I also want my stay here on Earth to mean something.  Don't you?


Life IS short; let's enjoy it, but let's also strive to make it meaningful and productive!  

 

Facing the Daunting Task of Finding a Job...

 I have to start looking for a job.


I've been putting it off.


But I probably should start now. 


Sigh. 


The thing is, I don't want to yet.  Is that selfish of me?


Hey, I've been working since I was fourteen years old.  I can't retire yet; but I can take a break, can't I?


In my head, I've justified this long "break" this way: since this may very well be my last summer off, I ought to make the most of it. 


My girls have always spent summers with me.  Camp Mommy I call it.  We go to museums, parks, the beach. We visit different places.  We hang out at home. We clean. We get bored. We get on each others' nerves.  Sometimes we fight.  We make up. We make art. Sometimes we get silly. We laugh. We cuddle.  We have dance parties. We have fun.


I will miss all that.


I know, I know. We can still do those things even if I worked in the summertime.  But it won't be the same.


So I don't want to work yet until my girls go back to school.  I want to cherish this last summer off together.


But I also know I have to start finding a job.  The bills, the mortgage, the doctor and dentist appointments... They don't care that I no longer have a job. 


Sigh. 


I need to start looking for a job...


But I'm not ready yet!


I'm not finished tidying up and reorganizing our home! 


If I'm no longer going to have spring break and summers off to do my deep cleaning and de-cluttering, I have to do it all now! 


I recently re-organized our library.  I've de-cluttered my dresser and reorganized my drawers. I've already done most of the kitchen cabinets, but our pantry looks like it needs to be reorganized again...


Today, I tackled the bathroom drawers and my girls' toy bins.  But I still have to re-organize the office cabinets...


Wait...


Do you think I'm obsessing about tidying up as a way to procrastinate?!?


Is it possible that I'm tackling all these other tasks, because I'm subconsciously fearful of facing the real task?  The one that needs to be done soon... Finding a job!


Is that what's happening here?  


But I really do want to cherish my last summer off with my girls!  And I really do want to get my home all tidied up!


Sigh.  (I know, too much sighing!)


I really do need to start looking for a job.  What, was I thinking a job was just gonna fall from the sky and land on my lap?!  That would be cool! Ha!


Fine.


I'll start tonight. 


Well, maybe after I finish reading my book.  Oh yeah, that's another thing... I have all these books I still want to read...


Okay, okay!  I will start on applications as soon as I post this.  I promise.


Why can't a job just fall from the sky and land on my lap anyway?!?  


You're right!  It would hurt.  Probably kill me. 


Ugh!  I guess I need to work to get work, huh?


Alright!  Let me do this... 


This is my year of selective yeses and nos, isn't it? 


Yes to the challenge, no to procrastination. 


Here I go...

This Will Be My Year of Selective YESes and NOs

 Last night, I started to read this book called Not Working by DW Gibson which is a collection of stories about unemployed people finding their way in today's changing economy.  I thought maybe it could help prepare me for my journey of finding a new job.


Reading just the first chapter, though, was depressing! It made me anxious about where I was headed and all these negative what-ifs started popping up in my head.


I put the book aside and looked for a different book in my library bag.


Another book caught my eye.  It was a book written by Shonda Rhimes called Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand in the Sun and Be Your Own Person.


It sounded more uplifting than the first book, so I started to read that instead.


Shonda Rhimes, if you didn't know already, is a successful Hollywood writer.  She's the one who created the TV shows Grey's Anatomy and Scandal and she's executive producer of How to Get Away with Murder.


What you may not know is that she is a huge introvert who experienced panic attacks prior to press interviews or media appearances.  So she always tried to avoid any kind of publicity.


One day, her sister muttered six words to her: "You never say yes to anything."  Those words became Shonda's wake-up call and personal challenge.


Shonda decided to commit to a year of saying yes - especially to terrifying things like public speaking.  She started going to more publicity events. She even agreed to give a commencement address in front of thousands of graduates and their families!


This book really resonated with me.  For one, I myself am a gigantic introvert and I can totally relate to her terror.  Two, I feel like I myself unknowingly committed to a year of yes when I decided to resign from my job about 3 months ago.


Although, now as I write this and reflect a little bit more about what has happened and where I want my journey to take me, I think I've got a clearer picture.


I've decided that this year will be my year of selective yeses and nos.


I will say yes and be more brave about my choices in life.  I will say yes to things that I normally would shy away from.  I will say yes to going outside of my comfort zone and challenging myself.


But I don't want to say yes to just anything and everything.


Last week, I read another book called Spark Joy by Marie Kondo.  Kondo suggests getting rid of anything that doesn't give you joy. 


I really like that idea, but it seems to be counteractive to saying yes - especially about saying yes to challenging or terrifying things.  Doesn't it?


Well, that's why I'm saying it's going to be my year of selective yeses or nos.  Just because something is terrifying or challenging doesn't mean it won't bring me joy later.  And I think I now have a good idea of what I want and what I need, as well as what I don't want and don't need.


So... I will say no to things that bring me down.  I will say no to people who disrespect me and/or others.  I will say no to clutter in my home (except for the artistic stuff my children derive joy from).  I will say no to trash in my neighborhood.  I will say no to stressful things and unnecessary things.  I will say no to things and people and activities that do not bring me joy.


Yes to all that brings me joy, no to those that don't!


I realize now that this is my opportunity to steer my life in the direction I want it to go.  I still don't know exactly where that destination is, but now I know which stops I want to take and which I will pass up.  I'm sure I'll bump into some obstacles along the way and I'll probably experience some storms, but hey as long as they don't kill me, I'll be alright!


Life is short; I say yes to enjoying it as much as I can and I say no to all unnecessary unhappiness.

Our 1st Ever Metra Train Ride Takes Us To Highland Park

My girls and I have never ridden the Metra train ever.  Until today.

 

I don't know why it has taken us this long, but we have finally tried it.  Yay for 1sts!


Today was one of those spontaneous days.  We didn't have anything planned and we wanted to explore.


So explore we did - me, my three daughters, and my middle daughter's friend Josie.


We decided to ride the Metra train to wherever.  We randomly picked a city (Highland Park) from the list of stops on the train station's wall and then off we went. 

No expectations, no plans. 


My daughters didn't even want me to ask Siri about places nearby or look things up on my iPhone.  They wanted to just see what was around and discover things ourselves.


We lucked out.  The train station was right next to downtown Highland Park so we didn't have to walk too far. 


One of our first discoveries was a toy store.  How about that?!

It was a fun place called Beanstalk with beautiful dollhouses and playhouses and trains and all sorts of cool stuff.  My youngest daughter enjoyed the boathouse/ball pit and the different toys.  My middle daughter and her friend were immediately drawn to the giant stuffed animals.  And the oldest was content with lounging in a comfy bean bag while the other girls played. 

I, too, was content with lounging - especially since I needed to sit near an outlet and charge my phone!  But then I got called over for a tea party, so I had to abandon my nice cushy spot!


After we wore out our welcome at the toy store, we decided to explore some more.  We soon found ourselves in front of a shop called Highland Pop.  It's a popcorn shop with a slew of different flavored popcorn.  But what actually got our attention was the sign for Italian ice.  Today was a pretty hot and humid day; the perfect day for Italian ice!  Although, my two younger ones opted for frozen bananas instead.

 
After we finished our tasty treats, we kept on walking.  We passed by a gelato shop which my girls wanted to go into, but since we had already feasted on Italian ice and frozen bananas, we regretfully had to forego the gelato.  Maybe next time.

The girls' disappointment didn't last long though, because a shop had caught their eye and piqued their interest.  It was a store called Paper Source and this turned out to be my girls' favorite place for the day.

 
My girls are artists, so this was right up their alley.  I think we ended up staying in this store for a couple of hours.  The staff there was very accommodating and friendly.  A sweet lady named Kim taught them how to use an embossing heat tool and made sure they had enough materials to work with.  Later, another lady named Donna also helped the girls.


My youngest daughter told me that this was her favorite of all the places we visited in Highland Park.  Yes, she enjoyed this place even more than the toy store!


My middle daughter now wants to have part of her birthday celebration here.  And that's not even until spring!


Well, I'm just glad that our 1st Metra Train adventure turned out well.  Despite our lack of plans or even knowledge of our destination. 


Today's adventure reminds me of Life.  Sometimes we don't have a clue where we're heading, but we just have to enjoy the ride and when we get to our destination we just have to explore and try to find the things that give us joy.


Life is short; enjoy it!

 

"Mababa Ang Kaligayahan" / "Low-Level Happiness"

"Mababa ang kaligayahan" is a Tagalog (Filipino) phrase that literally translates to "low-level happiness."


Usually, Filipinos use it to describe a person that is easily pleased or has simple taste.  It's almost derogatory, because it's implying that the person is inferior. Someone who finds joy in the simplest things.  Low standards!


But I beg to differ.


I would like to counter that a person who is more easily pleased than others is not inferior.  Actually, that person is probably better off, because he/she is happier.


I say we need to be more like that.


If we want to be happier people, we need to find joy in the simplest things.


Observe very young children...  The simplest things like a tiny ladybug crawling on their leg can be the biggest delight.  An inchworm wiggling along can be a source of giggles.  A cuddle with mom equates happiness.


Why shouldn't we be like that?


Some people might argue that they don't want low standards. 


Well, we don't necessarily have to lower our standards.  We just need to raise our level of appreciation.


Let's say for example we are looking at a rose.  We can shrug and say, "Meh, I've seen hundreds of roses. No big deal."  Or we can look at it closely and try to find what makes it unique or simply appreciate it for what it is.  Don't you think we'd all be happier if we chose the latter reaction?


Same thing goes for the everyday things.  The person that holds the door for us.  The baby that shows her toothless grin.  The dog sticking his nose out the car window.  Our spouse who cooks dinner.  Our child's drawing of the family with a big heart above it.


We can choose to shrug off the simple things or we can appreciate them. 


Life is short; let's be joyful about all the little things...

Thinking Outside Of And About The Box

"Boxes are awesome!"

That's what my 7-year-old said to me today after an artful day at Evanston's Green Living Festival.

When I probed a little more and asked her why she thought boxes were awesome, she replied with: "You can make things with them like a house and a train and a reading nook!"

We had just spent over an hour at Open Studio Project's Art Village station where children were given free reign to create whatever they wanted out of a wide array of empty cardboard boxes.  Paint, paintbrushes, and tape were also provided.

This was art heaven for my daughter.

She loves to create and build and paint and play pretend.  This was right up her alley. 

She immediately began her search for the 'right kind of boxes'.  She already had an idea what she wanted to build.  A doll house.


She found an old cracker box that she wanted to transform into a bed.  An old toilet paper roll became a pillow.  She decided to use a cardboard cylinder as a night stand.  And she found a cup that she thought was perfect as a lampshade. 


Her vision started taking form before my very eyes.  She even decided to create a tv stand complete with a compartment for dvds and some dvds - all out of cardboard!

She had so much fun and she beamed with pride each time she showed someone her creation!

Later, as we were walking back to our car (my arms full with her doll house) we passed by what was dubbed "Pop-Up Adventure Playground." It was a make-shift playground made entirely from cardboard boxes!

Children had made houses and castles and forts out of refrigerator boxes!

How cool!

All of this 'box art' got me thinking about school and how children need more time for free play and unstructured free time to create and build and play pretend. 

These days, Kindergarten and even pre-school students are being exposed to so much more academic activities than in the 'old school' days.  There's a lot of pressure on teachers to teach these little guys how to read and write and do math, that free time gets pushed to the wayside.


Don't get me wrong, I do see the value in teaching children reading and writing and math.  But I also see the value in free play.  Unstructured free time is not wasted time like many administrators seem to think.  It is valuable time!  Children make sense of their daily lives through play.  They learn through play.  They test and refine and practice different skills as they build and create and design.

Can you picture a childhood without the experience of playing with a box, transforming it into something else from imagination?  Sure, that child will grow up and be okay.  But is that what we want?  For children to be 'just okay'?!


It's bad enough that children these days spend so much time passively watching tv or playing on electronic devices. What more if they are never given opportunities to create and build and play pretend?!

So, even if it means my home becomes a little more messy and cluttered, I will continue to let my girls play and create with boxes.

Life is short; I want my girls to enjoy it and to be as creative and artistic as they need to be!

Your Children Can Help Feed Starving Children!

Are you a parent that wants to expose your children to valuable lessons?  Do you want them to help others?  Are you looking for meaningful activities that they can be engaged in?

Well, look no further!  I've got just the experience for you and your family...

My own family just recently tried this for the first time and it was such a hit.  All three of my girls (ages 13, 11, and 7) raved and raved about it afterwards!  Do you know how rare that is to have all three actually agree that the same activity is fun?!  Even I, my husband, and father-in-law enjoyed this experience!

So what is this awesome and meaningful activity that your entire family can engage in?


Have you heard of the organization Feed My Starving Children?

It is a non-profit Christian organization that is trying to eradicate hunger all over the world.  They send meals to about 70 different countries.  The meals are sent to orphanages, schools, clinics, and feeding programs to specifically help malnourished children. 


They are able to do this with the help of volunteers.  Volunteers of various ages, from as young as five to senior citizens like my father-in-law, can participate.

You can sign up to volunteer at one of their permanent sites (in Illinois, Minnesota, or Arizona) or sometimes they will have MobilePack events which they schedule throughout the country on certain dates.  You can sign up on their website www.fmsc.org and there is no minimum number for your group, so it could be just your immediate family.  But it would more fun if you invited some of your friends and/or your children's friends.  The more, the merrier!

The site my family visited was in Schaumburg.  A friend from high school generously invited us to join her group.  We had six children all together, ranging from six years old to thirteen. 

The minimum age to volunteer is five years old which is wonderful.  In previous years, I wanted to sign my family up to help at soup kitchens but the places I looked up would not allow young children which was a big disappointment. I'm glad FMSC allows children five and up to volunteer.

Let me tell you... My family had sooooo much fun!

The girls' job was to scoop specific ingredients into a funnel while I was in charge of the bags - getting them ready for the funnel and holding each bag under the funnel so the ingredients wouldn't spill.  My father-in-law was in charge of weighing; making sure that each bag met weight requirements and adjusting them by either adding or subtracting scoops out of the bags.  Dawn's sister-in-law sealed the bags, while Dawn's husband counted and packed our boxes.  Dawn, her girls and their friend had similar jobs to mine & my girls'.  My husband and Dawn's brother volunteered for warehouse duty - doing more of the heavy lifting and packing.

It was work.  But, for some reason, it was a lot of fun!

Maybe it was because we knew that what we were doing was going to help others that are less fortunate.
Maybe it was because of the loud and upbeat music that they played.
Maybe it was all the vitamin powders we were inadvertently sniffing as we packed.
Whatever the reason, the time just flew by and we truly enjoyed ourselves.

After about an hour and a half, a FMSC staff member stopped us and instructed us on how to clean up our stations.  The children eagerly and diligently cleaned up.  (No complaints or whining here, so unlike when it's time to put toys away at home!)

Then after all the cleaning was done, we were invited to join a group prayer.  We were also told anyone who did not want to join the prayer could wait in another section of the room.

A FMSC staff member led the prayer.  First she started with expressing gratitude for the opportunity for all of us to participate in this experience of helping the less fortunate.  Then she prayed for the 77 boxes that we packed to reach their designated destination safely (which for this night was Swaziland in Africa).  She also prayed that the children who received the boxes would feel our love and God's love and that they would be nourished in body, mind, and spirit.  Finally, she prayed for all the volunteers, that we would feel touched and that we would all go home and share the love with others.

I have to say that yes, I was definitely touched by this experience and so were my children, my husband, and father-in-law.  We unanimously agreed that we want to do this again.  And my children want to bring their friends next time.  So do I!

I am so grateful to my friend Dawn for inviting us to become a part of this valuable experience.

I strongly urge you to try this with your family and friends.  It is not only a fun, family-bonding and/or friend-bonding moment, but it feels so rewarding to know that we are making a difference in someone's life.

I also ask that you please share this post with others. 

Feed My Starving Children does not advertise, so they depend on volunteers to tell family and friends about their organization.

It is such an important work that they do, feeding children and giving them a chance in Life; let's all help!

Life is short; let's do all we can to help others!

Life is short.. Let's give it our best shot...

Today, a former student teacher made me cry.


We had reconnected on Facebook and she thanked me for my patience and guidance so many, many years ago.  After I read her comment, I literally broke down in tears.  (Good thing that wasn't in person or that would have been very awkward!)


Maybe I'm just emotional today.  Maybe I'm hormonal. 


Maybe I'm still grieving for the end of my teaching career.


Maybe I was feeling humbled to be acknowledged and appreciated by this successful person who used to be my student teacher.


Maybe it just felt really good to know that I somehow contributed, in very small part, to this young woman's career as a teacher and change-maker.


Whatever the reason(s), this has strengthened my resolve to do more, to do better in life.  I want to be able to look back and say I've made a difference.  I don't need to be famous or wealthy or even super successful.  I simply want to make a difference in people's lives.


So today, I grieve for no longer having the platform of teaching to make a difference. 


But I understand there are other ways to do so.


My most important role right now is being a mom to my girls.  And being a wife, a daughter, a sister, a friend.


And just like in teaching, I have good days and I have bad days.  I make mistakes, but I try my best to learn from them.  And just like I did with teaching, I give my all.


In whatever endeavor comes next, I will give my all. 




Life is short... Let's give it our best shot. Even if we don't hit the target on the first try. Or the 2nd... Or the 3rd... Let's give Life our all.

An Afternoon of Family Fun in Evanston

If you have never tasted bibimbap (pronounced BEE-beem-bop), you've got to try it at least once.  

I know just the place for you to go...  Then after lunch, you can browse at these two special shops nearby.

Well, first, in case you didn't know, bibimbap is a delicious rice dish which consists of steamed rice, vegetables like carrots & bean sprouts, egg, and tasty strips of bulgogi (BULL-go-ghee) which is marinated grilled meat. Yummmmmm!!!

The place I am recommending is an unassuming little place, a family-owned restaurant called Evanston Grill located on 1047 Chicago Ave.  It doesn't look like much on the outside, but their food is delicious (especially their bibimbap) and their prices are affordable.

What's more, the owners, who sometimes serve and cook, are a hoot!  They are an elderly Korean couple who seem very passionate about their food.   One of the first times we were there, the elderly woman insisted (in a friendly way) that my daughter (who was 12 at the time) put some hot sauce in her bibimbap.  She then proceeded to pour some on and then spoon-fed my daughter.  We had a good laugh about it in the car later on.


Today, when we were there for lunch, the elderly man excitedly asked us if we wanted some kimchi (seasoned vegetables) with our bibimbap.  When we agreed to try some, a huge smile lit up his face.  And then, of course, it made us feel all happy, too!

If for some reason you are not willing try the bibimbap or just not craving Korean food, they also serve other foods like hot dogs and grilled cheese sandwiches.  I know this is especially important to point out to families with young children.  I know!  We've been through a phase of "I only want mac and cheese!"


After lunch, you can head over to Main Street.  They have some cool shops over there that can entertain people of all ages.


One of my girls' favorites is Dave's Rock Shop (located on 711 Main St.).  This place was a big favorite when my children were younger and very much into dinosaurs and rocks, but even now that they're a little older the place still holds their interest.  My older daughters who are now 11 and 13 still enjoy looking at the different rocks and gems. 

My youngest, too, enjoys this place.  She's into wizardry right now and she excitedly pointed out a 'stick' of aquamarine which she says would make a cool wand.  Too bad it costs $8,500! Yikes!

Dinosaur aficionados would appreciate this place.  They have a mini museum in in their basement that features some dino bones and other animals' skulls and skeletons.

After you've had your fill of rocks and skeletons, I suggest going a couple doors down to this place called Ten Thousand Villages.  They sell fair-trade crafts and housewares from Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East.  Lots of cool stuff!

My little one was fascinated by their puzzle boxes.  They're wooden boxes carved to look like animals.  In order to open them, you have to take them apart and figure out which way to slide compartments.

All three of my girls were also fascinated by the singing bowls.  They are metal bowls that you can hold on the palm of your hand (without your fingers touching them) and then with a wooden mallet you can make music by running the mallet all around the bowl.  It sounds really cool!


In Buddhist tradition, they are used to signal the beginning and end of meditation time, but thinking like a teacher/mom, children could use them to calm themselves down or even just for fun and, of course, for making music. 


I myself was intrigued by their Ellie Pooh Paper.  They are paper products (journals, note pads, stationery) made out of elephant dung! Yes, you heard right, elephant dung!!!

It's actually a great way to help elephants.  Years ago, farmers started to shoot elephants, because they were encroaching upon their agriculture.  But then a group of people educated the farmers about the benefits of harvesting the elephants' dung to make paper.  And thus, the farmers began to appreciate elephants.

I wish I had known about this when I was a teacher! 

There are lots more arts and crafts in this store and we could have spent hours in here, but my husband needed to go back home and rest for work.  But if you have little children and more time to kill, there's also a toy store across the street...

Finally, if you are interested in free activities for your children and are free this Sunday, there will be a street fair in Evanston on Main Street on Sunday, August 14th from 1 pm until 6 pm.  There will be a climbing wall, acrobats, music, art, games, food, and much more...


And remember, Life is short... Enjoy it and enjoy your family!