The Evolving Homemaker

A few weeks ago I got contacted by Emily Matchar for a book she is working on based on what she calls “The New Domesticity”.  You can read all of her blog posts on the subject and chime in with your views on her blog here.  At first I thought she would eat me alive, for the lifestyle I have chosen for the moment, but the more I read her blog the more genuinely interested she sounded in what is causing women to sort of reclaim lost domestic skills over the past few years.  A trend that doesn’t look like it is fading, but actually may be growing.

Why do we want to homestead, grow our own food, learn to knit, can, stay home with the kids, and even home school?

Since she first approached me, I really started to think about WHY.  Why had I chosen this life over one outside the home rocketing to the top of a career in the non-profit world?  Why had I chosen differently than my own Mom?  Why DO I want to learn to knit?  Why DO I want to grow my own food?  What has led me to these choices.

It has been fascinating to think about.  From the fact that I was a latch key kid, to not having any financial independence of my own if I ever needed it.  From how I didn’t really want to get married and have kids, to having kids and homeschooling to boot!  From being an outspoken activist, to returning home with my activism instead.

How did I get here?

Emily asked about my Mom and her feelings of my choices and whether they reflected on her.  I asked her, her response was, “Of course, and we were the generation who discovered that we actually can’t have it all.”  After all, the home was still her realm when she was in it. I often think about that too, some of my friends seem to balance it fine, I think I would be a nut case.  But then again, many of us who stay home and are reclaiming domesticity also have careers we are creating from that.  There are bloggers, published writers, crafters who make side money on Etsy, women who work part time at nights, women who are trying to create a ‘job’ that works more with their chosen lifestyles and not having their lifestyles be dictated by their jobs.

As I said to Emily, whenever we make one choice, another choice is not being made.  That is all.  I chose to stay home with my kids, so  I am not rising up the corporate ladder.  I am trying to create a job of my own as the kids grow with writing, but if I have knit something…a load of laundry hasn’t gotten done.  If I have planted seeds, the kids have played on their own for a few hours.  If I have gotten a blog post up successfully in the morning, the kids have made a mess out of my living room and the dishes from breakfast are still in the sink. I have chosen to home school, so I don’t get a plethora of ‘mommy time’.  These are just choices.  If I decide to go to work, it just means I will lose some time with my children.  We all make choices based on our own experiences, and our own values as to what we deem most important at the moment.

We all choose.  We all choose differently.

I love this new wave of domesticity.  Whether it is for environmental reasons, political statement reasons, reclaiming our finances away form a purely corporate sustained society, just for fun, hobbies to remain sane, to creating jobs that fit more into the life we want to live, I find it fascinating and will be looking forward to reading Emily’s book to see what she finds.

The reason I post this is I am curious, as I am in a circle of people that have mostly made similar choices, what are your reasoning’s? Why do you knit, can, plant a garden with some semblance of success each year, are interested in beekeeping, sustainable living, homeschooling, blogging, etc. etc. etc.?  What on your path led you to this sort of living?  Or, what on your path led you to abhor this sort of homemaking?  What on your path said, “No way I can have it all” and led you to keeping your position in the workforce while raising your children? And does your husband do equal housework while you both work?

Let’s open this dialogue cause one thing that drives me absolutely nutty in the mothering community is why one choice is better than another.  They aren’t.  Organic vs. non/Vaccinate vs. non/Homeschool vs. public/Stay at hom vs. go to work/Co-bed vs. cry it out…blah, blah, blah.  They are just different choices, and I wish we could just support each other more and think we have the answers a little less.

What are your two cents here?

And afterthought: And what is with that, “having it all” we need to drop that like a ton of bricks as mothers.  I think I have it all by staying home, others think they are having it all by doing both, I think this term needs to be put to rest.

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On this Mother’s Day, the Mama’s at Mother’s Acting Up asked me to add my two cents to the boiling pot of what mothering and activism looks like, this on a day that began not as a reason to give flowers to our mother’s but as a call for mother’s to rise up and take action with the Mother’s Day Proclamation in 1870 by Julia Ward Howe.

She begins, “Arise then … women of this day!
  Arise, all women who have hearts…” and ends with the powerful, “That a general congress of women without limit of nationality,
 May be appointed and held at someplace deemed most convenient
 And the earliest period consistent with its objects,
 To promote the alliance of the different nationalities,
 The amicable settlement of international questions,
 The great and general interests of peace.”

Now there is something to celebrate! (You can read the entire proclamation here)

Mothering and activism.  Mamavism I like to call it, has been quite a journey for me.

It has had it’s ups and downs, twists and turns, always begging for me to stay on my toes and ask difficult questions of myself.  Am I showing up where I can?  Am I showing up at all?  Am I showing up too much?

One thing was for certain when I became a mother, in an instant I understood how universal the feelings of motherhood were.  One instant is all it took.  My son was six weeks early, he spent 21 days in the NICU after delivery.  I was terrified.  And he had the best of modern medicine around him.

What of the mothers who aren’t so lucky?  Who are terrified for their children, and there is no way they can give them to the best of their ability a chance to grow up, a chance to live out their dreams, a chance to eat today?  Those mother’s feel the same way I do about their children, our hearts are the same but our circumstances are entirely different.

I had always been passionate about so many issues, but once the motivation to get off the couch and actually take action shook me at my core, I spent a lot of time outer focused.  I got angry at every, what I deemed, injustice.  I took it personally.  I got frustrated. I carried the burdens emotionally.  I got fired up and put myself in the public arena.

I got burnt out too.

Then I began to take something my minister had said over and over to heart, “If you want peace in the world, start with yourself.”  Ahh…so often I argued over that simple statement.  I pushed against it.  I ignored it.  I disagreed with it wholeheartedly, I surmised that if you see injustice and sit on your meditation pillow you have checked out.  I always said to myself, “If you ain’t helpin’ to paddle the boat, get the heck outta the boat.”

But I started to realize I had room for improvement.  I yelled at my kids more often than I would have liked, I began to wonder if I can’t keep a peaceful heart towards my children, those whom I love most in the world, how do I expect the Israelis and Palestinians to come to an agreement? If I could so easily get angry over water spilled across my table, into workbooks and papers, why am I surprised that people become angry and take matters into their own hands when they feel that they have been suppressed for decades? If I claimed to care so much for the environment and the plight of workers around the world, how did I happen to end up at Target so often buying ‘stuff’ because I was bored, or lonely, or both?

For now, my mamavism starts closer to home.  Where I can cultivate my own compassion for those in my immediate world, and practice radiating that out instead of frustration.  How can I be an example to my children?  What changes can I make in my own life that support my beliefs instead of pointing to the outside world to change?  Can I bike more? How much food can we grow in our own yard?  Can we get almost to sustainability?  Can we live more simply? How is it we can build a sense of community in our cities and towns so that we all feel more engaged, more capable, more accountable, more supported? Can I be more present and connected with all who I interact with, instead of my head down on my keyboard or sending a text message instead of deep listening in the moment?

The world could use some more deep listening.  Luckily I don’t even know how to text…

Yes, mamavism takes many different forms, many different paths, and is forever changing based on our own life circumstances and what our mothering is itself demanding of us at the moment.  That doesn’t mean we don’t jump in when we can, it means that we show up mindfully, aware of what we are giving up to be there, who is gaining that we be there, what it is that lights our hearts on fire and when we need to kindly say ‘no’ and take care of ourselves and those closest to us instead.

Mothering and mamavism, each a delicate balance.  Every day, every moment, begs us to balance what we need, what our families need, what the planet needs, what humanity needs.  And there is no map to help us navigate, just our own inner being to let us know when it is time for action, time for rest, time for nurturing, time for rallying.  Let us learn to listen to our own voices, but ARISE none the less, wherever and whenever and however that may look.

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!!!

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Wow.

That is really all I can muster at the moment.

Last night I was in a panic state over my lack of response to a request for a moment of activism on behalf of women and children in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  I had made a promise to a hero of mine, and I wanted to pull through for her…for a moment it felt as if I wouldn’t.

And then another day began, and I discovered an inbox full of questions and willing participants to support the Outcry for Congo action taking place on Facebook this week.  As I sit here tonight, I am stunned.  I am utterly moved by the rally of my friends, husband, and acquaintances in putting themselves out there for something so public and so necessary.

Over 5 million people have died.  And the Congo is but a whisper in the public discourse. Over 3 million women and girls have been violently raped.  And you can forgive yourself for not knowing, cause how would you?

As burnt out, and cynical, and disappointed as I have become lately, I learned a few things this weekend…

Don’t get bogged down in the moments.

Stay ready and in tune to the big picture.

Don’t ever count people out.

Trust those around you.

Have faith.

Standing up for others is hard and scary for all of us.

Keep your mind positive, stop letting the negative muscle in, it so is not worth it.

People are amazing.

Love exists.

Compassion exists.

Hope matters.

You can count on people.

Humanity does show up-in some unbelievable ways.

Stay present.

Stay present.

Stay present.

I have never felt my heart more full than it is at this very moment.  I am not lying.  It feels as if it may burst through my chest and I am going to be very mindful of this beautiful sense of joy that was created by all those in my life.  Just when I may have been feeling so alone, everyone I know just decided to show up. Just. Like. That.

Wow.

Spill it: Have you ever felt burnt out from any sort of action you were taking, only to be revived by those closest to you?  When has your community shown up for you?

P.S. Want to learn more about the Congo?  Visit here.  Want to help in the action?  Visit here for the low down in the right side bar, Lisa Shannon, founder of Run for Congo Women and author of A Thousand Sisters, explains it all there!  Just jump, it is really all we can ever do!

As life moves on, and I continue to evolve in my own world, in my own ways, and my family life continues to evolve too, I have made a decision regarding my Mamavism Monday posts.

Mamavism Monday is turning the page and becoming Mindful Monday.

*Sigh*

As my anxiety continues to be a balancing act, our decision to homeschool takes center stage, my desire to simplify becomes stronger, and my spiritual life begins to become more important and a necessity, I can feel that my place for the time being is not in the outer driven world.

A good lesson for me is that I listened to that nudging.

Truth be told, I don’t watch the news anymore, and I used to be glued to it and Meet the Press every Sunday.  Anytime I do I am literally shocked at the divisiveness of it, the trickery of it, the drive to make money even if it as the expense of truth.

I am no longer obsessively reading about the plights of people around the world and animals and our mother earth.  I can’t take it anymore.  Some people are made for it, shouldering the burdens of others, and they can still recover their own life too.  Mine was becoming intertwined.

My passion for politics has waned.  I have learned that I actually don’t want to be a part of that environment.  It is a world unto it’s own, full of it’s own games, it’s own deceptions.  My heart doesn’t believe that that is where I will make a difference, for now.

My spirit is sensing that I can make a difference in my own life by being a present, not distracted, Mom, wife, and friend.  I can make a difference by writing my truth, so others can know they aren’t alone.  I can make a difference by creating my little corner of an urban homestead, by teaching my children where food comes from, while also teaching them that Mom listens to her inner voice and they can too.

My minister always says that our biggest priority should be our inner peace, from that we can go forth into the world and spread that peace.  This Mama really can’t go forth into the world until she gets her own physical house in order, while finding a peaceful foundation in which to venture out.

It just is.

I was talking to a fellow homeschool Mom a week or so ago, passing on my feelings of guilt about not being able to continue all of my outpouring of volunteer work I do and homeschool and fill my own cup and exercise and keep house and follow my creative passions and get physically healthy.  She said, “Why can’t mothers just be mothers, while the maidens and the matrons take to task helping around the world?”

Is motherhood enough? I think my kids would answer, “YES!”

So, in light of my ever evolving life, and my need to follow more deeply my spiritual path, Monday’s will be taking on a more quiet, philosophical, peaceful tone.

Ready to evolve with me?

Spill it: How do you feel about mindfulness?  Do you take time to rest yourself with yoga, meditation, gardening, or any other activities that bring you a deep sense of peace?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  YOGA FOR CONGO WOMEN

Ann Richmond.  The first time I met her, was as I was handing her a basket of goodies for being the highest personal fundraiser at the 2009 Colorado Run for Congo Women.  But I had noticed her all morning, even before our prizes were handed out.  I noticed because her kids were there, as were mine, and her husband was there too, as was mine.  To show his support for his wife, who was achieving a personal goal and supporting women so far removed from her life.  I was really touched by the camaraderie they seemed to show as a family, a united front, and I was inspired by that.

The day after the run, someone forwarded me her blog in which she had posted a video of her experience that day, which you can read here.  I was moved.  My husband was moved.  That, my friends, is saying something!

She has now become a dear friend and inspiration to me, and she is planning a Yoga for Congo Women event on September 18, 2010 and I want you all to be there!  If you can’t be there in person, she will be adding it online so you can participate from home after the actual event happens!  Lucky you!

Here she talks about what has catapulted her into action on behalf of women in the Democratic Republic of Congo!

What led you to become a yoga instructor?

When I first tried yoga, it was perfect for me.  It changed my whole outlook on my life and on my body.  I began to love my body and respect it more.  I finally treated myself kindly.  Later, as I dealt with other, more challenging issues in my life, yoga was an invaluable asset to me, and helped me to get through those things.  I wanted to become an instructor so that I could give that gift to others.

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY: FERTILIZER

I am taking you on the same journey I am going on this morning. A couple weeks ago we talked about sewage sludge and industrial waste being used in fertilizer and wondered what has happened since the days of Fateful Harvest and the Seattle Times series on such.  You can read that post here.  But today I am surfing the web and sharing with you the findings…

First stop:  here to read a lovely EPA 1997 Environemental Fact Sheet that includes:

“EPA’s longstanding policy encourages the beneficial reuse and recycling of
industrial wastes, including hazardous wastes, when such wastes can be used
as safe and effective substitutes for virgin raw materials. Although EPA is
examining whether some fertilizers or soil conditioners may contain potentially
harmful levels of contaminants, the Agency believes that some wastes can be
used beneficially in fertilizers when properly manufactured and applied.”

Delicious!  Here you can read a 2000 report from King 5 out of Seattle.

“But even “very high quality” biosolids contain heavy metals and millions of pathogens, like human viruses, bacteria and parasites.”

Some of the dates on these seemed a little far away, not always, but sometimes some huge thing has happened to change a practice within the years.  Then I found this article from the Washington Post dated December, 2009.  Read it here, of course a sneak peek:

“With wastes piling up around the coal-fired plants that produce half the nation’s power, the EPA and U.S. Department of Agriculture began promoting what they call the wastes’ “beneficial uses” during the Bush administration.

Part of that push is to expand the use of synthetic gypsum — a whitish, calcium-rich material known as flue gas desulfurization gypsum, or FGD gypsum. The Obama administration has continued promoting FGD gypsum’s use in farming.”

Of course I find all of this completely offensive.  I am grossed out by the thought of the quality of food that go into the mouths of my children.  I am not surprised by the incidences of cancer in people that eat and lead a healthful lifestyle.  Evidently even when you try to eat a healthy way, with lots of fruits and vegetables, you can still be eating nastiness.

A professor in one of my classes in college, I think an Environmental History class, once called all of this-the chemicals in the air, water, food supply, clothes, toys, etc-the great human experiment.  We have no idea what it is doing to us, our health, the genetics of humans, it will be years before we do.

Anyone else with him?

I know I am.  I am watching the great human experiment and adjusting my lifestyle accordingly as I learn to adapt.  My garden will only be bigger next year, I promise and my grocery bill will continue to be high due to my organics and all natural obsession!

Spill it: Do you deem it worth it to spend the money on organic food?  Why or why not?  Are you surprised by the above articles or not at all? Are you slightly grossed out or happy with the level of protection the government offers?

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Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  WHAT’S ON YOUR FOOD

Last week, I was reading in a local free magazine, Natural Awakenings- found at every Natural Store from here to Maine- about sewage sludge being used as fertilizer. You heard it right:

“Eight million tons of sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, euphemistically renamed biosolids, is annually marketed as fertilizer and applied to the American farms and gardens that grow our food, as well as the parks where we play.  No food crop aside from those labeled U.S. Department of Agriculture certified organic, is regulated to guard against it being grown on land treated with this sludge.”

~Natural Awakenings (July 2010 page 9)

This stood out to me due to the fact that a few years ago, I think when my son was in his first year, I read this book called Fateful Harvest.  I tried to get everyone I know to read it.  Evidently I got someone to read it because I can’t find it on the shelf any longer.  Which never happens, I usually make people who borrow books ‘check’ them out and I keep their name and the title of the book taped to the wall next to my bookshelf.

Yes, I am a nerd.

But I am really sad I don’t have the book any longer.  I would have quoted it up and down today.  But I will send you to read the synopsis here.  Then you can run out and find a copy of your own.  It is worth the read.

“A riveting expose, “Fateful Harvest” tells the story of Patty Martin — the mayor of a small Washington town called Quincy — who discovers American industries are dumping toxic waste into farmers’ fields and home gardens by labeling it “fertilizer.” She becomes outraged at the failed crops, sick horses, and rare diseases in her town, as well as the threats to her children’s health. Yet, when she blows the whistle on a nationwide problem, Patty Martin is nearly run out of town.”

With a bit of digging, I found his original articles in the Seattle Times, which led to the book Fateful Harvest.  The articles titled Fear in the Fields can still be read here.

I am not sure what has happened legally since the book came out, if this is a process that still happens, what the EPA or anyone else for that matter, changed after this was exposed.  I will research it a bit for next weeks Mamavism and let you know, but it seems that if sewage sludge is still being used, it is at least cause for concern.

For me at least.

You can find out more at www.usludgefree.org, here is an excerpt from their site:

“So, what happens to all that sludge? Since ocean dumping was stopped in the United States by environmental groups in the 1980′s, because of the dead zones the sludge created in our oceans, disposal options most often used in America include landfill, incineration, and “land application”. What is “land application”? Because of measurable amounts of elements like nitrogen and phosphorous, the sludge industry and government bodies overlook the toxins in sludge and market the sewage by-product as fertilizer. Class A sludge is spread in our parks, golf courses, playgrounds, and forests and sold to the gardening public as bagged fertilizer. The amount of sludge that is land applied varies from state to state depending on how strict the laws are.

Class A sludge is marketed, and delivered free of charge, to thousands of farmers in 26 states as a fertilizer option. As the price of fuel and petroleum based fertilizers squeeze farm budgets, and farmers are only told of the benefits of free sludge, the temptation to apply sludge to farmland increases. Food crops may be grown in fields treated with Class A sludge without testing the products for levels of pathogens, heavy metals, or pharmaceuticals in spite of the fact that plants uptake nutrients and toxins from the soil. Meat and dairy animals may graze in fields treated with Class A sludge without testing the product in spite of the fact that heavy metals, hormone mimickers and chemicals collect in muscle and fat tissue.”

~United Sludge-Free Alliance

Sounds delicious.

Spill it: Did you have any idea this was allowed in the U.S.?  Do you care, or are you OK with it for the most part?  Let’s hear it Mama’s!  What are your thoughts on this as you grab an apple to feed your children nutritious food?

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Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  EDUCATION

I don’t have a bunch of time today, camping this weekend for my little boys birthday and relatives coming in today…the house is a disaster, as always, but needs to get cleaned, and the laundry, ode to laundry.  Needless to say, I am feeling a bit overwhelmed, and the kids and I are leaving for three weeks next week.  I would like to have school things organized before I leave and I have a bunch of homemade gifts that need to be prepared before departure too.  Breathe.  Breathe.

But I leave you with this AWESOME and HILARIOUS video a friend passed on via Facebook yesterday, a speech by Ken Robinson.  Many of us are frustrated with the education systems out there, many of us love the ones our kids are in and we are lucky enough to have a lot of options to chose from.  But no matter what, we all feel pretty helpless at changing anything on the grand scheme for the children across the United States, whom might not have such fabulous opportunities as the kids around where I live do.

So check this video out, I think he is on to something.  I also think that sometimes we forget kids should get to be kids and not looked at as future employees alone, or test scores, or beings that need to be melded one way or another.  Life is short, let us educate kids in a way that will give value to their short stint here, that will fill their hearts AND their minds.  Life is so much richer than our jobs, sometimes it seems like we have forgotten that.

Spill it: How do you feel our education system feeds our kids well, and how do you feel it starves them?  What choices did you make for your own kids education that really enriched them?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  BE THE CHANGE

Be the change you wish to see in the world. ~Mahatma Gandhi

This weekend I was blessed to be able to join a retreat at my church.  It was iffy.  My husband had been planning to hike a fourteener for like a month, and my church only announced this gathering last weekend.  But it came at a time I really needed some grounding, some clarity, and some inspiration, I was losing myself again and needed to regain a sense of aliveness.  It was $25, cheapest retreat in the history of retreats.  And they provided childcare for part of the events, so I only missed a few hours of the whole thing.

I bring this up, only because we did spend some time talking about our place in the world and where we can and can’t be helpful.  I was reminded often that we cannot change that which is outside of us, the only thing we have any control over and can change is inside of us.

It has taken me quite awhile to admit to this.  When I first started going to Unity Church, I found myself resentful and fighting the idea that finding peace within ourselves is the top priority.  I thought it was selfish and irresponsible.  People are suffering on so many levels all around us, sitting upon a little meditation pillow far removed from the realities of pain was arrogant and lazy in my mind.

But I have been navigating my desire to help the world with the realities of my life for some time.  Like my whole life really, the injustices that parade around this planet just shocked me and pierced my heart.  It has always been that way, according to my Mom who says I would yell about the treatment of animals and the planet out to my fishing step father.  When I was ten, I remember the first time I saw something on T.V. about animal testing…I wailed.  From some deep place in my being, I am not even sure I have been back to since then…once, once I have been back to that place of deepest mourning.

So I spent countless years angry and frustrated and wanting to change everything I regarded as unethical.  I fought with friends, and family, even a few strangers trying desperately to get them to see that I was ‘right’.  I wanted peace for the world, but there wasn’t an ounce of peace in myself.

When we begin to be the change we wish to see, the world does begin to change in countless ways.  I am slowly learning to not look outside myself for happiness while I also begin to physically slow down, finding the nectar of life in the much more mundane and simple moments.   This inner transformation coincides with a greater, yet subtle, outer transformation that does effect the world at large.

I need less.  I don’t shop for the hell of it, buy books as a distraction, drive as much, watch as much T.V, want as much.  Finding some semblance of peace on the inside allows us room to begin to step off the hamster wheel of consumption and distractions, which really, really does make a difference in the world in which we live.  Imagine the change if we all took more breaks from the hamster wheel and decided that we didn’t need the latest fashion trends to be more ourselves, that we didn’t need to re-do our houses in the latest furniture or upgrade our wares from Home Depot every weekend.  What if we chose not to get the latest and greatest T.V. because our old one still worked and we were so happy doing other things, we didn’t use it that much anyway.

I am not saying we shouldn’t get involved where we can whenever we are called to do so,  and Lord knows I will be going to Target for little boy underwear, little girl hair ties, and foam core today, but what if our personal lives were much happier, peaceful, and joyous?  Would we make the same choices we do today? Just maybe, pointing to that which is outside of us less and focusing instead on being the change we wish to see will have an amazing ripple effect…

That Gandhi…he just might have been on to something.

Spill it: Do you ever consume with the hopes of happiness?  Food or clothes or books or vacations, for you or your kids?  How much do you or your husband, or both, work to fill wants versus fill your families needs?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS

I think that sometimes our ideas about how to make the world a better place and our time to do it in, don’t exactly jive.  As a stay at home Mom, I know I sometimes feel guilty as if being a Mom isn’t having enough of a positive impact on the world.  That it is sort of selfish, and I am not helping to row this community boat.

Then I breathe.  And take into account that all of the good works I might do in life, the quality time with my children will be what I am most grateful for on my death bed.  I remember that I can’t take achievement or fame with me to the other side, and my ego settles down a bit.  I think long and hard about the kind of children I hope to raise, ones that care for the planet, that don’t blindly consume because they think that is the path to happiness, they take into account how their purchases effect people around the world, they would learn to have compassion for a world far different from their own, and people far different from themselves.  That they find happiness within, whatever that means to them.

Then it seems like being a Mom is enough.  It is enough for two little people in this world at least.

This weekend we had the perfect opportunity to share with our kids the importance of helping where we can.

My son, and our neighbor’s son, found a baby bird in the bed of the neighbors pickup truck.  It is parked under an enormous tree, so that isn’t too much of a surprise.  We looked at the poor little fellow, and got the kids out of the truck to see if he would fly away.  He hopped unsuccessfully around the bed flapping his wings like crazy, but only getting about four or five inches up into the air.  We looked up into the tree, and there was no hope of a ladder finding it’s way to a nest, we couldn’t even see a nest.

We carefully put him onto the grass to see what would happen.  He ran as hard and as fast as his little legs could carry him, flapping, flapping, flapping, like a little road runner.  He made it about 10 feet and was tuckered out.  Then he sat with his beak gaping asking for food.  Hmmm. We couldn’t leave him, there is a neighborhood cat who has left feathery remnants of mourning doves in our yard before.  And we have two beasty dogs, one of which chases fanatically the robins and squirrels out of our yard.

We grabbed a box, put some grass in it so he didn’t slide around, and took him to this fabulous place called The Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.  They help orphaned and injured wildlife make it back into the wild.  There, the woman at the front desk let me know that the boys had found a baby waxwing.

You could see the yellow tip of the babies tail already.  What a beautiful creature.  I told her that I had never seen them at my bird feeder before and she let me know that is because they like fruit!  We will head out to get some suet or make some food from the grocery store this week to invite these little birds into our yard.

She thought the baby was probably a fledgling, and trying to leave the nest.  But since he actually couldn’t fly yet, having no way to get back to the nest to be fed, he would have probably starved to death in the back of the truck.

“We can not do great things.  We can only do little things with great love.” ~Mother Teresa

And so it is, for at least today, that the little things really did make a big difference.  At least for one precious waxwing.

Spill it: What is one thing that you have done recently that seems small in the grand scheme of things, but you know it made all the difference to someone or something?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  RUN FOR CONGO WOMEN-UPDATE

This is just a quick update today on this Mamavism Monday, and the efforts for the Democratic Republic of Congo.  I need to rest, and hang with the kids, and there is still follow-up work to be done…and my headache is fierce this AM!  This is short and sweet, just the facts madam!

But the Colorado Run for Congo Women is over!  It went off without too many hitches, there were a few, like lack of water, and some raffle confusion, but it was an amazing morning of seeing inspired people take action.  On so many levels.  Volunteers, runners, organizers, speakers, sponsors; I always get hopeful for humanity on race morning.

We had over 340 participants and raised $20,000 for Women for Women Internationals‘ Congo Program.  Hopefully many more women, our sisters, will get sponsored in Congo too!

My humble gratitude goes to all the volunteers, organizers, participants, and all my friends who tirelessly support my craziness.  Truly, from the bottom of my heart.

Portland, Oregon had their run this weekend too!  They had almost 400 participants!  The largest Run For Congo Women to date!  Congrats to the Portland team!

In the news!  Read the articles about Congo in the New York Times this week!  Our very own Lisa Shannon had an inspiring and honest Op-Ed piece titled No Sexual Violence is Not ‘Cultural’, that you can read here.  And Nicholas Kristofs’ Sunday Op-Ed, Death By Gadget, was on conflict minerals in Congo, read it here. And this AM, GIZMODO, a techie blog posted about the Kristof article on their site here!

Spill it: What has inspired you about humanity lately?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  FOOD

YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT.

That is the old adage we all heard as children, right? I remember this video from my younger years, ok really, really younger years, as clear as day!  As soon as I began this post I thought what was that little yellow banana dude that talked about food?  He doesn’t really look like a banana, a pear maybe, but the ad worked.  I probably haven’t seen it since I was seven, and that was thirty years ago, yet I still recalled the yellow man with the cane.

But what is the quality of the food our children are putting into their bodies today?

I spent April, along with so many of you, watching the Food Revolution following that cutie Jamie Oliver all around Huntington, West Virginia in his quest to ‘healthify’ the lunch room food across America.  If you missed a single episode you can watch them here.  I had just received jamie’s dinners for my birthday the month before, as my hubby knew how much I enjoyed watching him on Food Network cooking straight from his garden.

On the heels of those shows, Nicholas Kristof had written an article on May 5 titled New Alarm Bells About Chemicals and Cancer.  The news he was sharing was a regarding a 200 page report from the President’s Cancer Panel, as Mr. Kristof refers to them, they’re the “Mount Everest of the medical mainstream”, that  actually suggests people should be buying organic food. From the article:

In particular, the report warns about exposures to chemicals during pregnancy, when risk of damage seems to be greatest. Noting that 300 contaminants have been detected in umbilical cord blood of newborn babies, the study warns that: “to a disturbing extent, babies are born ‘pre-polluted.’ ”

~Nicholas Kristof

Before you denounce the report as an Obama administration lefty wash, do note, that two of the three experts on the panel were appointed by the previous administration:

“It’s striking that this report emerges not from the fringe but from the mission control of mainstream scientific and medical thinking, the President’s Cancer Panel. Established in 1971, this is a group of three distinguished experts who review America’s cancer program and report directly to the president.”

~Nicholas Kristof

The most scary, and most astounding, piece of the Kristof article comes directly from the report:

“Only a few hundred of the more than 80,000 chemicals in use in the United States have been tested for safety,” the report says. It adds: “Many known or suspected carcinogens are completely unregulated.”

There will be time to talk about all the chemicals lurking around in our cosmetics, shampoo, and household cleaners, our carpet, and mattresses on another day.  This whole week, I am talking food.  Food from scratch, organic, and wholesome.  The best kind of food to make it into my sweet tiny babes; they are tiny compared to all the chemicals bombarding their little bodies anyway.

From the Environmental Working Group’s (EWG) website:

“Protecting our families’ health from chemical exposures can start with minimizing children’s exposure to pesticides. It is well established that pesticides pose a risk to vital organ systems that grow and mature from conception throughout infancy and childhood. Exposure to pesticides and other toxic chemicals during rapid development can have lasting adverse effects both in early childhood and later in life.”

~Environmental Working Group

THINK ORGANIC!!! If you don’t want to, or can’t,  spend the money on and entire kitchen stocked with organics, refer to the Environmental Working Groups full list of 49 fruits and veggies listed from best to worst here.  And don’t forget, you can save tons of money on organics when you cook from scratch.  The top 10 to buy organic are:

1- Celery

2- Peaches

3- Strawberries

4- Apples

5- Blueberries

6- Nectarines

7- Sweet Bell Peppers

8- Spinach

9- Kale

10- Cherries

11- Potatoes

Ok, I gave you 11.  But that is because I understand our universal love for potato chips, and why we should remember to buy those organic too.

As you peruse your options for becoming a more conscientious food shopper, for both you and your children, and spend time educating yourself today about the true cost our move to agribusiness may be taking on our health, remember this little diddy from the introduction of Jamie Oliver’s jamie’s dinners:

“It all comes down to your perception of value – is it about buying the cheapest thing you can get, or is it about spending a little more and getting something that tastes nicer, smells better and makes you feel good in return?  People in Britain spend the smallest percentage of their weekly wage on food compared to most of the rest of Europe.  Europeans tend to spend more on better produce.  I think it’s a matter of priorities.  For instance, before I got married, if I’d suggested that we go out to a half decent restaurant to spend $45 to $50 on a meal, with a few bottles of wine to get tiddy, my friends would not have been interested in the slightest, but if I’d said, “Why don’t we go to the local nightclub?’ where we’d have ended up spending $85 on drinks, even my friends who were unemployed or on the dole would have found the money somehow.  I don’t think it always comes down to money, I think it’s a priority thing.”

~Jamie Oliver

Spill it: Where are your priorities?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  YOUR ROLE IN ACTIVISM

Do you ever think that you want nothing to do with activism?  Do you ever think that you don’t have time to do anything meaningful?  Are you of the impression that activism means that you have to be aggressive, outgoing, and stand on a street corner holding a sign getting apples thrown at you by people who disagree with you?

Well you could be, and do, all of those things…

But you don’t have to.

Mother’s Acting Up’s motto has always been “Meet mother’s where they are.”  I love that philosophy.  You might be surprised to find out my ability, willingness, passion, and comfort level have all been at different levels at various times on my activist journey.  Sometimes I have been terrified and done it anyway.  Often I am overwhelmed with trying to balance life as a Mom and the needs of so many others. There are days I am just plain tired.

We as Mom’s have the clearest reason WHY we should be partaking in activism.  We look into the eyes of our babies everyday wondering what kind of world they will be inheriting from us.  We hold them when they are crying, hoping it will never be tears of hunger, or pain from a disease there is a vaccine for.  We teach them how to ride a bike, hoping they will get a sense that they can do whatever they want in this life.  We educate them because we are fully aware that there are millions of children who would kill to go to school, but can’t.  We want them to have clean air to breathe and clean water to drink, and have nature to use their imagination in.

We are aware.

It is equally important to know that something needs to be done, AND where you will be of best use without getting overwhelmed, in a panic, put yourself in positions you have no interest being in, devoting your entire life to something while having no time to fill your own cup.  Don’t forget where you will be of best use because you picked something you are passionate about, that will carry you through the down turns in your energy output.  There is an angle for every single one of us to participate in the new paradigm shift in ways that don’t cause distress.

The key is for you to find where and what that is.  For you.

I can give you an example for me, a few weeks ago as a collection of us were leaving messages on Intel’s website, regarding conflict minerals, I became less and less comfortable with how the conversation was going.  Not from our end as much, but some of the comments being left by others.  Not that I don’t believe in free speech, but it was the negative, aggressive tone I became disillusioned with.  It is one of the things one must be prepared for when doing this sort of action.

Except it made me nauseous. Really.

So there.  I learned a little something about myself and where I am comfortable trying to make a positive impact on the world.  Now I know.  I am beginning to realize that as I learn more about myself, following my passions and intuition,  and listening to my bodies messages, there is activism options out there better suited to my capabilities.

There are for you too.  But you have to begin the journey to finding those, the best way for you to get active isn’t going to come to you on a billboard pointing you in the direction you need to follow and then giving you a road map for the rest of your life and the changes that will come for you.  Ain’t gonna happen.

Find what works for you.  We all need you to.  We cannot create stronger communities, educate children, end senseless wars, feed the hungry, employ the unemployed, change public policy, protect the environment, protect children from predators, ensure species success, hold up women who are powerless, become compassionate friends, grow organic food, build community gardens, put shoes on the feet of those that don’t have shoes, clothe those that are in need, invent more creative ways for a sustainable agriculture and economy…alone…

It takes a village to create a village that we all want to be part of.

Spill it: What keeps you from becoming active in change in your community or the world?  Can you commit one new thing to try?  If so, what is it? (My newest commitment?  To stop washing the same load of laundry multiple times because I have left them in the washer too long and they stink.  I am not going to start a new load until whatever is in the dryer is folded.  Easy.  Well if it was easy, I would have done it already.)

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMVISM MONDAY:  OIL

I am trying to come to terms with this oil disaster in the Gulf.  As the weeks wain on, I have to admit it is leaving me with an unsettling feeling I can’t quite put my finger on.  Some sense that there is SO MUCH MORE that we can be doing, that we aren’t, myself included, to get off our addictions.  All of them.  Just not oil, but all of the things we buy because we think we need them or we think we will be happier with them…

Haven’t we figured out it doesn’t work that way yet?

I am just going to leave you with the images and facts that have been sweeping through my world the last few weeks for you to come to your own conclusion.  But I feel a larger movement coming from this one, for this Mama at least.  A big, big commitment to lifestyle changes I may have felt uncomfortable making in the past.

On my nightstand has been a book for like two years now, that I have yet to read.  I am going to read it now.  It is called Planetwalker and is by John Francis.  I came across an article interviewing him last week on YES! Magazine’s site due to the fact that his book is about his 22 years of walking and 17 years not speaking after an oil spill in San Francisco Bay.  From the interview by Madeline Ostrander in YES that you can read in full here:

“Each of us has to have that moment when we know that we have to do something.I said, “What I want to do is not ride in cars.” My girlfriend said, “Yeah, but we don’t have any money.” That’s usually what happens—you start thinking about practical realities—money, job. Those thoughts can dissuade you from making that decision at that moment.

It took a friend’s death to convince me that we only have right now—this moment. He died in a boating accident. He was about the same age as I was. He was a deputy sheriff, was married, and had a beautiful family and a house. He was living this dream, and all of the sudden he was just gone. It was irrevocable. He doesn’t get to come back and say, “Oh, there’s something I wanted to do.”

What I wanted to do was get out of my car and walk. I went on a walk with my girlfriend to commemorate and celebrate his life—20 miles to hear some music. On my way back I realized that there’s no guarantee that tomorrow is going to come or that we’re going to get it together. I told my girlfriend, “I’m already walking. I’m just going to keep walking.”

~John Francis

The time has come to commit to building stronger closer knit communities.  Local and sustainable.

Take a moment and see for yourself…if the video isn’t working (as it seems to not be on a lot of sites as of publishing due to the techie party out in San Francisco) you can see it here from CNN.

The estimated gallons of oil flooding the Gulf right now just ticking away…it is shocking.  It goes up a gallon a second. Here are their best guess statistics from the same PBS page gathered on May 14th from experts about how much oil is flowing into the ocean per day:

• NOAA | 210,000 gal/day
• USGS (Added May 27) | 504,000 to 798,000 gal/day
• Outside Estimates | 1,050,000 gal/day
• BP (Worst Case as of May 5) | 2,520,000 gal/day
• Experts’ Worst Case | 4,200,000 gal/day

Visit Boston.com to see the photos of birds in the Gulf by AP photographer Charlie Reidel.  Here is one, but I implore you to go to the site and see the rest of them. A picture captures the truth in ways that words never can.

Take time today to find out your own info on this oil spill.  Take some time today to look into your heart and see where you can make changes in your life. Take time today for hard choices.

Spill it: How do you feel about the current events in the Gulf?  What changes do you think we need to make as individuals or as a society to create a real directional shift for our collective future?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  Intel Needs Your Pennies

Today’s Mamavism caught me completely off guard all of last week!  But I gotta tell ya, I have been glued to Facebook since last Monday, checking the comings and goings on the official Intel Facebook fan page.  I will offer a quick rundown of what actually transpired that had me chuckling and grimacing both, my tummy in knots, and my ex-political self on the edge of my seat anticipating the drama unfolding.

If you are completely in the dark about the Democratic Republic of Congo and the violence in the eastern region of that country, based on natural resources, stop here first to get the low down.  Then read on.

Last Monday, Lisa Shannon, her mother Ann, and a bevy of other activists protested at an Intel plant in Hillsboro, Oregon, urging Intel to support H.R. 4128, the Conflict Minerals Trade Act.  They brought along with them signs reading ‘Your supply chain. Your responsibility.’ and 45,000 pennies. One penny per life lost in the Democratic Republic of Congo every single month due to violence perpetuated by conflict minerals.  One penny per product is also the estimated cost to companies for going conflict free.

Lisa Shannon had been in Washington D.C. just a few weeks before, lobbying representatives, speaking at a legislative briefing on Capital Hill:

During this visit to Washington, Lisa also got her hands on some leaked documents showing that leaders in the tech industry were also lobbying, trying to get the bill watered down.  Intel being one of those companies.

The day of the protest at Intel, no one came out to talk to them except a couple of security guards.  So Lisa, crusaded a ‘virtual’ protest.  She used social media to garner support and show Intel that she wasn’t the only one willing to pay at least a penny to ensure that the lives of 45,000 Congolese a month were saved and the rape of hundreds of thousands of Congolese women and girls would cease.

She went onto their Facebook fan page, and started posting the realities of Congo and what Intel was doing to take the meat out of H.R. 4128.  She then suggested we, and everyone else who is her friend on Facebook, do the same.  What happened after that is both laughable and shocking.

Intel started deleting everyone’s post.  A tech company.  Deleted protesters posts on their tech savvy social networking page.

They quickly saw the publicity error they had made, and reinstated the posts.  They also released a couple of highly generic statements too, here is one of them, about how they support non-conflict minerals.

This is so only the beginning of social networking and activism.  As information is becoming more accessible to the average consumer, companies are becoming more accessible too.  I guess that is a side note that they weren’t expecting.  During all this, someone posted to Lisa Shannon’s Facebook page how a virtual assault on Nestle was beginning to take it’s toll too, successfully pressuring Nestle to become more sustainable in its harvesting of palm oil. Read the article from the Independent here.

If you want to take action today in support of H.R. 4128 and the attempts by Intel, along with other industry leaders, to weaken the bill, first go to their Facebook page and tell them you are willing to pay a penny more!  You can also peruse Lisa’s blog to understand the background behind their protest in Oregon.

Certainly don’t leave your Representatives in Congress out of the picture either.  Call their offices, fax them letters, and let them know their constituents are looking for a strong bill too! To find out how to contact your representatives, look here.

Then join the branch campaign started to send Intel your pennies too! They do need to get the message that it isn’t just Lisa who cares about what is happening in Congo.  We are their consumers, and we care about one of the worst human rights campaigns in history to keep citizens powerless, all in the name of natural resources too.

So collect your pennies, from under the couch, in your kids rooms, on the floor of the car, and send them in:

Intel Corp.

c/o Suzanne Fallender

2200 Mission College Blvd.

Santa Clara, CA 95054-1549

All I can envision is the scene in Miracle on 34th Street where the lawyer for Santa brings in all the letter addressed to him, piling them as high as they would go, the letters spilling over onto the floor, Santa sitting there with sheer joy on his face…

Lets send the same message to Intel!  That we believe in non-conflict products and we are willing to pay more for them to guarantee the lives of our fellow human beings, and our fellow sisters, were not lost in the process!

Spill it: Do you know about the atrocities regarding the Democratic Republic of Congo and our cell phones, Playstations, Wii’s, laptops and other tech gadgets?  Would you be willing to pay the penny, or even more, to guarantee these violent supply chains no longer exist?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:   MOMS RULE!

Moms rule…don’t ya think?

Mother’s Acting Up, Care, Amnesty International, UNICEF, Save the Children, One, World Vision, and even more  organizations, are collecting stories about our Mom’s to pass on to world leaders.  The G8 Summit is coming up in June, and Moms Rule is taking the stories of our mothers, their mothers, and even us mothers, to luminaries and heads of state from around the globe.

“Thanks to those participating in this celebration of Moms, the leaders attending the G8 Summit are learning how important it is to help mothers in need and their young children all around the globe.”

~Moms Rule

On the Moms Rule site, you can send a letter to the G8 leaders, add your Mom or any Mom’s you are inspired by to the beautiful Momsaic, and you can send an E-card that will make your own Mom smile.

“MomsRule.org needs your help to urge world leaders attending the G8 Summit in June to commit new and long-term funding to improve maternal and child health in the worlds poorest countries.  Every year, nearly 9 million children under 5 die from preventable and treatable causes, and over 300,000 women and girls die each year from complications related to pregnancy or childbirth.”

~Moms Rule

You can read an amazing daily action post from Mother’s Acting Up on May 4th, highlighting statistics about maternal health here.  Of course, I wouldn’t leave you without a teaser from the post which will change every minute of your day today:

“Every minute—somewhere in the world—a mother dies due to preventable complications during pregnancy and childbirth.”

~Mother’s Acting Up

Don’t get too comfy in your chair if you live in the United States either.  You are probably assuming that these statistics don’t really affect you, that they don’t actually have any bearing on pregnancy and childbirth here.  Because of course we would only be having this discussion about far away countries where there aren’t top notch hospitals in every city, right?  Check out Amnesty International’s take on US maternal health care here.

“With a lifetime risk of maternal deaths that is greater than in 40 other countries, including virtually all industrialized nations, the USA has failed to reverse the two-decade upward trend in preventable maternal deaths, despite pledges to do so. “

~Amnesty International

Mother’s matter.

And they matter regardless of where they live.

And they matter regardless of how much they make.

And they matter regardless of our opinions on their religion, their race, their social class, the country they reside in, the politics of the country they reside in, and the opinion their own husbands might have of them.

Mother’s matter to babies.

Let our world leaders know that you think mother’s matter too.  Pop on over to the Moms Rule website, add your Mama or an inspiring Mama to the mosaic, and send that letter off to the G8 Summit.  I can’t think of anything easier, or more important to help highlight today than the health and well being of the future generations, and the women who will be raising them.

Spill it: Did you know the statistics that were shared on the Mother’s Acting Up blog?  How do you feel about maternal health care in the U.S., ranked forty-first in the world?

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Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  ROOM TO READ

“Perhaps, sir, you will someday come back with books.”

Sometimes when we speak, we have no idea the impact or change our words will welcome.  These nine words changed the lives of to date, over 4.1 million children…

Room to Read I fell in love with a few years ago.   I had seen the book Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood at some bookstore, of course, seeing as how I peruse them at a pace that isn’t normal.  Then on the phone with my sister a few days later, she said her husband had read it and thought it was incredibly inspiring.

So of course, what did I do?  I bought the book.

And I LOVED it.

I really can’t think of anything better than a successful corporate executive, seeing the need for change in some area, then quitting his job to dedicate his life to help foster that change.  Why?  Because he can take his corporate expertise and use that knowledge to really create an amazing non-profit with far reaching success.

Room to Read builds libraries, schools, has education programs for girls, and technology training too.  This year, 2010, Room to Read is celebrating their 10th anniversary while opening their 10,000th library and their 1,128th school!  They work in Bangladesh, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Zambia, and South Africa. This organization is changing the lives of millions of children who would never have the opportunities that Room to Read is now affording them, distributing 7.4 million books directly into the tiny hands of our future.

“Literacy unlocks the door to learning throughout life, is essential to the development and health, and opens the way for democratic participation and active citizenship.”  ~Kofi Annan

In my book, a child who can read is a child who can do anything they set their mind too.  If you have been with me for awhile, you know what an incredible impact books have had in my life.  I really, really, really find inspiration in the Room to Read philosophy that to create any change in our collective future, educating the rising generations is the key to a better world for all of us.

Check them out today, and read Leaving Microsoft to Change the World:  An Entrepreneur’s Odyssey to Educate the World’s Children, I promise it will be worth the small margin of time you have when you are not reading Green Eggs and Ham to your own babes.

Spill It: What impact have books had on your life?  Where would you be without them? Which books were your favorites from childhood?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

MAMAVISM MONDAY:  MOTHER’S ACTING UP

Mother’s Acting Up.

I can’t think of a better organization to highlight the week of Mother’s Day.

If this is your first introduction into the world of Mother’s Acting Up (MAU), get ready to be inspired.  This is an amazing group of passionate Mama’s started by four ladies who decided that they had a legacy to leave to their children;  a better world.  This legacy would support mother’s in becoming vital players in the future we would collectively be creating for our children and the millions of children around the world.

Juliana Forbes, Joellen Raderstorf, Beth Osnes, and Erica Shafroth noted what was happening in the world around them and took to task a plan to engage mothers, encourage mothers, educate mothers, inspire mothers, and energize mothers to find their voices and take their place in the conversations and decisions that are being made daily on behalf of the world’s children.

I heart Mother’s Acting Up.

Mother’s Acting Up has truly changed my life, and if you let them, they will change yours too.  These passionate, engaged, lovely Mama’s took me on a journey in finding my voice for others who do not have one.  They taught me that what I think does matter, and should be heard and considered by my faithful leaders.  They showed me how to use my voice effectively for change, and remind me often that we are in this together.

Luckily the journey to a better future is not a lonely one.  And Mother’s Acting Up is just the group to pass on to you, that this new world in which the health, well being, education, and joy of children is considered a top priority, is not a path trudged by one, but a trail blazed by many. Many who will bless your spirit with their devotion.

Start ACTING UP today and find out more about Mother’s Acting Up with this little to-do list.  We Mama’s so love to-do lists…

~ Make sure your RSS feed to their daily actions!  Or sign up to get them here.  I really read them every single day!

~ Check out The Moment, a television series created by MAU, based on celebrating the acting up of amazing people…your neighbors really!  Click here and you can watch every episode online!  Lucky you!

~ Donate here.  Because while a movement needs momentum, it needs some $$$ too.

~ Find out if the (M)other Tour one woman show, that you got to glimpse above, is coming to your area and grab your fellow Mama’s and GO!  I have seen it two times and cried both times.  I am a sucker for a passionate, heartwarming call to action!

Spill it: If you are already acting up, share with us your passionate cause!  If you aren’t acting up, why not?  Is it time, money, fear?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

Mamavism Monday:  Mamavism Book Clubs

A few days ago I got a lovely comment from the amazing gal who writes the Reflections of a Mama blog letting me know that she wanted to start a Mamavism Book Club.  I of course, as the book nerd I am and mostly have my nose in book any chance I get, thought it was a fantastic idea!  She has since written about her stupendous light bulb idea here, and the only thing that I can think of that would be better than knowing about a book club like this, is living close enough to join hers!

So who is with her?

There are so many amazing books out there that will spark a passion in whomever is open to be changed; changed in a deep and profound way.  And inspired.  I have been so inspired by the amazing fellow humans on this planet at this time.  It really doesn’t get much better than this!

So get planning.  Get inviting. Get reading.  And get talking.  It is a win, win all around!  I can’t think of a better way to start the conversation between mother’s about what is going on in the world, where we can work toward change, who we can talk to about complex issues, and why we think it is important to stay engaged.

I am ready to read!

Here is a quick list of books I have read and thought were amazingly brilliant for such things as a Mamavism Book Club:

A Thousand Sisters by Lisa Shannon

Between Two Worlds by Zainab Salbi

First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung

Leaving Microsoft to Change the World by John Wood

A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

Notes From My Travels by Angelina Jolie

A Long Way Gone:  Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah

Say Your One of Them by Uwem Akpan

We Are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For by Alice Walker

Khul-Khaal:  Five Egyptian Women Tell Their Stories by Nayra Atiya

Shake Hands With the Devil by Romeo Dallaire

Refuge by Terry Tempest Williams

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle:  A Year of Food Life by Barbara Kingsolver

Ahhhh….and the ever growing list of books I am dying to read…unfortunately there is just not more than 24 hours in a day.  Is there any way I can change that?  Regardless of my lack of reading time depression, here are the ones I am waiting desperately to read too:

Silent Spring by Rachel Carson

Half the Sky:  Tuning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl Wudunn

Omnivore’s Dilemma by Micheal Pollan

King Leopold’s Ghost by Adam Hochschild

We Wish to Inform You that Tomorrow We Will Be Killed With Our Families by Philip Gourevitch

Cadillac Desert by Marc Reisner

Jamie’s Food Revolution by Jamie Oliver

Left to Tell by Imaculee Ilibagiza

Coop:  A Year of Poultry, Pigs, and Parenting by Micheal Perry

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

Enrique’s Journey by Sonia Nazario

The Maternal is Political edited by Shari MacDonald Strong

Be The Change:  How Meditation Can Transform You and the World by Ed and Deb Shapiro

Isn’t it amazing!  And there are SO MANY MORE to be had, and read, dog-ear, and talked about.  What is stopping you from starting a Mamavism Book Club too?

Spill it: How do you feel about talking to other Mom’s and women about pressing issues?  Are you uncomfortable and nervous?  Or could you care less, thinking to yourself “This is who I am?”  And of course, what books would YOU recommend for a Mamavism Book Club?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

Mamavism Monday:  Earth Day

Forty years after the original Earth Day in 1970 we arrive here again, celebrating that which sustains life.  Mother Earth.  And she is so amazing…she can totally speak for herself…

Oh Mama, is all I can think to say.

Because I myself am overwhelmed by the power we poses, as women, as Mother’s, to change the course of history.  I am not sure we are aware of that fact.  I think many of us are afraid of fully stepping into our own power.  But it is there for us if we want it. Hibernating.

We are the ones we have been waiting for.

I am not talking about politicians, and CEO’s, and world leaders either.  Yes, we need women in those positions to show our daughters who they can be, and our sons who they can share the boardroom with, but I am talking about power that goes much deeper and has farther reaching consequences than a four year post to a cabinet position.

We can buy.  Or not. We can vote.  Or not.  We can protest.  Or not.  We can sign a petition.  Or not.  We can fund research.  Or not.  We can write and call our representatives.  Or not.  We can drive the market economy…whatever way we want.  Or not.  We can volunteer. Or not.  We can use our voice to start  important conversations.  Or not. We can raise future generations in a way that creates compassion, understanding, and action.  Or not.  We choose every single day, whether we realize it or not, if we are going to step into our power and claim it.  Or not.

Step into your power this week for Our Mother, she needs collective Mamavism on her side if she is going to have any hope at all…be the change you wish to see in the world and try your hand at any number of these ideas, ranging from the simple to the complicated, or down right scary…but we don’t care about scary things anymore cause we are claiming our power!

1- Stop buying soap in a plastic container.  Soap comes in a bar with minimal packaging. Plastic hand soap with a pump is so totally passe.

2- Plant a garden.  If you have babes, allow them an area to plant and nurture on their own.

3- Read Treehugger. Read Terry Tempest Williams.  Read Aldo Leopold.  Read Edward Abbey.

4- No more paper napkins.  Charming 10 x 10 squares cut from scrap fabric are SO in right now.

5- If wind power is offered in your area through your power company, sign up.

6- Call and write your representatives to tell them that you are concerned about clean air, climate change, community composting, open space, rate of growth, clean and available drinking water for all, cap and trade, pesticide use;  whatever floats your boat!  But call them.  This collective boat isn’t going to stay afloat unless we all start paddling.

7- Drive less.  Take public transportation.  Pack the kiddos in the bike carrier and peddle them to school. Walk.

8- Read amazing books to your kids like The Great Kapok Tree, The Lorax, and The Apple Pip Princess to just allow the subtleties of choices seep into their spirits.

9- Recycle.  Like how hard is it?  I gazed out at our trashcan and recycle bin in the street the other day only to realize fully that ten years ago curbside recycling was just beginning to be offered around the country on such a grand scale.  So we have at least made some progress!

10- Get dirty.  Get out there.  You may just have forgotten how amazing the Earth really is cause you are stuck inside the house doing laundry, or inside the car during your long hours as a taxi driver, or at the office most of the day. But she is really beautiful and if we don’t get out and take our shoes off to feel her under our feet, if we don’t take deep breaths inhaling her essence, if we don’t ever run our hands through her dirt or feel the sun warming us like it does a sunflower…we will not be able to understand why we must choose differently.

Just do it for your Mama…what do you have to be afraid of?  Unless of course you are worried that who you could be is just so much more powerful than you ever imagined…

But isn’t that possibility just so exciting???  You have goosebumps don’t you. I know I do.

Spill it: What are your plans for Earth Day 2010?  Any special activities or observances you will partake in?  What are your green hopes for the coming year?

P.S.  I have not bought one plastic or glass water bottle in two weeks since my post on bottles…just think…two weeks and one day ago I never would have guessed I would make it this far!  But I am bringing my Ball jar’s with lids in the car and it is working out great!

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

Mamavism Monday:  Run for Congo Women

The 2010 season of Run for Congo Women is officially afoot with the opening run starting this Saturday, April 17th in Frederick, Maryland!  Next comes Portland, Oregon on June 26th followed, ever so closely, by Denver, Colorado on June 27th.  New York, Chicago, North Carolina and more will follow throughout the summer and into the fall!

Strap those sneakers on your feet, and if you live close enough to make one of the runs/walks register today!  Not to worry if you are not a runner, plenty of folks lace up their shoes at a walkers pace and enjoy the morning with their friends!  If you want to run an event near you, but at this juncture aren’t so much a runner, then check out the C25K program!  Turn a couch potato into a 5K runner in 9 weeks!  Just in time for Portland and Denver!

“Why should I run or walk for Congo Women?”

If you are wondering why there is even a Run for Congo Women, why I even care about the Democratic Republic of Congo, why thousands of us do this every year for the fourth or fifth, depending on locale, year running, I have a plethora of information for you to peruse to find out why we do it.

5.4 million people have died in the last 10 years during the violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  Half of those have been children under the age of five.  Women and girls have been violently raped and tortured, no one is immune…six-month olds to eigty-year olds all have been raped.  Their genitalia and organs completely destroyed, their unborn babies murdered, their hands, arms, and legs amputated by warring militias, all in the name of natural resources in the region of Eastern Congo.  All this in a place you may have never even heard about.

For an overall education of the travesties going on in Congo, Lisa Shannon, the founder of Run for Congo Women, has written a book titled A Thousand Sisters. It has just been released which is widely available and highly acclaimed by the likes of Alice Walker, Lisa Ling, and Adam Hochschild.  It is the story of her journey from the couch in front of an Oprah episode which shocked her, to the land of Congo to meet and talk with the women her run was helping to support through Women for Women International.

Also,  this article titled From ‘Oprah’ to Building Sisterhood in Congo by Nicholas Kristof and his visit with Lisa in February of this year, tells the shocking truth about a travesty the world has almost forgotten.  Don’t skip reading it.  This video was shot at the same meeting:

This excerpt is from an email update from Eve Ensler’s V-Day project at a Breaking the Silence event in Bukavu, Congo in 2008 when Eve Ensler visited the Congo to listen to stories and celebrate the strength and resilience of these amazing women:

Claudine
“My aim is to denounce rape. I am 52 years old. I have nine children. We are suffering a lot even if they say we have peace. We do not. I will tell you what happened. I was selling beer in the market. We met some Interhamwe. They stopped us. They were talking Kinyarawnda. There were 12 of us. They said. “Today you will see. Today you will have other husbands.” They told us to lie down. They started beating us with sticks. They all started raping us. They took us into the forests. They beat us more. They raped us again. They walked us again to another camp until one in the morning. Then they tied us to trees. They tied us so tight. There were six women then and two husbands. They raped us in front of them. All the misery of the world was in our heads. We woke up so hungry. They said we had to wait for guests. New sex slaves. They came with a pregnant woman. They told me to cut her open with a knife. I couldn’t do it. My hands were trembling. They opened the belly of the woman and threw the baby on the ground. The woman died. Then they chopped up the baby and cooked it. Everyone peed on it with urine and put feces in it. Then they said we had to eat it. They bought bananas. They made us eat it. They said. “You fucking Congolese. You are eating your own sisters.” Then the husband of the woman who had been pregnant came looking for his wife. They took him to show where his wife gave birth. He gave them his small dollars. Then another soldier came and hit him and then they killed him. They kept us for two months. They said now soon you are going to die. Oh God, we said. They said, we don’t know God. In the morning we heard Congolese soldiers. They screamed for us to lie on the ground. There was lots of shooting. Then they told us to stand and we went to Panzi hospital. We were treated. We were not HIV. After a few days at home, the Interhamwe came again. They killed my uncle, my son, the wife of my brother. I could hear them cutting their heads.”

Last but not least, this just in!!! Watch ABC World News Tonight TONIGHT April 13, 2010 to watch an interview with Lisa Shannon and her work and visit to Congo!

This is heavy stuff.  There is no way around that.  There is just no other way than to share the truth to explain to someone who has never heard of the war in the Democratic Republic of Congo why they should care.  This is why they should care…their sisters and their daughters of the next generation are being subjected to heinous acts against their being.  At the same time, it is important that we don’t get ‘stuck’ in the negativity and sense of overwhelm this information can generate.  The key is to take it, absorb it, understand it, then take action!

Today you can register for your nearest Run for Congo Women and raise money to support Women for Women Internatioanls’ Congo Program which provides sponsorship funds to these women, along with job skills training, women’s rights awareness training, seed money to start their businesses, letter support from their American sisters, and more!  There is hope for these women and YOU ARE IT.

Why Mamavism and Congo?  Because it is the perfect example of universality.  Motherhood is universal, our hopes, our dreams, our regrets, our pain, as mothers we share the magnitude of those feelings that come with being a Mom.  The mothers in Eastern Congo don’t know if they will make it through the day to raise their babies, they are unsure if their children will make it to adulthood to live out the hopes their mothers have for them.  By far the most dramatic, and poignant, and heart wrenching, and true reflection of the bond between child and mother came from one of Lisa’s blog posts in this recent trip to Congo.  Titled Still Nursing, you will be forever changed by reading it, and empowered to stand in solidarity with your sisters around the world.

Ready to run?

Spill it: Today’s spill it is out into the world.  Share this blog or this link, or your own words, to your friends via email, Facebook, Twitter, whatever or however it is you spill information to your community!  Spread it far and wide to change the lives of your sisters in the Democratic Republic of Congo today…

Still not convinced?  There is more:

~The Enough Project

~ Women for Women International

~ Women Left for Dead-and the Man Who is Saving Them by Eve Ensler

~ War on Women in the Congo by Eve Ensler

~  Stop Raping Our Greatest Resource – VDay Campaign

~  Friends of the Congo

~  Postcards From the Edge O Magazine

~  I Am Starting to Throw My Worries Away One By One O Magazine

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

Mamavism Monday:  Bottled Water

OK I hate myself.  Truly.

As someone who ‘thinks’ that she is an environmentalist, who majored in Environmental Politics, who has spent hours reading her favorite nature writers like Ed Abbey and Terry Tempest Williams, who thinks blind consumption stinks, and we have to make big changes in our daily choices if we want to leave a more positive and beautiful world for our kids than we have inherited…I have a confession.

I LOVE bottled water.

It isn’t because I don’t like tap water either, but because I really don’t like the taste of the water out of re-usable water canteens.  I drink our filtered tap water at home practically by the gallon, but when I am out, I have a real distaste for water I cart along that has been sitting in a metal or hard plastic for a few hours.  The smell alone is enough to deter me from the normal gulps I would swig at home or out of a non-reusable water vessel.

I am a hypocrite.

During world water week, I was reminded over and over how my habit is a terrible one.  After watching the video below and hearing that my plastic bottles, I at least diligently recycle, may be shipping out to India I knew a change was in order.  I actually didn’t really need to be reminded, I already knew the truth.  I just couldn’t stop myself.

But from here on out, I make a commitment to get used to the smell and taste of water of the re-usable kind.  It is totally one area that I completely have been a slacker and have heaps of room to improve.

No more glass bottled mineral water when I go out to eat, no more grabbed bottles at Whole Foods, no more Lime Perrier, sniff, sniff-since I don’t drink soda, beer, alcohol, tea, or coffee, it was my only ‘treat’ of the liquid sort-just no more.  Don’t even remind me of all the plastic water bottles the kids have gone through, only drinking a third of the amount.  And you really don’t want to use theirs later,  you never fully know what the floaties bobbing around in there actually are…

Today is the day.  I can do it.  Even if I miss my ‘treat’ of choice every so often.  The planet is smaller than it seems, it is now or never to lead by example!

Fast Facts:

• 86 percent of plastic water bottles used in the United States become garbage or litter.~Frankly Green.com
• Making plastic bottles to meet Americans’ demand for bottled water requires more than 17 million barrels of oil annually, enough to fuel 100,000 cars for a year.~Mother’s Acting Up
• Almost 40 percent of the PET bottles that were deposited for recycling in the United States in 2004 were actually exported, sometimes to as far away as China—adding to the resources used by this product. ~Earth Policy Institute

Spill it: Am I alone out there?  Or are there others of you who are willing to admit you have a lingering non-green habit or two?

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

This weeks Mamavism:  WHAT’S IN YOUR BASKET?

Do you know where your chocolate comes from?  Would you be surprised if I told you, the cocoa may have actually been harvested by children, the same age as your own, thousands of miles away?  If you are unaware of the impact that the world consumption of chocolate has, check out this guest post by Tex Dworkin regarding Valentine’s Day on Treehugger.

With Easter coming up this weekend, and regardless of religious affiliations, millions will be filling up their kiddos Easter baskets, but with what?  Let us Mama’s use our Mamavism and get a quick education vowing to follow up by talking with more than our voices…by using our wallet.  Money speaks loud and clear.

According to the Stop the Traffik campaign for an end to modern slavery, more than 12,000 trafficked children are working on Ivory Coast plantations to produce 43 per cent of the world’s cocoa beans. ~Times Online

Not good news.  But don’t give up, we know as consumers that where we decide to put our money gains power doesn’t it?  So as your are buying the yummies for your sweet Easter babes, remember to look for chocolate with the following Fair Trade logo!

Chocolates that we find scrumptious, and are fair trade/ethically traded, include Divine Chocolate, Endangered Species Chocolate, Equal Exchange, we love their hot cocoa powder, Dagoba which has many designated fair trade products, and even Newman’s Own Organics, which is part of the Rainforest Alliance.

And let us not forget, there is also the question of deforestation in growing cocoa:

However, many farmers have cut forest to open up new fields and grow cocoa more intensively without shade. This approach has short term benefits on yields and is suitable only for hybrid plants that are increasingly replacing native cocoa. Unfortunately, these hybrid plants require the application of agrochemicals and grow in open fields, which leads to increased erosion and run-off, reducing soil fertility and contributing to water contamination and health problems. ~Rainforest Alliance

It is a lot to think about, what you are putting in the baskets of those you love, but when we make the right choices we are sending them a more permanent message of love.  That we love them enough to take the extra time to support and secure a more sustainable and compassionate world for them to be a part of in the future!

Spill it: What other gifts do you put in the baskets of your children that are green and sustainable?

Here it is, a new treat for Monday’s!

Every Monday I will have information to share about events coming up, groups and non-profits you might be interested in, green ideas to implement, people that are amazing me in their efforts; basically any actions I think will show off  the true range and magnificence of MAMAVISM! It is so important for us to remember small changes make a big difference when done collectively.  Our wallets, our choices, companies we support, ways we reduce at home, all make an impact in the future world our children will inherit from us.

So giddy up!  Let’s take mamavism on the road!

This weeks Mamavism:  EARTH HOUR

On Earth Hour hundreds of millions of people around the world will come together to call for action on climate change by doing something quite simple—turning off their lights for one hour. ~Earth Hour.org

March 27, is Earth Hour!  At 8:30 PM local time, all over the world, people will be turning off their lights, computers, all unnecessary electric appliances and spending an hour by candle light.   The really adventurous, might even go camping or take an evening hike with their family.

And don’t think this one little act of solidarity doesn’t make a difference:

Since its inception three years ago, Earth Hour’s non-partisan approach has captured the world’s imagination and became a global phenomenon. Nearly one billion people turned out for Earth Hour 2009 – involving 4,100 cities in 87 countries on seven continents. ~Earth Hour.org

We have been participating in Earth Hour since the beginning.  The kids actually love turning everything off, lighting lots of candles, and getting the undivided attention of Mommy and Daddy for the whole hour.  Yes, they get to stay up late, but as I have always believed, children do what they see not what they hear.  If they see their parents partaking in such efforts they will realize that they too have a responsibility as they get older to take into account what is happening in the world around them.  We are all helping to create their worldview.

So just do it!  Hunker down this Saturday night, unplug all of your electronics, except your refrigerator of course, no one wants to smell that, and enjoy a break.  A break from the brightness of artificial light, of the humming sound of your heater, the incessant green light from your laptop, or the glare from your flat screen.  Build a tent in your living room and snuggle with your kids.  Read them stories by candle light. Make s’more’s on your back deck with the neighbors while gazing at the stars.

If your babes are asleep or you don’t have any, then take advantage of an unplugged hour with your significant other.  How often do you have an hour even alone, to enjoy completely unplugged from the hum of the world we live in?

It is easy.  It is important.  It does make a difference!

Have fun!

Spill it: We want to hear all about how you spent Earth Hour!  Fill us in on the magnificent family time, alone time,  or partner time, um…maybe we don’t need all the details of partner time…, that you created!

Tweet

I have a really bad habit of carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.  For awhile I was doing pretty good at ignoring what I saw, not watching the news, not engaging in yelling at the top of my lungs at Meet the Press or Air America.  I have ignored politics, any environmental tidbits floating around on Yahoo News, stories of disasters, and hardships.  Sometimes one really does have to take care of themselves first, otherwise our spirit is killed in the battle, even if our body seems strong enough to plod on.

Unfortunately, you can take the girl away from worldly problems, but you can’t take her worldview away.  Dang it.

Lately as spring is well, springing, and construction is happening, and Avatar is playing, and the war over resources in the Congo rages on.  Of course I am also reminded as I read A Thousand Sisters by Lisa Shannon, with every page turn, at the individual devastation the plunder for resources creates.  I can’t help again feeling the enormous weight of my own purchasing power.

We have purchasing power you know.  Ever dollar you spend makes a bigger impact than checking a box on the first Tuesday in November.  And as women, we spend 83% of the money in the U.S.  (source: Time Magazine).  We’ve got the power in our purse to create whatever change we envision.

I bring this up today, because I made an exciting discovery!  A few days ago I posted to Facebook asking people if they knew where to get fair trade fabric.  It seems that buying fabric only contributes to child and slave labor, much like shopping at most clothing stores does.  I wanted to try to avoid creating more demand in the world, but I also wanted to make some pillows for our living room, among other crafty desires I have.  Not one of my Facebook pals had a creative answer to this dilemma, and my quick Google search made it quite evident that I would be spending a lot on amazing fair trade fabric from Africa; in which my husband would probably divorce me over.

So what is a responsible girl to do?  I went to the thrift store.  And they had a ton of fabric.  SO CHEAP.

I bought yards of blue…for $4.99.  I repeat…yards of fabric, not a yard.  Yards.

This is a season for breaking out of the box.  We are all flowering, bursting forth with our own potential, much as mother earth does this time of year.  The question is, do we do it with awareness?  Are we present with our purchases and the impact each of them make?

I am no angel.  I also had to go to Target, uck, today to get a bathing suit for a pool party tomorrow.  Sometimes we have to do what we have to do. But living simply, in my book, really does mean I slow down my life enough to spend the extra time searching for a solution; reaching for a more resourceful way to expand into my creativity…because it really does matter.

Spill it: What ways have you been creative and resourceful re-using?  Is it hard to think about being responsible with your buying power when it comes to your hobbies?

Today is International Women’s Day, a day of celebration around the world honoring the achievements of the women who have gone before us, the women who are joined alongside of us, and the women who will come behind us.  In honor of that, Women for Women International held Join Me on the Bridge campaigns all over the world on Saturday, Sunday, and today in solidarity with women survivors of war the world over.

I was blessed today to take part in the Denver Join Me on the Bridge event and speak about the Run for Congo Women.  I pass my speech on, on a mostly mothering blog, because I can think of no one more important than a mother to wrap her arms around International Women’s Day embracing motherhood, your babes, and the future in collaboration with the amazing women in your own life.  As mothers we have such a capacity to create a paradigm shift in this world.  We are in the trenches, building the foundation of our collective future, based on the way we raise our children with awareness today.

So enjoy, and on this International Women’s Day, remember, we are the ones we have been waiting for…

On the Bridge

When I first heard of Women for Women International, my son was six months old.  The situation in the Democratic Republic of Congo was dire.  My son is now almost six.  And the war in the Congo rages on, with women and girls continuing to take an unprecedented brunt of the physical and emotional violence.

The stories are gruesome.  Too gruesome to share on a day filled with such immense hope.  Hope that in celebration of International Women’s Day and our collective future, women we will take center stage in shifting the paradigm that has plagued the world since the dawn of humanity.  And so much hope for the hundreds of thousands of women survivors of war who have been handed a sister through Women for Women International, a lifeline in America, to support her in building her life anew.

Yes, this is a hopeful day.

The work of Women for Women and the Run for Congo Women is changing women’s lives directly.  I know, because during the organizing season for our second Colorado Run for Congo Women, I sat at my computer late at nights re-reading the founder of Run for Congo Women, Lisa Shannon’s, journal entries from her first trip to Congo.  She was so kind to share them with the small number of women organizing runs at that time.  She has met our sisters, in person, as they grasp their letters and photos sent to them from women across the sea.  Lisa passionately passes on to all of us, the strength and the dreams of so many women who’s lives have been impacted by the mere $27/month sponsorship or the emotional support, job skills training, counseling, and women’s leadership training she receives by being a part of the Women for Women sisterhood.

So take the inspiration and momentum felt here today, on this bridge; that is being shared around the world, and come out for the 4^th annual Colorado Run for Congo Women 5K, on June 27^th, at Wash Park in Denver.

Make a difference in the lives of the women in Congo, our sisters, and run or walk alongside us.  Join us because…actually, we are more than hope.  This gathering…here…today, reminds us, that collectively as women we have traveled so far beyond hope, taking action and standing strong together, where we need to be, for every woman…everywhere.

Spill It: How do you celebrate International Women’s Day?  How do you pass on to your daughters the amazing gift of womanhood they posses and a sense in them that their voice is important?

My husband is embarrassed of me.  More often than not probably, if I was to really analyze it.  But he has expressed his concern in this particular area with actual words, out loud, not just in eye rolling or mutterings under his breath.

Apparently he is publicly humiliated by the fact that our drinking glasses have little paper wrappers still clinging for life, to their otherwise see through bodies.

You see, last summer I did a lot of berry picking with the kids at a local organic pick it yourself farm.  Strawberries, raspberries, geez, I am drooling as I think of those precious little nuggets we would eat along the way to filling our baskets, the heat of the sun still warming their centers.  Uhh…I just remembered my daughters face on our first outing of the season last year, as we rode in the wagon attached to the big John Deere, covered with the red flesh of the strawberry patch we just left behind.  So perfect.

Anyway, the best way to store such fresh delicacies is in a glass jar with a lid in the fridge.  This I learned from hunting all over the internet, and I would link it if I could even remember where to begin to find it.  This little tidbit was actually in a long thread about how to store fresh strawberries.  The gal who posted said her Grandmother used that method, so I figured of course, that if anyone knows best…it is Granny.

So I started washing and saving all my MaraNatha Peanut Butter jars, my Spectrum Mayo jars, even my St. Dalfour’s jelly jars.  In the following weeks I created quite a collection of vessels with screw lids.  For our next adventure to the farm, I was prepared.  When we got home, and after my usual stint standing over the sink washing the fruity gems and stuffing my face and my spirit, I put the remainders in my new jars.

Of course, it worked.  Granny so knows what she is talking about.  All of my fresh picked berries lasted at least a week in the fridge, in their little glass homes.  I was so happy.  I live for the summer and mornings spent with the kids on the farm.  I never come home with less then a flat overflowing with the bounties of summer.  Now I could enjoy them for a longer period, for cereal, for snack, for sneaking after the kids are in bed…

I think I am brilliant.  I think I am so brilliant, that I begin to save more of these jars for use as our drinking glasses too.  We have small children.  Glasses are a commodity here that don’t have a very long life expectancy.  I have already paid for the peanut butter, why not drink out of it for a few years too?

My husband finds this classy look to be somewhat of a disgrace, especially if we have company.  Evidently, if I would take the time to rid the glasses of the hanging paper chads they still exhibit, it would be OK.  At this juncture, I just put them in the dishwasher knowing that one day they will come out perfectly clean.  For now, we use them, peeling MaraNatha labels and all, until that day comes when I can see from one side through the other.

This my friends, is how I mortify my significant other.  I myself like to think of it as glassware composting.

Spill It: Has your significant other been humiliated by something you thought was just so charming?  Have they been slightly less than thrilled by any of your attempts to save the planet?

I couldn’t help myself.  This song just popped into my naggin’, and since I love Will.I.Am, I will let it play in the endless tape recorder in my head for awhile.

It is a new day though.

I was allowed, after begging I am not ashamed to admit, to join a womens’ writing collective in Fort Collins, Colorado called Reality Writes.  It is a group made up of Mama’s who are so much more than Mama’s, as we all are, but who are writers as well.

I am very excited to work with these ladies as I embark on my writing journey.  They have already been heaps of help!  Their writing has blown me away, teaching me why honesty is the best policy.  And how sacred it is to share deep parts of ourselves in writing, because sometimes we don’t know what else to do with our thoughts, our feelings, our pain, our joys.

It is all a journey.

So check out the Reality Writes blog for my blog post for today.  I will probably be posting twice a month or so there as well as here, but about things not so mother related but still important to me.  And join the RSS feed to get updated when new posts are up!  These ladies will share with you things most of us aren’t prepared to admit.

There is only strength in supporting a cooperative of women, it will make you feel good I promise!

Spill It: What passions are you starting to find in yourself, or that you have let go for awhile as you raise your babies?   What are you doing to nurture that for yourself?

Can one be a mother and an activist at the same time?  Is there even enough hours in the day for such things in the life of a woman, a mother, a dog walker, a wife, an employee, a chef, a chauffeur, a psychologist, a sideline coach, a teacher, a hugger, a laundress, a house organization engineer, a reader of great works, a playmate, a medic?  Can we make a positive difference in the world, while raising our babies and all of the rest life throws at a Mom?

I say, yes.

I say, hell yes.

I say, we must.

We have nothing but hope for our children, and we understand our place in nurturing their dreams, not ours, while also being  a soft place for them to land when their dreams aren’t turning out so well.

But if we want to see the fulfillment of our own children’s dreams, we must at the same time look at the global picture.  If the world goes to hell in a hand-basket before our kids reach adulthood, what is the point in helping them create the portrait of their lives as they imagined it?

Does this mean you must throw out your clothes dryer now in trade for some wooden clothes pins?  Do you have to stop shaving your armpits and go raw?  Do you have to sell your car for a bike with spikes, and bundle the kiddos up in January to get them to Kindergarten in a foot of snow?

Hell no.

Unless you want to.  Then by all means, have at it.

I for one, at this juncture, couldn’t possibly imagine life without my car.

Look, here is the real truth.  There are a million and one ways to make the world a better place, standing firm in your Mamavism, while also raising a family. In fact, this is the most important time to do such; your children will be led by your example.  They will learn from you, if their place in a big, big world carries a sense of responsibility with it, or not.

Your choice of Mamavism should come from your heart.  Where is it your passion lies?  You certainly don’t have time to change the world all on your own, change a diaper maybe, so forgive yourself of the time you have available for your cause. Your kids are only young once.

But pick something.

Maybe you like to run, and training young at risk girls seems to ring true for you.  You have a desire to effect positive change in the environment, so you plant a garden in your backyard to sustain your family for the year. This Christmas buy, or make, one extra toy for a child in need. If you are personal trainer, take on a client pro-bono.  If you love to read, read to a senior you know. Offer a cup of tea, or hot cocoa, to your neighbor shoveling their driveway for the twentieth time this winter. You have a passion for politics, then take a few minutes a month to write a letter to a representative about something that is bothering you.

Changing the world doesn’t have to be monumental, it can include everyday acts of kindness. Live realistically within your availability, but also don’t use Mamahood as an excuse to avoid Mamavism.  Our kids won’t learn to use their own voice, or that they even have a responsibility to the greater good, unless they see us living that value, taking it to heart, and acting on it.

We can create a better world, and leave or kids with a truly valuable legacy, a life of deep meaning on a planet that will be able to afford such a luxury.

Ten easy things you can do today to make a difference:

1- Vow off any bags that you don’t bring to a store with you.  Easy Peasy.

2- Sign up to receive Mother’s Acting Up daily actions on Facebook or by RSS Feed.

3- PLAY with your own kids for one solid hour, on their terms.

4- Volunteer at your child’s school.

5- Join this years Earth Hour, March 27, 2010.  My kids love having candles for an hour and family only time!

6- Invite a Mama over that you haven’t seen in a while, for a playdate, and quality Mama time.  Connection and a strong feeling of community, can make all the difference in someone’s day.

7- Create a random act of kindness of your own, in line at Starbuck’s, deliver flowers to a senior care center, geez hug your husband if you seem to feel like you haven’t done that in awhile due to your busy lives!

8- Donate all of your baby things to a fellow Mama who isn’t able to afford them.

9-Commit to giving homemade, fair trade, and eco-friendly gifts for one holiday, one year, or life!  Check out Momentum and Global Girlfriend!

10- Of course, save the date and register for a Run for Congo Women near you!!  Which has been my personal passion, all the years I have had children of my own. These women were my chosen Mamavism until both my babies are in school full time, in which case, my Mamavism will ramp up again!

Spill it: How have you partaken in Mamavism with your children? If you haven’t yet, where would you like to focus on making a difference?