On Garbage

The garbage in most of our lives is the relentless anxiety and agitation created by the fear that we will not get enough of the world's goodies to feel safe, secure, and turned on.

 —Brennan Manning

Oh yeah. —Amy Sullivan

My own darling at the annual father/daughter, mini-golf tournament. Obviously, not at all thrilled by the goodies she wasn't receiving.

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40 Ways to Create Fun With Your Kids Over Spring Break

Someone somewhere is on Spring Break. Is that someone you?

With more people opting for staycations, families are searching for local and inexpensive ways to create intentional fun during Spring Break.

Yes, time away from school can be a great chance to serve others, but it can also be a fantastic opportunity to pour love into those little people who scamper about your house.

Need ideas on how to make the good times happen over your Spring Break?

I thought you might.

So, I went to an expert, the master-o-fun at our house, my nine-year-old (and her down-the-street, neighborhood friend). Read on and discover forty activities your kids would like to participate in with you.

*Please note, apparently, there is much fun to be had with rocks. This I did not know.

1. Pitch a tent in the backyard.
2. Make a lean-to by lining up branches against a tree.
3. Take turns pushing each other in a wagon down a grass hill.
4. Rollerblade.
5. Find big stones and paint them.
6. Find big sticks and paint them.
7. Dress up your dog and have a dog show.
8. Climb trees.
9. Pick flowers and make a bouquet.
10. Get some grass and try to weave it.
11. Go on a nature hike.
12. Ride bikes.
13. Play spy and spy on your family.
14. Make a sidewalk chalk mural and cover every part of the cement.
15. Create an Indian trail.
16. Host a crazy hair day.

17. Have a lemonade stand.
18. Have a frozen lemonade stand.
19. Make up jump rope tricks.
20. Put together a waterfall in your yard with rocks, sticks, and a hose.
21. Catch bugs.
22. Make a tepee.
23. Create a pretend beach with rocks and put up umbrellas.
24. Start a nature collection.
25. Pick weeds.
26. Play Hide and Go Seek in the dark.
27. Paint your fingernails and toenails.
28. Build an inside fort with blankets.
29. Make menus and have a pretend restaurant.
30. Put together bottle cap necklaces.
31. Draw spring things like flowers.
32. Glue eyeballs on rocks and have a staring contest.
33. Make silly sandwiches with faces.
34. Cook your own pizza.
35. Write a play.
36. Tie dye t-shirts.
37. Play board games like Headbands or Apples to Apples.
38. Line all your stuffed animals up and make a vet clinic for them.
39. Hold a puppet show.
40. Get dressed up and have a fashion show.

What's your favorite way to create fun with your kids over Spring Break?

Looking for more Spring Break staycation ideas? Try here or here or here.

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I Run Like Phoebe and My Friend Tara

Running makes my insides jiggle, and I'm certain I look like Phoebe off an old episode of Friends. Need a better mental picture? Try this.

That’s how I feel about running, jigglish and Phoebe-ish.

My friend Tara doesn't consider herself a runner either, but she's running. She's running because she's found a reason.

Here's today's Share Your Story from my friend, Tara, author of Polkotte Press, mama, writer, get off the porcher.

And now Tara.

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Human trafficking.

Perhaps you’re like me. You know the term. You know it’s a problem and think quite frankly, that you don’t want to get closer to the issue.

It’s not because you don’t care, you do. Too much. And it hurts to know there is such evil in the world and not be able to do anything about it.

But you can! That’s the great part.

You can grab the sneakers in your closet and take to the street.

Run. Run for their lives.

I am joining a team of blogger-runners who are tracking their daily miles, or running their races on behalf of the organization Love146. It’s simple, really. The goal is to get 146 people to run 146 miles in a year to raise awareness {and/or some cash} to help this great organization.

Check out our daily mile challenge page to add your name to the list of runners. It’s that simple.

You don’t run you say? Oh, my neighbors wish I didn’t either. Let me tell you, if this mama can do it, you can too, but if running is out, think of walking for Love146, or making 146 care packages for a local shelter. Really, the options are endless. 

After all, it’s not the type of movement that matters – (“Jazzercising for their lives” just didn’t have the same ring). Just that we put our humanity in motion, and put a face with this cause.

Raise your voice. Raise awareness. Raise hope.

Now go. Go run {or crochet} for their lives.

   

(email subscribers, click here)

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Thanks, Tara. If you want to read more from Tara, be sure to check out her place and her post on running. Interested in Sharing Your Story? We are interested in hearing it! Click here for guidelines.


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A Bit of a Rant and Standing on the Porch

Take a deep breath. This one is a bit of a rant.

Recently, my friend, Laura, wrote about her family’s attempt to teach their kids to fight injustice.

She told a hypothetical story of bullies picking on a boy named Jacob with special needs. She informed her children she expected them to not allow Jacob to go down alone. She instructed her kids to make a decision to act, even if it is the wrong decision. She told her kids to quit watching, get off the porch, do something, do anything.

I cheered at her words. Of course, she probably didn’t hear me since she lives in Thailand, but I cheered because if I had to summarize what I believe about serving others in four words, it would be, “Get off the porch” meaning, go do something.

Collect coats, collect cans. Love addicts, love orphans. Run for awareness, run for office, but find a big cause that needs a little you, and get involved.

Good, good, good, right? But then, a few days later, Laura asked readers hard questions (dang her) and got me thinking of hard answers.

Therefore, the rant begins. Consider yourself warned.

I believe many Americans aren’t even standing on the porch. Instead, people sit happily on the couch, and they don’t notice if Jacob is being harassed because the ipod is cranked, and a really funny Modern Family episode plays on (yes, I’m pointing at myself on that last one, people).

I believe if many of us went to the porch, we would be shocked at all we could see, like our lonely elderly neighbor or that lost teenage mom.

I believe family comes before ministry. Tell me that makes my kids and husband idols, and I might agree, but it’s still true. Brennan Manning once said, “The landscape of the American church is littered with burned-out bodies and abortive ministries.” I think he's right.

I believe sometimes you are called to get off the porch and write a check. This sounds easy and boring, but it’s not. I believe it necessary.

I believe some of us don’t have the money to write big checks (ahem, talking to me again, people), and in that case, I believe we should learn as much as we can about the injustice that stings us, and then we should pray hard and often and bring it up in conversation as much as we can.

I believe sometimes we won’t have answers to hard questions.  In fact, I believe many unthinkable atrocities face our world, and some issues don’t have solutions, and that sucks. I believe we can create the internet and Skype and other magical gadgets, but we can’t fix it all.

I believe there is nothing “naïve or contrite” about getting off the porch. However, I believe our job may be to take a hard look at a tough issue, evil eye it the best we can, and then, get right back on the porch.

And that concludes my rant.


Should you want to engage in some good conversation on this topic head over to Laura's.

What are your ideas on the subject of injustice and getting off the porch?

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Linking with Jen.

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Why Impossible Is Good

What if our dreams came easily?

Served up quickly on a hot plate with steam rising from the top.

My guess is we wouldn’t appreciate our once longed for dream. I think we’d take one look at the tasty meal we received and immediately long for something else.

God knows this too.

He’s smart like that.

He insists we fight for what’s important to us. He lets us struggle and sometimes fail because he wants us to know it isn’t our hard work or mad skills that make dreams come true.

No, siree.

Last summer, I listened to a panel of authors, agents, and publishers answer questions on publishing in front of an audience. One of the first questions had to do with blog followers.

“How many is enough? Um, you know, to get someone to look hard at a new author? One hundred? Two hundred? A thousand?”

“Ten thousand,” answered an expert. “If you have ten thousand, that would be a good place to start.”

The other experts nodded in agreement.

Say what?

Totally out of reach, unrealistic, and hello, all around impossible. But there's a good part. Ten thousand followers should sound impossible because then wannabe authors can do nothing, but write and rely on God. 

In other words, if your dream is to paint fences or canvas, shed debt or pounds, imagine buildings or plot lines, God knows all about impossible.

Trust Him with it.

Question for you: What types of impossible are you allowing God to push you through?

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Compassionate Consumers

Last summer, our family traveled nineteen and a half hours in one stretch.

Go ahead. Be impressed by our kids’ ability to ride for almost an entire day in a comatose state. No whining, no complaining, just an insane amount of car games.

Every few hours, we peeled ourselves from the car to fuel up and eat. At one of our stops, we pulled into a Chick-Fil-a (not a restaurant those of us from the North see too much of).

Big deal, right? Fast food, chicken place, Christian owners, right, right. 

I walked in and found an entire section of the restaurant blocked off and reserved for Dads and daughters. The tables boasted linen table clothes, tiny vases of fresh flowers, and glitter sprinkles. The little girls proudly sported sundresses and summer sandals.

To reach the restrooms, my girls and I ducked under a flowered arch and passed a photographer snapping Polaroid pictures of those on daddy daughter dates. In a corner table, board games were stacked, but none of the patrons looked like they needed them. The fun was in having Dad's full attention.

Oh, and did I mention the chicken was good? My Chick-fil-A experience made me a fan.

And my Chick-fil-A experience made me think about where I spend my money, and the fact that most of the time I toss it at box stores because it’s easy and convenient.  

I don’t like that way of thinking, and I'm working to change it.

This week I discovered a list from the GOOD Company Project.

The GOOD Company Project aims to find businesses with between 100 and 1,000 employees who are working “better and smarter for a smarter better world”.

Cool companies like Better World Books take up places on this list. Better World Books is a for profit organization that has donated over 6,000,000 books, raised almost $12,000,000 for literacy programs, and recycled over 77,000,00 books. Plus, these used books always ship free. Great idea.

As I clicked around the list, I thought about the need for us to be compassionate consumers, and I wondered how you practice intentional spending.

Question for you: Where have you experienced good customer service and witnessed a positive mission (other than making moolah)?  A restaurant? Store? Online business? Share, share. I'd love to hear. 

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If you are attending the IRL meetup group I'm hosting in April through (in)courage, yipee! If you haven't dropped me an email, please do so, and I'll make sure you are in the loop with all of the details. AmyLSullivan12@gmail.com.

Near Asheville, NC and want to come, but haven't registered? It's not too late! Go here for info and here to register.

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We Are Who We Are Until

We all are who we are until that moment when we strive for something greater. –Brad Meltzer

People who strived:

Two kids so poor they drew on butcher paper and one country in massive need of a hero.

Result: You got it, Superman.

One guy, one trip to Argentina, 200 pairs of shoes, and one crowded apartment.

Result: Toms Shoes

One man plus seventeen cows.

Result: Heifer International (which by the way now equals 8.5 million lives changed in 125 different countries).

There's something inspiring about tiny dreams morphing into big change. Do you know the beginnings of any world changers? Are you taking teeny steps towards change in your life or the life of another?

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Thanks to all who left details about their hometowns in Somehow, I Live in the South. Your words and stories made me like you even more.

Favorite comments from Somehow, I Live in the South:


Susan and facts about pronghorn antelope that live near her in Wyoming. Jen telling us about the Lucille Ball Museum and Lucille Ball festivals in Western New York. Amy sharing details about her home in Beijing. Oh, and I can't forget Jean because hello, her home in Ohio is also home to the Etch a Sketch and Dum Dums.

I mean, really, I couldn't make that stuff up if I tried. You people are fun. F-U-N.

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Linking with Jen.



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I Lived in a Pink House

I lived in a pink house once.

The house stood where northern Michigan and Canada leaned so close they kissed.

Across the street sat a laundromat/arcade and a convenience store with a long, glass case filled with Pop Rocks, Nerds, Chiclets, and tiny, edible pieces of heaven.

The pink house promised adventure.

Under the kitchen table and hidden in the red, paisley, laminate flooring, lay a circular handle to a pull-up, cellar door. Behind an old, oval mirror slept a safe. Sure, the safe only contained an old pair of socks and no money, but wow, a secret safe. In my bedroom closet, a small door led to an attic room big enough for my nine-year-old self to feel as if I’d entered Narnia.

I pretended to be Nancy Drew, the old Nancy Drew of course, not the new one with the hip car, and I bravely explored the world within the pink house. I searched for adventure, and I found it. Often.

Although most of us don’t see it, adventure lines our lives. Sometimes even the word adventure makes us want to snuggle in, pull the covers high, and watch an entire season of Downton Abby.

But don’t. 

This weekend put down the to-do’s and seek out the all the get-to’s.

Be brave.

Question for you: What types of adventures do you remember taking around your childhood home?

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This was written as a part of Five Minute Friday where writers are given a prompt and five minutes to write. Then they are asked to write and forget about it being "just right". This week’s prompt: brave.

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If You Give a Teenager a Cookie

If you give a teenager a cookie, he will gobble it up in one swallow, and then forget about the cookie before it hits his stomach. See, that’s how teenagers are. Quickly, they consume. Quickly, they forget.

However, if you gather teenagers, point them to a cause, and encourage them to make some cookies of their own, those teens may walk away with more than just extra sugar floating around their bodies.

Follow this easy recipe to encourage teens to think of others:

Today you'll find me over at the Teachers' Lounge talking about teenagers, cookies, and learning to give. 

Comments turned off.

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Somehow I Live in the South

Somehow, I live in the South.

I’m not completely sure how it happened. One day, I’m driving the Stevenson in Chicago. The next, I’m staring at the Rocky Mountains, and a week later, I live in the South.

Well, maybe life’s events didn’t take place that quickly, but it sure feels like it.

Anyway, now I live in the South, and although when I moved here, I told people I lived in the Mid-Atlantic states, everyone made fun of me, and reminded me that Western North Carolina is not a Mid-Atlantic state, and therefore, I don’t say it any more.

Since spending time in the South, I’ve learned some things I’d like to share. 

1.  Sweet tea tastes so delicious it should be served with every meal and poured into cereal.

2.  “Yons” is a word. It is slang for “Y’all” which is slang for “all of you”.

3.  Jump rope teams are real and kids try out for them, by the legions.

4.  When you have a cute baby, a person may walk up to you and say, “That baby is so cute, I could spread her on a biscuit.” This sounds very strange, and will make you want to run your baby to the car and buckle her in tightly, but the person just means, “Wow, your daughter is adorable.”

5.  People like to wave. Don’t rack your brain and wonder if you know them. You don’t. They just like to wave.

6.  People make moonshine, and sometimes they drink it when they are sick.

7.  Dry counties exist in the United States, and by dry, I mean you can’t buy alcohol.

8.  Businesses open late on Sundays because people go to church, and you can’t buy alcohol on Sundays (Hmmm, very interesting that my last three facts all involve alcohol. I must think on that more).

And, why all the talk about the South?

This weekend I received a letter from her, a thoughtful, deep, and real soul who encourages all with her online presence.

Anyway, seeing real handwriting on a real envelope made me feel as if I knew this girl better. It also made me wonder about you, all of you. The people I interact with and think about, the people who share their hearts on screens and tidbits through blinking cursors.

So, today, will you leave a comment and tell me something fun about the area or town in which you live? I know it's not the same as real mail found in the mailbox, but I'd love to get to know you better.

Me first. Fun facts about the place in which I live: Thomas Wolfe lived here. The Appalachian Trail is very, very close (see picture below), and the largest home in America is not too far away either.

Now your turn. Let’s hear some fun or random facts about the place you live.

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Oh, and speaking of getting to know you better, drop me an email (asullivan12@frontier.com) if you are interested in participating in (in)courage's IRL conference. Online girls you may know who are  attending: Gaby, Katrina, Renee, Kendal,  Karrie, and Melody may even head our way too. Go here to sign-up.

Linking with Jen.

7 Reasons I am Crushing on Twitter

I realize I am behind in embracing Twitter.

In fact, someone even welcomed me to the 21^st century and mentioned I might want to check out other cutting edge ideas like CDs and fleece jackets.

Yes, late to party as usual, but lean close, here’s a secret, I like it. 

The girl who hates most forms of social media likes Twitter.

Top 7 reasons I’m crushing on Twitter, hard.

1. My time is limited. I don’t have time to wade through hefty blog posts to get updates on my faves, but with 140 characters, baby, I can stay in the loop. Would it be wrong to insist on Twitter relationships with people in my life who talk too much?

2.  Because Rachel said this: "You have all these great connections for charity work and just seeing a tweet about bras reminds me I DO have some I thought about donating. Put out those opportunities, and let God put eyeballs in front of them".

3.  I’m nosy. Not nosy as in I want to look up that mean girl from high school, but nosy as in I want more from favorite authors. Join Twitter, and get updates.

4.  It is not hard to learn, at all, especially with great reads from Michael Hyatt and advice from smart friends.

5. You will look skinnier in a bathing suit. Tough to believe, but totally true. This involves a long story, but I now own a Michael Kors Bandeau Tankini to prove it.

6. Resources. Seriously, I’ve been on Twitter for five days, and you should see the resource list of cool organizations I am building.

7. I hate directing you elsewhere. I write for other places, but I don't always like linking articles or guest posts from my blog. Random, but it sort-of feels like, "Oh, hey, glad you stopped by, but would you please leave, and visit me here or here?". With Twitter, I can just toss out a tweet and not have to write a post.

Anyway, that’s it, my pitch on why you should embrace that little bird.

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On Building and Bus Stop Mishaps

Yesterday I forgot the neighbor kids at the bus stop.

The two girls waited on a rock until the older one said, “Let’s just walk.” Eventually, they ran into an elderly couple who let them borrow a cell phone.

Sigh. Not surprising.

The bus stop incident reminded me of a time I watched my girls play.

They tried to build a brick fort. The bricks jetted out in this position and that. The idea was big, but the bottom support proved weak, and the brick castle fell again and again.

That’s what happens when you build in too many directions. Things fall.

I read this verse, and it nailed me right where my little building self is today.

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain.

Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain. In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat. Psalm 127:1-2

Rising early and toiling late? Who me?

May you not spend the day toiling and when you build, may you let God lay some serious plans. Oh, and if you forget the neighbor kids at the bus stop, may a sweet, old couple pick them up and walk them home (I threw that one in for good measure. You know, just in case).

Happy Thursday, friends.

Question for you: How will you spend your day? Oh, and by that I mean working? Chasing kids? Chasing dreams? Trolling Twitter (More to come on my secret Twitter crush. What? A girl can change her mind).

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On That Little Bird and Shouting Agendas

As you know, technology and I aren’t exactly good buds.

Sure, DVR proves useful when I know I’ll be out, and I want to watch Claire act neurotic as she tries to parent her children.

And I find FaceTime magical and a little Jetson-like, but totally useful since my family is far away.

And for crying out loud, I post on this blog, which means I met you, and the fact is, I like you, as in a lot, a lot.

However, I struggle with social media because I feel as if there are already so many people shouting agendas, yelling about posts, screaming the benefits or contests, and hosting online parties. Plus, I ask myself, do I want to add my noise to all of that clamor, and people, does anyone really care?

Plus, there’s the issue that I ache for slow, and posting witty tweets and reading countless retweets doesn’t exactly sound peaceful.

Oh, and there’s the fact that I tend to be a smidge elitist, and if “everyone’s doing it, “ I refuse.

But that brings me to last week. I missed some serious opportunities because I turn my back on social media, and it kind of feels as if I soaked up too much sun and one of my sisters came up from behind and smacked me on the back, hard. Ouch.

Therefore, bring on the bird.

I joined Twitter. Don’t expect me to embrace it. In fact, plan on me acting like the pouty kid in the back of the class until I figure out what the heck a hashtag is.

Oh, and if you happen to be on Twitter, I’d love for you to find me. So we can peek at what each other says in 140 characters or less (Serisouly, I don't even know if I created that link right. Someone tell me how to fix it if I'm wrong!).

Oh, and now that I’m practically a social media guru, you should know that I’m also on Google +. Yep, I don’t have much to say there either, but I’m working on that one too.

Oh, and don’t bother asking about Facebook. A girl can only handle so many social media outlets, and at this time, I find myself maxed out.

Questions for you: Let’s discuss Google + and Twitter. Love them? Hate them? Advice on either. Come on, I need it.

Linking with Jen

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To the Little Girl in the Field

As nearly one hundred tornadoes ripped through five states this weekend, at least thirty-seven people are now pronounced dead.

And though stories of destruction of homes and lives swell, stories of survival also pour.

The bus driver who drove children to a nearby church to seek safety in a basement.

The grandma who laid on top of her four-year-old grandson and had her husband lay on top of her.

The toddler, Angel, discovered alone in a field, despite the fact that her entire family was found dead.

Please pray for all involved.

Please pray for the little girl in the field, Angel, who is in critical condition.

Please pray for those who wonder how God can be good when entire families die and a F5 tornado swallows a lifetime of memories in one gulp. 

Please pray that from immense wreckage, immense hope will fight and find a way to sprout.

Everlasting, your light will shine when all else fades. Hillsong, "From the Inside Out".

Linking with Michelle.
Image credit.

On Longing for Handwritten

My friend wrote about a mustard, yellow typewriter, and it made me ache for slow. Sure, give me a day of peck, peck, pecking, and spreading White Out here and there, and I may reconsider, but not today.

Today I ache for slow.

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Want to discover a blog with only handwritten posts? Now that’s an idea, people.

This post was written for Five Minute Friday where authors are given a prompt and asked to share, but only for five minutes. Click here to read more about today’s prompt: ache.

On Need Fillers and Party Goers

Some of you are Need Fillers. You see the need. You fill the need.

You pick up the neighbor kids when it’s not your turn.

You step it up at work when a project needs direction.

You swoop in to assist the friend that struggles.

You make a meal for the new mom.

You serve on the committee.

You cut out one hundred sheep for Sunday School.

You bring the muffins.

You chaperon the dance.

You volunteer to lead.

Always.

Service drips through your veins. You Need Filler, you.

Some of you are the exact opposite of Need Fillers. Some of you are Party-Goers.

My husband once said, “I’m more of a Party-Goer, not a party planner.” Translation: You do all the work. I’ll show up, enjoy myself, and eat nachos.

Tsk, tsk.

But that’s how our family leans. More of the party-going, nacho-eating type. Others-first thinking doesn't come easily. See, for most of our existence, our family ignored the needs of others. Surely, someone more qualified will ___________________________ (fill in the blank).

But now, as we open our eyes to the big ‘ol world around us, I can see Need Filler ways begin to bubble.


Recently, I read about service wearing you down. Need Fillers know this tired feeling. I read about a woman who in an attempt to serve God’s world, ended up losing her relationship with God.

“She lost her awe. Service wore her down and rubbed all shininess off of life. Service can do that to a girl. Service is not God so it leaves us exhausted, empty, and wanting after awhile.”—Glennon from Momastery

This made me think about all of you and the cool projects you spearhead and the simple tasks that add up to the many hours in your lives. It made me wonder if you’ve ever experienced service and good intentions blocking your relationship with God.

Question for you: Tell me, smart friends, how do you find balance in being a Need Filler and a Party-Goer? Have you ever served only to later discover your service was actually pulling you away from God? What was the result?