Earth Day Means Caring for the People of the Earth, too

Today is Earth Day. Along with caring for earth's natural resources, we need to care for the people of the earth. We Catholic and Orthodox Christians just completed Lent. During this time, we give things up and sacrifice pleasures in imitation of Jesus's sufferings. Just because we're in the Easter feasting mode, doesn't mean we should forget Lenten virtues.

The Bible enjoins us to sacrificial giving year-round. Sacrificial giving isn't just giving of our excess. It's giving till it hurts to help someone else. Like Lenten fasting--it's giving up FOR someone else. We should feel the burn. That's how we know it's genuine. This is just a little example.

I gave up buying coffee shop coffee. Actually, I've cut down on all coffee. I love it, but the caffeine makes me jittery. Then I'm not very nice. Also, Starbucks (et al) is expensive. I save that money to give for hungry kids. I think I can do without a luxury, so children can have necessities.

At mass on Ash Wednesday, Father preached about how feeling temptation was integral to our Lenten journey. This year, that came home to me in a very personal way. I've noticed that I struggle more with temptation, sin, depression, even despair during Lent. I think that temptation, to drink coffee or indulge, is part of what makes giving sacrificial and meaningful. Read on.  How Temptation Makes for Better Lenten Fasting, Sacrifice 

Bargains, More Importantly Blessings at Fair Trade Christmas Sale

I helped with our fair trade/direct trade Christmas sale at church Saturday. We didn't have nearly the traffic we had last year, but weather was treacherous and cold. I'm hoping that's the reason. And not that people prefer junk stuff produced by slave labor in exploited countries. Sorry, I get ranty about fair trade. And I admit, it's not easy. That's why I felt so good about this sale.   Bargains and Blessings at Our Fair Trade Christmas Sale

Advent Calendar Service Project Craft

Many of us parents have found Christmas to be about receiving not giving with our children. It's not that kids are selfish, it's that marketing campaigns bombard them with products to want. Who can blame kids for wanting all that cool stuff? To say, 'you're selfish' to a child is to state an obvious, but not necessarily negative fact. Telling them not to desire is pointless.  It's part of how children learn to meet their own needs. We can give them opportunities to practice giving, sharing too though, especially at Advent. Here's an advent calendar craft with sharing opportunities.Advent Math, Writing Project Craft

Pack Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoe Box Now

I'm putting together my Operation Christmas Child shoebox for Samaritan's Purse. Since 1993, these gift boxes have been shipped around the world to kids in need. We've been participating for about that long. Here's how I'm saving $11 packing it in person. But packing a box online works great for homebound and elderly.Packing Samaritans Purse Operation Christmas Child Shoe box

Lenten and Easter Almsgiving Activity

As Catholic homeschoolers education focused around the liturgical year in our family. Holy Week is the pinnacle of the church year. We practice lenten virtues of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, in solidarity with our Lord and in preparation for our Easter celebration. In our homeschool career, we explored many avenues of sacrifice and service. One simple activity became very meaningful. We are fortunate to live near several mission-type sites which provide immediate care and help to those in need. Our church twins with a parish in Haiti. Many Staples outlets gather school supplies. Using these resources we made lenten care kits.Lenten and Easter Activity 

Catholic Relief Services Lenten Rice Bowl Activities

Catholic Relief Services is the single largest non-governmental relief agency in the world. Each year at Lent CRS initiates what is called 'Operation Rice Bowl'. Operation Rice Bowl is a program which focuses our attention on the cardinal aims of the Lenten season: prayer, fasting and almsgiving. The Rice Bowl project consists of a cardboard box which when assembled, looks very much like the take out boxes that rice comes in. The Rice Bowl is a box which families set up in their homes during Lent to collect loose change and offerings for the poor and hungry of the world. Operation Rice bowl also includes a Lenten prayer calendar with devotional activities, feast days and stations of the cross. Each calendar day has a prayer focus. Specific information about world poverty statistics and needs from around the world are listed also.  Lenten Rice Bowl Devotional and Lesson Planner

Wishlists for shelters, missions, food banks

Winter is particularly hard on the homeless and those in need. In Detroit, cold temperatures send many to shelters and missions. Agency resources get depleted more quickly during the holidays. Here are wish lists of needed items at Metro Detroit nonprofit organizations.  Read more

Holiday Wish Lists for Detroit Nonprofits

Winter is particularly hard on the homeless and those in need. In Detroit, cold temperatures send many to shelters and missions. Agency resources get depleted more quickly during the holidays. Here are wish lists of needed items at Metro Detroit nonprofit organizations. If you're looking to donate in your area, use these guidelines for giving. Each charity will have its own list of needs, but these are good basic recommendations.  Read more

Suggested Donations for Thanksgiving Food Drives

It's time to start putting together Thanksgiving food baskets for those in need. With the sluggish economy the need will likely be even greater this years. Here's a list of the canned goods and food donations to give this holiday season. It might seem unnecessary to list suggested items for a food basket. But I've worked at food banks and missions. There are certain foodstuffs and personal items that are donated in abundance and rarely needed. There are also items it seems we always run out of. Note: send foods that can be eaten unheated. Choose cans with pull-off lids. Needy folks don't always have access to appliances or can openers. Best Foods Items to Donate to Thanksgiving Food Drives

Free Stone Soup Lesson Plans to Teach Sharing

When I was in kindergarten we did a classroom Thanksgiving activity that has stuck with me all my life. We made Friendship Soup, also called 'Stone Soup' (taken from the old legend retold by Marcia Brown). Perfect for schools, scout troops, church groups, day care and homeschool, making Friendship Soup or Stone Soup shows what wonderful things can happen when people share. Here are Stone Soup lesson plans to build community, develop awareness and teach social responsiveness. Friendship Soup and 'Stone Soup' Classroom Lesson Plan Activities for Thanksgiving 

Student volunteer service credit opportunities: Tips for parents

Volunteering is a buzzword in educational circles. To raise student awareness, groups like United Way coordinate student volunteer programs. Many schools require kids to perform a set number of community service credits to graduate. Elementary and middle schools are getting in on the act, too. If your student needs earn community service credits here are some suggestions.  Student volunteer service credit opportunities: Tips for parents

Kids and social justice: How parents should teach awareness, develop empathy

Sensitivity training isn't just for adults. It has to begin in childhood. It's essential that parents teach awareness--especially of social justice issues like poverty--early and often. When teaching compassion and empathy, here are things to keep in mind.  Kids and social justice: How parents should teach awareness, develop empathy