Overcomer Series Episode Two: How to Start a Movement Without Really Trying

You might want to pull up a chair and grab your favorite beverage.  This is a long post because it has a bit of a back story.  But I believe you will be blessed by taking the time to read this one.

I don’t know Rick Clark personally, but I was first “introduced” to him because my daughter works at Gonzaga University and was part of a secret project that involved Mike Rowe and his online series “Returning the Favor”.  If you don’t know who Mike Rowe is, he was the host of a television show called “Dirty Jobs” and produced a number of other projects and has written some books as well.  My favorite is when he reads letters from his parents – hilarious!  Mike’s “Returning the Favor” is a Facebook Watch series that highlights people who do amazing sacrificial things that enhance their communities. He surprises them with all kinds of gifts to help these folks do even more of what they are already doing.  He calls them “local do-gooders”.  Most of the time when I watch the episodes, I end up needing tissues.  All that said, Rick was featured on the series and my daughter got to help Mike and his team make it happen.  It pays to know people because she invited her parents to sit in on the big reveal. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTy-u0LTFw4 

At the reveal, I learned Rick’s story.  He is currently earning his Master’s Degree at Gonzaga.  But not so long ago, he was homeless, living in his car.  When he was in a better place, he did not forget what it meant to not know where he would sleep or what he would eat.  He was prompted to start a non-profit called “Giving Backpacks”, an organization that puts together backpacks filled with essential supplies for compromised people.  “Returning the Favor” came through with over $40,000 of items to help Giving Backpacks do so much more in the community. They also covered Rick’s university tuition to finish his degree in Organizational Leadership.   Giving Backpacks has handed out around 7000 packs, expanding the program to offer other resources like bus passes, gas money and help with utility bills.

Fast Forward to 2020.  Can you say “Covid lockdowns” without cringing?  As the lockdowns in our state went on for months and months, small businesses were struggling to stay open.  Most of us felt helpless to make a huge difference for all these struggling family-owned shops. Not Rick Clark. He had an idea to put an ask on social media for $200 to buy pizzas for a homeless shelter.  It served two purposes: giving a restaurant a boost and helping homeless at the same time.  His appeal raised way more than $200.  A Facebook group called “Spokane Quaranteam” was birthed and through donations from the community, Rick was able to help countless restaurants by dropping off donated funds for meals that community members could pick up for free.  That initial investment would create a wave of business and support for those local restaurants.  Thanks to the effectiveness of social media, big and small donations came in every day. One day brought in nearly $12,000 in donations.  Rick and his wife, Virginia, had a hard time keeping up with tracking and distributing all the funds to so many flailing businesses. 

Since the initial restaurant blitz, Spokane Quaranteam has grown to 34,000 members.  Recently group members donated and arranged for air conditioners during the heat wave and handed out cases of water for anyone who needed it.  Students are being sponsored for meals while they are out of school for the summer. They’ve even taken on donations of cars, fixing them up and giving them to those who have no transportation. When a need is posted in the group, that need is almost always immediately met by someone in the community.  With one small ask for some pizza, Rick has created a movement of people helping people that goes far beyond what Rick could ever do on his own. He’s created a whole network of “local do-gooders”.   

I share this story because Rick isn’t famous, although he does now have some local celebrity here in Eastern Washington.  Rick is just a very humble guy who has a heart for helping people.  He is often overwhelmed by the support from the community that is far beyond what he could hope for.  He leads by example and people follow, not because he’s charismatic or well-known, but because he lives out what he believes in a way that causes people want to join in what he’s doing.  He makes people think about what each of us can be doing to help others in need. He helps us realize that one small act of kindness can change a neighborhood, a city, or a community.  He’s an inspiration to many, and Rick Clark inspires me. 

Being Light

“Everybody has their own way of bringing their light and passion to the table.  Sometimes it’s super heroic and super action-like and sometimes it’s making people laugh or helping people out in your neighborhood. It doesn’t have to be on a massive scale.  What can you do with what’s right in front of you to the best of your ability to make an impact? Maybe it’s a conversation with somebody....... It’s being in tune with yourself where you can say ‘I’m being called to do this’.....  Who knows where that will lead and the ripple effect.”

This quote came from a podcast that I tune into regularly.  It’s one I don’t miss because there are always interesting guests and I often find inspiration and new things to think about.  The podcaster is former “Heartland” actor, producer, writer, photographer Graham Wardle (thank you, Graham, for permission to quote you) and in this episode of his “Time Has Come” podcast he was interviewing another former Heartlander, actress Jessica Amlee (link to the podcast at the bottom of this post).  They covered several fascinating and inspiring topics during the hour long podcast and I had several takeaways as a result, but the idea of “being the light” has resonated with me the past few days. 

Winter here in my neck of the woods is hard because I thrive in long days with lots of hours of light.   It does something to my psyche when it gets to January and we literally have only eight hours of light per day.  If those hours are gray and gloomy, it really does a number on my normally “sunny” outlook.  Light feels so much more hopeful and optimistic.  Needless to say, I’m a summer girl without question. 

So what does light do and why do we need it?  It illuminates.  It shuts out darkness.  It spreads its glow to all the objects (and people) near it.  It helps us see.  It keeps us from stumbling in the dark.  It helps things grow and thrive.  We use it to communicate, navigate, learn and explore. Light is far more than just what we can detect with our eyes. It takes the form of radio waves, microwaves, infrared, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays. It is our most important source of energy. Sunlight warms us, causes weather patterns, allows plants to manufacture oxygen and our food from carbon dioxide and water. Light impacts human health and performance by controlling the body's circadian system, affecting mood and perception, and by enabling critical chemical reactions in the body (lightexhibit.org). 

I love how Scripture talks about being light.  Who can argue with “You are the light of the world.  A city built on a hill cannot be hidden.  Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.  Instead they put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your light shine before others that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16)?  I grew up with my mom and grandma teaching me the song, “This Little Light of Mine, I’m Going to Let it Shine” – familiar to any of you? 

So what does it look like to “be the light”? I think the first step requires us to be “light-filled”.  Light, which is normally an external source, has to become internal. It’s coming to an understanding of divine truth and love that causes us to want others to share what we’ve discovered.  It has to do with wanting God’s best for every single human on planet earth.  That’s why the quote at the top of this page resonated deeply with me.  Some will do big things, some small, but all of us can be a source of “light” with those we come in contact with. 

I hope, in some small way, maybe even this little writing project of mine can be a place where light shines. It's what I'm feeling called to do. More and more I know in my heart that I want to be a light in a world that so desperately needs it. "What can you do with what's right in front of you to the best of your ability to make an impact?"  Maybe it starts right here.  

Time Has Come Podcast Episode 014:  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YcxBluVJ6xg&t=491s

Lions and Tigers and Bears....Oh My!

The other day on Twitter, a friend whom I’ve never met  (can we talk about how strange and yet rewarding it is to have social media friends?  A subject for another blog…..) expressed that she had a major attack of anxiety in her car when she spotted a spider in the passenger seat.  She had to pull over, get out and ask someone else to remove her “passenger”. It prompted a whole thread of people sharing what causes them to flip out when they encounter random things.  Now I am not talking about the big fears like losing a loved one or falling from extreme height;  we’re talking everyday things that have a freak out factor.  As usual it started my brain on a quest to understand what makes us react the way we do.  (I may have been that kid that always asked, “why?”)  In the online discussion, spiders were a common phobia though most of them are harmless. Snakes were also on the list. There were a variety of animals mentioned.  I even responded that two of my phobias are ticks (as in the crawly blood suckers that give you terrible diseases) and bats (which fly into your space bubble randomly at night - rodents should not be able to fly).  The latter could have something to do with the vampire movies I was exposed to in middle school.  I also admit to having a fear of hospitals.  Just walking in those places causes me to break out in a sweat and have a very strong flight response.  There are reasons for that which may be discussed in a future blog post. 

By definition, a phobia is an extreme or irrational fear of or aversion to something.  Some of you may remember a television show, "Fear Factor",  based on people's phobias. There a three major types of phobias:  social phobia (fear of public speaking, meeting new people, discomfort in social situations), agoraphobia (fear of being outside), and specific phobias (fear of items or situations).  The most common phobias are claustrophobia (fear of enclosed spaces), arachnophobia (fear of spiders), and acrophobia (fear of heights).  I personally like hippopotomonstrosesquipedaliophobia (fear of long words). 

In essence, a phobia is an anxiety disorder and we all have them.  They can produce responses from a simple sense of dread to a complete panic meltdown.  The key word is irrational.  The things we fear almost never actually harm us.  So why do we have phobias? According to the Mayo clinic, many phobias develop as a result of having a negative experience related to a specific object or situation.  Genetics and environment can both play a role, so they are an inherited or learned behavior.  Almost all phobias can be successfully treated and cured through gradual exposure to the object, animal, place or situation that causes fear and anxiety. 

Armed with this scientific information, cozy up to that little eight-legged creature as often as possible!  Personally, the idea of letting a tick crawl on me gives me irrational fear just thinking about it.  For reasons beyond my control, I keep being exposed to hospital settings for good or bad reasons, and it hasn’t really lessened my anxiety about walking into one.  But apparently exposure over the long term is the answer.  Great. 

The fact that these types of fears are irrational doesn’t negate the experience.  Some people are far more fearful than others.  But really, living in fear is detrimental to our overall well-being.  We need to find ways to overcome fear to have peace.  Some people practice breathing techniques, visualization, or talking through it with someone.  Prayer works pretty well for me.  However, I confess that sometimes my prayer sounds like, “Please, please don’t let a tick land on me” when I’m walking in the woods.   Whatever your fear factor, know that you’re not alone. I promise to never make fun of your spider phobia if you let me dive for cover when the bats come out at night. 

More Being, Less Doing

I’ve been a doer my whole life.  I’m a notorious achiever, list-maker, goal oriented accomplisher.  Even when I appear to be resting, my brain is working on new projects or timelines or trip planning.  I don’t like to just sit and watch television or a movie; I’m always multi-tasking.  I love ticking things off of lists and finding new things to add to the lists.  I love learning and am always seeking out new and interesting things to master.  I recently took an online speed-reading course so that I could get through more books faster.  I like things orderly and timely and organized, so I’m constantly looking for ways to make things more efficient.  I guess it’s no surprise that I ended up working in administration.  I also guess it’s no surprise that I am terrible at letting myself rest without feeling like I should be doing a trillion things. 

This new stage of life is confusing to me.  It’s not scheduled or regimented and I’m struggling with which types of things I should take on each day.  I’m trying so hard to learn to just relax and see what each day brings.  I joke with friends that I’m working on being spontaneous.  They probably have no idea I’m serious – it does not come naturally.  Some days I still struggle with feeling a bit lost.

I have come to understand why the recent Covid shutdowns seemed extra hard for me.  There were only so many lists I could make and tasks to accomplish.  I was working from home attempting to keep up with all my regular job description items without access to all my usual tools, and I connected with my coworkers in Zoom meetings and emails.  To say it was frustrating for me was a major understatement.  It all seemed so inefficient.

But I have to credit the lockdown life with being a training ground for me.  I was forced to slow down.  I had to invest in teaching myself to tamp down the noise in my head for chunks of time every day.  I quit watching the daily news. I spent time outside more. I found new music and tuned out the world more often.  I found satisfaction in writing poetry and essays and began journaling again.  I just purchased a new journal that I love and I jot down ideas for this blog or random quotes I want to ponder.  I’m trying to be at peace whether or not I’m not accomplishing whatever to-do list I have made for myself.

I’m still working on turning over the page so that I can fully embrace where I’m at now.  I’m learning to value being instead of just doing.  I’m learning so much about myself and who I want to be in this autumn season of life.  I want to focus on relationships and be available to be a better friend, wife, mom, grandma. I want to find joy in just breathing deeply and letting life happen as it will.  I want to keep practicing getting quiet and bringing energy back in instead of always sending it out.  I want to spend less time telling God what I think I want or need to happen and let Him speak to me.

I’m a work in progress to be sure.  My resolution for 2021 looked like this: More being, less doing.  More listening, less talking.  More integrity, less compromise.  More courage, less concern.  I wrote it on the first page of my new journal and I’m checking in every day.  It may be the first resolution I’ve ever made stick.  So here’s to what remains of 2021, new phases of life, and just being.  Now….off to tackle that to-do list. 

Land of the Free

Our country is turning 225 today.  I promised myself I would not use my blog as a platform for political opinion or controversial topics.  I want it to be something that unites instead of divides.  We have plenty of opportunity to read the kind of writing that divides every moment of every day.  And so I write this post with that original promise to myself in mind. 

Instead, I want to recognize that while our nation is imperfect, not without some major issues, and still figuring out what true freedom looks like and how to manage it, we citizens have much to be thankful for.  Our country is a baby when compared to nations with centuries old histories.  Our founders were idealists and did the best they could to organize things to ensure that they and all who came here in the future could live corporately with individual freedoms. 

I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling pretty free today.  And I’m grateful for all the choices I have about making this day whatever I want it to be.  So I choose to be celebratory that I live where I do.  Let’s keep striving to get better at our independence and ensure that all who live here and come here enjoy the same freedoms we all strive to keep.  Happy birthday, USA! 

Overcomer Series Episode One: Choosing the Mountaintops

I have a friend I wish you all knew. She is a little bit famous because of an event that happened a long time ago. I’ll share a bit about that story, but what I really wanted to write about was her shining spirit that radiates from her in spite of all she has been through. She’s one of those people you encounter in life that you never forget, one of the most positive and inspirational souls I’ve ever known. 

When Jenn was 18 years old, she was driving on a remote highway in Eastern Washington, pulled over to let a faster car pass and the shoulder of the road crumbled, cascading her car off the edge, rolling six times and landing on its side in a ditch. Her car was almost completely obliterated from view because of the very tall grass in the ditch. Her back was broken, she was trapped in her car, and no one knew where to look for her. Many did search, but her accident scene was overlooked for three days. Nights were cold and her only source of water was condensation off of the windshield and mirrors. Cell phones didn’t exist. By the grace of God, two determined men continued to search for her and found skid marks on the road. By the time she was rescued she was hypothermic, her body temperature at 84 degrees. She was paralyzed from the waist down. 

As you might guess, there’s a lot more to the story, but Jenn’s story is one of not just surviving, but thriving. That’s not to say it’s been easy. She’s had many, many setbacks and very tough times. I met Jenn at church. I had also seen her at my kids’ school. I saw her there because she went on to university and became a teacher. Jenn did not let her circumstances defeat her. She fully credits God with her survival and strength. Her positive outlook comes from that relationship as well as amazing support from family and friends along the way.  Jenn makes friends wherever she goes. 

I wanted to share Jenn’s story because when I talk to her I am always so amazed by how she manages to find the best in life and make the most of every day. She has a wicked sense of humor that keeps those who know her smiling. She has maintained her independence and overcome limitations, though in her mind, there’s not much that limits her. She has traveled extensively, dealing with what it means to do that with physical disadvantages. She just booked a solo trip to Chicago to see her beloved Cubs play at Wrigley Field!  She’s always worked hard to maintain her strength and health, but recently she’s found a trainer that even has her doing chin ups while strapped in her chair!  She tells me he inspires and encourages her and has his own amazing story that keeps her motivated on the tough days. 

Jenn reminds me that we all have the strength to do far more than we realize we are capable of because we can rely on the One who is the source of our strength. Perspective is everything and we CAN stay positive and find joy in life outside of circumstances. We all have our own stories and maybe they can inspire others, too. I am inspired by my friend, Jennifer. 

What's on Your Playlist?

Ever hear a song that takes you back to a moment in time or a stage of life?  Music has always been a huge part of my life and it tends to speak to my soul when nothing else seems to get through.  Now mind you, I grew up in the 60’s, 70’s and 80’s.  Before that I was really only exposed to what was on my parent’s radio – what I call twang country.  To this day there are some country songs that make me cringe. 

At some point my sister introduced Glen Campbell into my listening genre. Glen was a master guitarist and his voice was like warm honey.  “Gentle on my Mind”, “Wichita Lineman” and “Galveston” were on repeat.  At some point in Jr. High I succumbed to the Osmond Brothers, Jackson 5, and bubble gum music.  In middle school I attended my first ever live concert – John Denver.  I think I owned every album he ever released.  From there I embraced some bands that my parents hated, and perhaps that was some of the appeal.  But after that my taste in music became very diverse even then.  Paul McCartney and Wings, The Eagles, Gordon Lightfoot, Fleetwood Mac, Doobie Brothers, Christopher Cross, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Kenny Loggins, America, Simon and Garfunkle….the list goes on.  Those were the days! 

Music activates every area of our brains. Songs can elicit strong feelings and memories, prompt blissful reactions or even tears.  There seems to be a difference between listening to music and performing music and what it does in our brains.  Music can help stroke victims recover speech processes.  It seems to delay dementia and helps slow the progress of some degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.  Music develops right and left hemisphere responses in the brains of children which help them to be more creative problem solvers.  Music actually helps the brain release pain relieving functions in the body and is dramatically helpful for those with chronic pain.  Obviously it’s used in television, movies, advertising, to elicit certain emotional responses.  It’s a powerful tool! 

Even today music plays a major role in my everyday life.  I love to plug in my earbuds, tune out the world and turn up the rock or pop music when I am cleaning my house, working in the yard, or taking a walk. I listen to soothing classical for calm, quiet times.  I have a worship playlist when I want to focus on my relationship with God.   I can’t imagine a road trip without tunes blasting in the car. Celtic music struck a chord with me in more recent years and the variety of instrumentation and characteristics of that genre seem familiar and perhaps resonate with the European genetic influences in my family line. Recently I’ve been chasing down music from my past just for nostalgia sake and it brings back moments in time that are clear as day. Just the other day a friend shared a great song with me – music can be a language that connects people, too. 

So turn up the volume and let music speak to you or for you!  It makes us better, more healthy people.  What’s currently on your playlist?