Thoughts on the Sandy Hook Tragedy

Posted on December 17, 2012 by

This blog is normally lighthearted.  Today’s post is written with a heavy heart.  Not just for those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy, but for humanity as a whole.

There are no words to describe the horrific events.  They don’t exist.  It shouldn’t have happened.  But it has happened.  It has happened before and I’m sure it will happen again.

So many people lost their lives — All too young.  As someone who lost a child, I can sympathize to a degree.  Our loss was a natural event.  This shouldn’t have happened.  Signs were missed.  Who knows how long the gunman had been on the path to this point in time and this outcome?  What could have been done years ago that would have prevented it?  What could have been done last week?

We are all on paths that go somewhere.  We have the ability to change direction and make a new path.  The paths of the people killed have ended.  Yours continues.  What are you going to do about it?

In Andy Andrews’ book The Traveler’s Gift, David Ponder, the main character finds himself in a room of immense size and undefined dimensions.  The room goes on as far as he can see and is taller than he can see.  The room is filled with TVs, shingles, computers, books, and anything else you can think of.  It is full of pictures of people.  The room is filled with everything that could have been but never was.  The room is filled with intentions.

We are all going to miss out on what these people, these children, would have done.  How many books would they have written?  Was there a movie star in the bunch?  Were new teachers being raised?  Did we just lose a cure for cancer?

We won’t know.  The main tragedy is the loss of these lives.  An unseen tragedy is the loss of what those lives were meant to be.

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Improbable Philanthropy’s New Project

Posted on December 13, 2012 by

I met Al Andrews, founder of Improbable Philanthropy, while attending the Quitter Conference where he was a speaker.  Improbable Philanthropy blends crowd-funding with charitable giving.

Improbable Philanthropy has successfully funded the start-up costs to build two child survival centers for Compassion International and funded the cost to repair a utility lift at Thistle Farms, a social enterprise that provides training and employment for women in the Nashville, TN area who have survived lives of prostitution, trafficking, addiction, and homelessness.

They have a new project — The Restore Scholarship Project.  The goal this time is to fund scholarships for 25 recent graduates of the Restore Leadership Academy in Uganda.  The academy was started in 2007 by Bob Goff, author of Love Does: Discover a Secretly Incredible Life in an Ordinary Worldand had 30 students.  Today, the academy teaches over 260 students and employs 19 teachers.

How can you help?  The way Improbable Philanthropy raises funds for their projects is by selling copies of Al Andrews children’s book, The Boy, The Kite, and The Wind.  The book has a great story about dreaming and the illustrations are fabulous.  The book is more than good enough to stand on its own, but your money does more.  The proceeds from each copy sold go directly toward funding the current project.  The goal for this project is to sell 2000 copies of the book.  That’s not very many.

The Boy, the Kite, and the WindYou can read more about this project and purchase a copy of the book (or 10 copies, or 100 copies) here.

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Practicing Art

Posted on December 6, 2012 by

When we are kids, we’re all artists.  As we grow up, something happens that changes that.  Many (most) of us lose our concept of art.  Is art the finger painting on the refrigerator?  Is art the Lego structure on the living room floor?  Is art the bouquet of flowers you picked from the garden? Is art last night’s dinner?  Is art the thing you enjoy doing and others enjoy seeing?  Yes!

We’re surrounded by art every day and yet we don’t notice it and we surely don’t practice it ourselves.  When was the last time you created art for your own creative sake?  You could have done something else, bought something else, but you didn’t.  You created.

Your kids did that — probably more often that you appreciated.  After all, how many pictures can even fit on your refrigerator?

When you said stop, you meant stop for now.  What they heard was stop forever.  Yes, it happened to you too.

You can fix it.  Make something and give it away.  Then make something else and give it away.  Do it again.  And again.

Last month, I decided that I would make some Christmas gifts.  I’ve spent hours working and putting things together and these gifts are now complete.  I was expecting an amount of relief when I finished the sometimes tedious tasks, but it never came.

It made a hole.  I need to do more.  I need to give more.

I have a feeling the hole will only get bigger.  The more you give, the more you need to give.  It doesn’t make sense.  I’ve heard “It’s better to give than to receive.” my whole life, but I didn’t get it.  I think the truth is that it is better to create than to receive.  I’ve given lots many times and it didn’t make a hole.  Only when I create and give my art away does it touch my soul.

Maybe that’s the secret.  We’re all wandering around buying stuff to try to make us happy, but the real fulfillment comes from art.  Make yourself create something.  Ask someone to create some art for you.  We need to practice our art more.  I need to practice my art more.  I also need you to practice your art more.

Make something and give it away.  Then do it again.  And again.  And again.

What is your art?  Is your art preparing dinner for your family?  Is your art what you do at work?  Is your art comforting a child?  Is your art fixing a car?  It doesn’t matter what it is.  What matters is that it’s your art and you create it and you give it away.

What art have you been avoiding?  What can you create and give?

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Book Review: Living Beyond Rich by Jen McDonough

Posted on December 4, 2012 by

Living Beyond Rich is a fabulous book detailing the journey Jen McDonough and her family took to get out of debt (to the tune of $150,000) while also paying for some significant medical issues.  The prevailing message is that if they can do it, so can you!

Living Beyond Rich

Jen starts out describing her life as one of living the dream.  They knew how to handle money.  They weren’t “those” people that have money problems.  What they discovered through a series of unfortunate events was that they were broke and inches away of complete breakdown.

If there was a place to borrow money, they used it to the max.  Credit cards, 2nd mortgage, Personal loans, credit lines, 401k loans.

How did they get out of debt?  They had an “I’ve had it!” moment.  Their son was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and they were hopeful to get that under control.  They entered him into a research study that required several overnight trips to Denver for treatment.  They resolved to make it happen.  They knew it was time to get under control.

Jen and her husband Bob both worked full time and each had a part time job.  On top of that, they would do short term temporary work, odd jobs, and anything else they could do to increase their income.  They had a big hole to fill and needed a bigger shovel.

Throughout this whole ordeal, they learned how to manage their time to be able to reach their goals.  This is a hard skill to master, but once you have, it can be used anywhere for anything.  They were intentional about how they spent their money and their time. The journey is not over yet.  There are still goals to be met, but that’s how it should be.

Jen has a very engaging writing style and her personality shines through.  She genuinely wants to live a life that is full of fun, awesomeness, prosperity, and joy.

Aside from the McDonough family story, you’ll find short stories from several other people who have made the journey to debt freedom, and a whole bunch of tips and advice to help you complete your journey.

As a family that has been on the free side of the debt wall for a few years now, I can tell you that the hard work is worth it.  The world opens up with new possibilities when you have the freedom to choose.  When you have debt, you are at the mercy of your creditors.  They hold the cards.  When you kick them out, you hold the cards.  Play them as you wish.

Pick up your electronic copy of Living Beyond Rich by clicking here.  Or, if you’d prefer an autographed copy, click here.

Jen McDonough live in Lindstrom, Minnesota with her husband, 4 kids, and 2 dogs.  She’s a motivational storyteller and Ironman Triathlete.  Visit her website at http://www.TheIronJen.com.  Follow her on Twitter @TheIronJen

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Gifts for your outdoor cook

Posted on December 3, 2012 by

The Christmas season is upon us.  We’ve survived Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  Are you still trying to come up with something to give your outdoor cook?  Here are some ideas.

  • Start the grillWood chips are a great gift.  They can be used on a gas grill, charcoal grill, electric grill, or in a barbecue pit.  They also come in several different varieties, so you can go with their favorite or try something entirely new.
  • Charcoal.  As a charcoal griller, I can use a lot of this stuff pretty quickly and it’s always nice to have a backup supply.
  • Gift card for the local butcher.  I tend to have more time than meat.  Get a gift card and your cook might splurge on a fancier steak or a new cut.
  • Seasonings, marinades, and rubs.  I’m always willing to give a new seasoning a try.  They are inexpensive and can make a huge difference in the outcome of a meal.
  • Thermometer.  Thermometers are indispensable for the outdoor cook.  Good barbecue depends on temperature control.  The right amount of heat makes the difference between crispy wings and soggy, oil-laden ones.  Try a remote probe thermometer, a classic meat thermometer, or even an infrared beam thermometer.  All good choices.
  • Specialized tools.  Sometimes the best tool for the job is one specifically designed to do that job.  I prefer multitaskers, but sometimes the unitasker is the way to go.  Example:  Meatrakes.  You can use forks to shred meat, but it takes a while.  With Meatrakes, it can be done in a couple of minutes.

There are lots of great gifts for your outdoor cook.  If it helps them produce more great tasting food in the outdoors, it’s a great gift.

One more idea:  If you really want to get some bang for your buck, you could give my special BBQ and Grilling Gift Set.  They are in limited supply, so buy now or forever hold your peace.  :)

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