You can’t wait for the world to change,
YOU must do something about it
Stay with the video all the way to the end - it's worth it!!
We can all make a difference if we work together!
So you want to help the environment but think there’s not much you can do?
Rubbish!
Below is a list of just ten things you can do in and around your home that will help.
1. Take a four minute power shower
2. Take reusable bags with you when you go shopping
3. Turn off lights and appliances at the switch when not in use
4. Sign up to Green Power with your electricity supplier
5. Buy the most energy and water efficient appliances you can afford
6. Put your food or plant scraps in the compost or worm farm
7. Look for products without unnecessary packaging
8. Walk, cycle or use public transport when you can – and leave the car at home
9. Grow plants native to your area in your garden
10. Go green when you clean
Read the entire article from "Sustainables" HERE - it has click throughs that explains each item on the list
Here are some interesting facts:
Kaank'uun is a Mayan name that means “nest of viper snakes” (yikes!)
Cancun was a desolate island inhabited by a small group of Mayan fishermen.
In the 1970’s the Mexican Government decides to build a tourist destination funded by a 27-million dollar loan from the Inter-American Development Bank. During the 70’s there were hardly any tourists in Mexico.
Today Cancun has over 27,522 hotel rooms operations, hundreds of bars and restaurants, exclusive golf courses, marinas, eco parks, museums, shopping centers, cultural richness, entertainment, and more.
Here's a montage of my best shots from my photo shoots in Mexico - Sit down, relax and ENJOY!
Here's one of our Charity Projects we are partnering with while we're in Mexico. The town of Akumal has organized a Toy Drive every Jan. 6th in honor "Three Kings Day" - here's more info from their website:
"Día de los Reyes Magos, “Three Kings Day” or “Epiphany”, is the most special day of the year for children throughout Mexico, and historically portrays the arrival of the Wise Men in Bethlehem bringing gifts to baby Jesus.
However, many children in the Mayan rural villages have never experienced the joy of receiving a toy from the Reyes Magos. Help us change this!!
This past January 6th, vacationers brought a toy to donate, money was collected to buy toys, and over 500 children received a special gift from the Reyes Magos which they normally would not have." 
If you would like to be part of this project, we would be happy to shop for you while we're down there and deliver your toy(s) to Akumal. (We are not taking toys with us. Instead we will purchase them while we're down there because the American dollar is pretty high right now AND because of the high cost of taking extra luggage on the airline.)
Let me know if you're interested in participating and I will take care of the rest! Message me at revolutionchick@comcast.net .
The kids will be soooooo happy and grateful for your support - you can make their day and let them know they are loved with just $5 or $10!! 
Akumal Toy Drive web page - http://www.akumaltoydrive.com/index.htm
God of our yesterdays, our today, and our tomorrows.Cody begins an amazing journey today - he is going on a wilderness adventure with Outward Bound. He will be flying (by himself - yikes) to Colorado and living out in the snow, climbing mountains and snowboarding down them for the next 9 days with a group of guys he's never met before.
I must be crazy, right?! Well, no, although I have thought that myself. I just believe that if you help a kid focus in on what they really love and what they're good at, they will be more successful in finding their life purpose and become contributing members of society.
Cody has shown a lot of interest in pursuing wilderness adventure for a career and he thinks he wants to live in Colorado, so for his 16th birthday and Christmas, we decided to send him on this journey to see if he really does love it and want to pursue it. It's not a vacation - it's far from it - Outward Bound teaches them leadership, team work, service, and solitude. The kids are unplugged from everything they are used to and thrown into the great outdoors to experience life in a whole different way. I can't wait to see what he learns and how he grows from this! Check out the videos to learn more.
Video - Facebook users click HERE to view
Cody will be back Thursday, Jan. 7 - would you please pray for him while he's gone. And while you're at it, you could pray for me too because even though I'm so excited he gets this opportunity, I am extremely nervous and on edge.
Here's his schedule:
Monday - Travel to Chicago with Mom and Dad - have a family day
Tuesday - Fly out of Midway to Denver - stay overnight in a hotel by himself (yikes)
Wednesday - Outward Bound picks him up in the a.m. - they travel 3 hours into the mountains
Thursday & Friday - Training at Copper Canyon resort - they will learn everything they need to know and will practice carrying all of their gear on their backs. This will be the last time during the trip they get to use ski lifts!
Friday thru Tuesday - Living out in the mountains. One of these days will be used for solitude. The kids actually set up their own camp and stay by themself for a day to reflect and be quiet. The counselors constantly rotate between them, but stay back and only interact if they need help. GULP!
Wednesday - Traveling back home ALL DAY LONG!
Thursday - Back at home with his happy Mom!
www.outwardbound.org
This story below was written by Nancy Gavin and originally published in the December 14, 1982 issue of Woman's Day magazine.
Have you seen the commercial for TOMS Shoes on TV yet? Blake McCoskie started TOMS shoes because he wanted to operate a business that makes a difference in the world. For every pair of shoes TOMS sells, another pair is hand delivered and placed on the feet of a child in need. It’s an amazing story and you can see that at the bottom of the page.
So what doe
s that have to do with me??
TOMS shoes has inspired me to “take a leap of faith” and start a business doing what I love and what I’m good at, while at the same time raising money to help empower women, children and families.
I have just debuted a line of hand made jewelry that includes great inspirational messages and charms. I’ve also released some of my photography, but what makes it different are the motivational quotes that are beautifully placed into the picture. All of my products would make lovely and thoughtful gifts this holiday season.
The BEST part is that 50% of the proceeds from my Inspirational Jewelry and Photo Art line go directly to missions and humanitarian work that really will make a difference in someone’s life. Check out my new store at
www.livehappy4life.com
Will you help me make this dream come true? Please shop here this holiday season and forward this to anyone you think might be interested!!
(If you are in the South Bend/Mishawaka area, you can pick the items up and save shipping. There is a form on every item that lets you skip the shipping charges – please fill that one out if you place an order.)
Facebook users click HERE to view the video or go directly to the blog
If you’re interested here are links to what I am raising money for:
* Sonnyvilla – the local charity that I support – http://www.sonnyvilla.org/
* Kiva – an awesome organization that gives micro loans to entrepreneurs who are in great need – http://www.kiva.org/
* The Rajski Mexico Mission – I’ll be teaching some women in Mexico how to make jewelry and start their own business this winter – you can read more about the trip at http://lanetteonmission.blogspot.com/2009_09_01_archive.html
ADVENT: The coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important
I've been wondering lately why I've been getting so irritated at the stores and all of the craziness that is involved with Christmas. Yesterday, it finally all made sense. I've been studying Advent a little and am finding that advent means "to prepare for the coming of something extremely important".
It seems to me that the only thing that seems important when you open the paper, surf the net, or turn on the TV is the commercialism and craziness of the season. Budgets are blown, people are stressed out, Mom's are overworked, and the noise and chaos of it all is deafening. There's so much insanity that it's hard to see and remember what it is we are celebrating...
We are celebrating Christ's birth . . . the day that God came to be with us because he loves us so much.
The advent season (the 4 Sunday's before Christ's birth) is meant for us to prepare for the coming of Christ. To think about how desperate we are for his love and light in this dark world. To remember and acknowledge what God has done for us. To serve others and spread the light of Christ to everyone we know.
The celebration part of Christmas doesn't start until Christmas day - the day Christ was born.
THAT was the missing piece for me . . . no wonder it all gets to me so much that I want to run away to an island, put some lights around a palm tree and just be on the beach singing and spending time with my God and my close family and friends. It's all too crazy! It's like 3 months of insanity leading up to Christmas.
(O come, O come Immanuel . . . we need a savior . . . we need your light)
Let's stop the insanity . . . it was never supposed to be like this. This season is a time for reflection, preparation and spreading light and love . . . will you commit with me to simplify, cut back, rest and prepare?
What would it be like to simplify and get back to the Christmas basics?
What steals your joy at Christmas time?
What consumes you?
What do you want your focus to be this Advent season?
Tulum, Mexico
I was so lucky to get this beautiful shot of an adorable little Mayan girl walking on the beach behind her Daddy. They were out for a Sunday stroll and the sight of them walking the beach together was a beautiful moment that took my breath away.
Motivating Underachievers Part I: When Your Child Says "I Don't Care" (read the entire artcile by James Lehman here) Following is a condensed version.
The first thing to understand about teens and pre-teens who seem to have no motivation is this simple truth: It's impossible to have no motivation. Everybody is motivated—it just depends on what they’re motivated to do.
I think it's helpful to see that rather than being unmotivated, these kids are actually motivated to not perform and to resist their parents. In other words, they’re motivated to do nothing.
Think of lack of motivation as an action problem—and the action is to resist. These kids are making excuses; they’re pushing their parents away. At school, they’re motivated to resist studying and homework. Once you realize that your adolescent is motivated to do nothing. “I don’t care” is their magic wand and their shield—it takes off pressure and makes them feel in control all at the same time. The words “I don’t care” empower them. Frankly, you can't make your child care. Let’s be honest, the old saying, “You can bring a horse to water, but you can't make him drink” is true. But understand that while we can’t make our kids drink, we can certainly try to make them thirsty.
9 Ways to Get through to Your Underachieving Child or Teen
Look at What Your Child Likes: Make a point of observing what your child likes and enjoys now. Look at his actions—if he watches a lot of TV, plays on the computer, if he likes video games or texting, you know what he likes. Ask yourself: does he like going to the movies? Does he like going fishing? Does he like taking walks? Take an inventory of the things he enjoys and write it all down on a piece of paper. Later, you can use these things as incentives.
Take the Goodies out of His Room: If you have a child who holes up in his bedroom, the computer should be in the living area—and if he's going to use it, he should be out there with other people. He also shouldn’t have a TV or video games in his room, and if he’s not performing, don’t let him have his cell phone, either.
Make Sure everything is Earned Each Day: Hold unmotivated kids accountable. Make sure everything is earned. Life for these guys should be one day at a time. They should have to earn video games every day. And how do they earn them? By doing their homework and chores. They earn their cell phone today and then start over tomorrow. Let me be clear: for these kids, Mom should hold the phone.
Have Conversations about What Your Child Wants: Sit down with your child and say “So what kind of car would you like to have? Do you like Jeeps?” Try to get him to talk about what he'd like. You can say things like, “Just think, some day you're going to have your own place. What kind of place would you like?” That's the type of thing you use to motivate adolescents because that's what is real to them: they want to get an apartment, they want to have a girlfriend or boyfriend, they want to get a car. So have conversations about what it takes to attain those things. And don’t forget, it’s a mistake to give your teen or pre-teen lectures when you want them to do something—instead, make them see that completing their responsibilities is in their best interests, because it leads to the life they’d like to have in the future.
Don’t Shout, Argue, Beg or Plead: If you’re shouting, you're just letting your child know that he’s in control. Here’s the truth: when people start shouting, it means they've run out of solutions. Arguing, pleading, and trying to get your teen to talk about how they feel is not very effective when they’re using withholding as a relationship strategy.
“It Matters to Me.” I think parents have to be very clear and tell their children that what they do matters to them. Personalize it by saying, “It matters to me. I care about you. I want you to do well. I can't make you do it and I won't force you. But it matters to me and I love you.”
By the way, when I tell parents to personalize it by saying “It matters to me,” that doesn’t mean you should take it personally. Taking something personally means believing that your child’s inappropriate behavior is directed at you. It’s not—in reality, it’s their overall strategy to deal with the stresses of life.
Stop Doing Your Child’s Tasks for Him: “Learned helplessness” is when people learn that if they don’t do something, someone will step in and do it for them—and it’s a very destructive pattern. As a parent, it’s important to stop doing things that he needs to do for himself. Don’t do his homework—let him do it. You can be available for help if necessary, but don’t take on his tasks. I believe one of the most important things an adolescent has to learn is independence, and if you take on his responsibilities, you’re robbing him of this chance to develop.
Learn How to Be a Coach: Let’s face it: it's often sports coaches who get the most out of our kids. It’s their job to help kids want to improve their skills. So the coach learns a little bit about each of his players. A good coach is not constantly saying, “You’re great, you’re the best, you’re a superstar!” Rather, they always keep their athletes looking forward by complimenting them on the specifics of their progress. Always keep your child looking forward. Comment on his or her progress instead of telling them how great they are when they haven’t put forth much of an effort.
Set Deadlines and Use Structure: Tell your child clearly when to do chores and schoolwork—and when you want them done by. “Do your chores from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m., and then you'll have free time until dinner. And during free time, you can do whatever you want to do.”
It’s important for parents to realize that being an underachiever gives your child a sense of control and power, because then he doesn't have to worry about the anxiety of failure or meeting challenging responsibilities. Once you start to achieve, people expect more of you. Kids feel this quite powerfully and they don't have much defense against it. So you'll often see that when people start expecting more of these kids, they fall apart.
A kid who's an underachiever is motivated to do less—or to do nothing—because it gives him a sense of power and it gets him out of the stress of having to meet responsibilities. Your job as a parent is to help him by coaching him to meet those responsibilities in spite of his anxiety, fear or apathy.
Awesome Video that'll get you going on a Monday morning!
Facebook users click HERE to watch video
Watch this whenever you're feeling defeated and I guarantee you'll get your mojo back!
Inspired by a true story.
I wonder how this compassionate response affected the boy's life??
I wonder what would have happened if he was yanked off the stage, scolded and humiliated?
What could you learn from the pianist that you can apply to your every day life - not just for children, but for anyone?
Video from http://www.values.com/
