For the last several years, I've had many of my things stored in the house I formerly lived in (due to the graciousness of my former housemate!). One of the things I really wanted to do in Maryland was to go through it. I planned to give much of it away and catalog what I kept so I no longer wonder what I have and will be aware before buying duplicates.
I think having stuff I use is fine, but especially stuff just being stored can be a burden. I wanted to cut my belongings down as much as I could. It ended up being a big project, but I'm really happy with the results. I got rid of about 2/3 of my stored clothes, toiletries, and etc and organized the rest, taking videos and pictures of the layers in the box for future reference:
I hope I'm not a gypsy for much longer. Regardless, living lean and simply is incredibly freeing. I still have much more than I need but this a step in the right direction!
There is something so wonderful about coming home to friends who know you well, to a place you have been really connected and where you feel loved. The majority of my adult life has been spent in Maryland and it is a wonderful place for me. I am so blessed to have many friends still here, and love the opportunity to be with them.
The traveling life has some major down sides, and the biggest one is not getting to be around consistently with those you love. I'm thankful for the grace my friends have shown to me, welcoming me home over and over and faithfully keeping in touch. Really, they make this life so much better.
One of my great friends, Emily, after or 2012 New Years Eve Bake Fest (preparing for a very fun party).
This is the first Laura Travel Adventure give away... and I'm excited because it is a great one!
I entered my blog on the Start Something That Matters site (www.startsomethingthatmatters.com) a few months ago -- anxious to read the book after it sold out at the Catalyst conference where Blake Mycoskie spoke (see this post for more on that). In true TOMS form, I received two copies of the book and agreed to read and write about it, and then give one of my copies to one of you wonderful readers. After reading the book I'm even more glad to share about it... I loved it and expect you will too.
This book is all about how to start and run a business or non-profit with passion to do good at its core. TOMS gives a pair of shoes to a child in need for every pair it sells. In the book, you read about a variety of leaders who have "done good" through all different types of entrepreneurial endeavors and advice on how to start something yourself. I found it extremely easy to read, practical, and inspiring.
So, here's the deal. I'm going to do a raffle, and literally pull a name out of a hat. To get your name in the hat, all you need to do is visit my Facebook fan page for this blog or Anda, and hit "like." If you'd like double your chances, please like both! Then just post a comment letting me know, and I'll put your name(s) in the hat!
I will post the winner in a week and will be in touch with them for their address.
One of the most memorable moments of the Catalyst conference I attended in October was (briefly) meeting Blake Mycoskie, the founder of TOMS Shoes and author of the new book, Start Something That Matters. During his on-stage interview, Blake mentioned a pain point of TOMS which set my head spinning. He has experienced difficulty maintaining a solid corporate culture as staff are becoming more culturally diverse and spread out across the world.
Click to learn more about TOMS.
I decided to write Blake a note telling him that I have experience in multi-cultural community development and would be glad to help. I gave it to him in the autograph line. Although he hasn't followed up (yet) the idea took root in my mind. If TOMS is experiencing inevitable culture clash as they work with international leaders in developing markets are other companies struggling with similar issues?
Turns out, according to business journals, news reports, and conversations with business leaders, this is a very common issue in business today as companies look to emerging markets for talent (no longer just labor).
My dad and I had already been working on how we might create a feasible model to provide requested leadership training to indigenous leaders in developing countries. Might a One for One model like TOMS' work for us too? Could we work with multi-nationals in emerging markets and then provide a pro bono or low-cost training to ministry or leaders of community development initiatives in the same area?
This was the initial catalyst for Anda, the business idea my dad and I have been working on for the last several months. It's a business with a heart of service helping local leaders in emerging markets positively impact their societies to the largest extent possible by providing character-based leadership training. Anda also seeks to help these leaders effectively work with those from the "developed" world who have a clearly defined set of standards and ethics which may be understood differently in the emerging market cultures.
I'm taking one step at a time with this and am not sure where it will lead, and in the process The TOMS story encourages me. My dream is that we will help leaders impact their own cultures by creating great businesses and great ministries which will create wealth where there has been poverty and healing where there has been brokenness.
If you're interested in this idea, check out our web site. Let me know what you think. I'd love suggestions of any kind.
And finally, check back Wednesday (the 14th) for an opportunity to win the book Start Something That Matters.
This week I was reminded how normal, expected, demanded conveniences of my American life are really luxuries. There was a problem with our water softener, and suddenly the water in our house was salty and undrinkable. Clean water is a necessity for almost everything!
Even as someone who does not have a high-paying job at the moment, I have every imaginable comfort. I live in a big warm house with a room to myself and a nice soft bed with quality linens. I have a bathroom with a toilet which takes away my waste so I don't even notice it. I can take long hot showers without worrying about using too much water and then use luxurious body creams and lotions on my skin. There is always food in the kitchen -- enough food for three quality meals snacks every day. If anything my concern is that I will have too much. Never too little.
In America we have the biggest selection of the highest quality goods and services at the lowest prices. How can I remain thankful and keep from succumbing to the notion that I deserve these things?
Friday, I went to a dance party which was to raise money for a clean water project in Africa through Partners International. I also thought about Deep Springs International, an organization which was begun by some college friends which is providing clean water in Haiti. How amazing that people in those communities can not assume that they will have the water they need.
Upon reflection, I am very thankful for water, a bed, a toilet, and food. I'm also thankful that I have been places where I didn't have some of these things (I have never gone a day without clean water). I'm thankful for those I've met who will probably never have them, and live in a more thankful posture than I do. I want to be like them.
One thought I have is that through giving we can demonstrate thankfulness for the bounty we enjoy.
We had a wonderful holiday week and weekend. Allison came home on Wednesday and we attended a beautiful church service that night, and then we had 15 people at our Thanksgiving feast. We did a lot Thursday (Thanksgiving Day) including Allison and me going to a special class at my gym (which left us sore), baking lots of food, eating and sharing thanks, and playing football (my team one) and then Settlers (I won) in the evening. It really was a great day ;-).
The pumpkin pie made from pumpkins we bought at a nearby farm! It was exceptionally good, if I do say so myself:-)
We also celebrated my wonderful mother's birthday on Saturday. It is always extra-special to celebrate my mom's birthdays as several bouts with cancer have threatened her life. We are so thankful for her.
We had homemade lattes and cranberry bread in the morning and then Qdoba in the evening before Mom, Dad, Allison and I saw The Help in a local old-school theater. I was really glad to share the movie with them since they hadn't seen it before and I expected them to like it as much as I did. Overall, it was a great day.
Aren't they cute??
(Any bragging above is intended for the eyes of Pops and Allison only)
Last night I stayed up until MIDNIGHT, so tired from my busy Thanksgiving. My sister Allison and I took Adjua, our Ghanaian sister, and several of her friends for their first Black Friday experience. We decided to go to Target when it opened at 12.
We prepped the girls with strategies for how to handle a stampede and instructed them about how to look for good sales. Since we were in it for the experience we didn't have a very good plan of what to buy.
We walked around the store in the midst of a crazy crowd. We selected a few small gifts and were in contact with the others via phone. At around 1, we began looking for the line so we could check out.
It took us about 10 minutes to find the end of the line, 2/3 of the way to the back of the store, weaving through each aisle and with a forecast of an hour to wait to check out.
We all decided it was time to go to bed. So we put everything back and went home.
