New York Seminar
I am in New York, where I taught a Beyond Abuse seminar at Brooklyn Tabernacle yesterday. The seminar was well attended and much was accomplished to help abuse survivors and others who came to better understand the dynamics of abuse. This morning, I met with the pastor of the Christian Cultural Campus in Brooklyn. This is the largest church in New York. They are very interested in what Committed to Freedom is doing. I am very tired, but this has been a good weekend. I fly home tomorrow and then leave for Georgia on Tuesday with my husband for a regional Teen Challenge conference.
www.committtedtofreedom.org
Plano, TX
I returned last night from Plano, Texas (in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area) where I gave a presentation to the wonderful leadership of St. Mark the Evangelist Catholic Church. I stayed with one of my board members and was shown such kind and gracious hospitality by her and her husband. There were funnel clouds that tormented us just after the presentation and the plane ride home was remarkably bumpy (I was on a small commuter plane). I leave tomorrow for NYC to present a Beyond Abuse seminar at Brooklyn Tabernacle. The seminar will be from 9 am to 4 pm and held in the sanctuary. I believe there is a $5 registration fee to be paid at the door.
Flying out to Texas, my heart broke. I flew from our tiny airport in Hot Springs on a plane that held only a few people. A young man was on his way back to Iraq. He is National Guard and was home for a brief R & R. By the time he gets home, his tour will be about 15 months long. His wife's eyes were swollen from grief. His two children were toddlers. The sadness in his eyes took my breath away. We spoke briefly in Texas before going our separate ways. Me to present a seminar on abuse awareness. He to war where abuse is rampant.
www.committedtofreedom.org
water hose
Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Arkansas, so I decided to do some yard work (something I NEVER do!). Today I have several bruises and swollen joints to prove it! I am about to do some travelling again, so I just wanted to be outside and doing some much needed work. My 3 year old grandson came over later in the afternoon to "help" me. He helped by watering the trees, flowers, and then me!! He chased me around the front yard with the water hose laughing so loud I thought he would explode! I got a reprieve when a neighbor drove by, and then the water hose was turned on the passing car, but not for long! We both got soaked and had such a great time together. Then, we loaded up in the car - completely soaked - and went to visit my husband who was helping a Spanish speaking congregation conduct an outreach. We drove up soggy, showed off our sogginess, and then left to get ice cream. These ARE the good old days!
www.committedtofreedom.org
175th Year
Today marks the 175th anniversary of the creation of Hot Springs National Park. This is a eclectic community and it's natural thermal springs, trees, mountains, rivers, and quirky history have been the backdrop for the development of Committed to Freedom. As many visitors come together today for this celebration, the staff of Committed to Freedom continue to work diligently to bring hope to survivors of childhood abuse. At the end of this day, I will most likely take a walk up on one of our many mountain trails and draw inspiration and strength once more from the beautiful creation of God that has become known as Hot Springs National Park.
www.committedtofreedom.org
Violence
I read the accounts of the Virginia Tech shootings, I read of the continued graphic and violent wave of online child pornography, I read of the escalation of violence in Iraq and the Middle East, it is all so very, very sad and disturbing. I'm reminded one more time of our incredible capacity for beauty as well as evil. I have the power to do only one thing to respond to the continued downward spiral - be a person of peace. In the face of abuse, violence, depravity, and war, I choose to spread peace where ever I can, when ever I can. If not me, who? If not now, when? The answers: ME and NOW.
www.committedtofreedom.org
IRS
Well, this isn't a "warm fuzzy" entry, but it is a good one. Committed to Freedom is now five years into our incorporation and we were issued a provisional 501(c)(3) ruling in the beginning of our existence (the norm for any non-profit). Yesterday, we got our permanent ruling by the IRS that we are all grown up - a continued determination that we are a 501(c)(3). So let those tax exempt donations roll in!
www.committedtofreedom.org
Easter
Today we celebrated the Resurrection of Christ! My grandson spent the weekend with us and this morning he woke up to a small green plant (to teach him about living) and an Easter bucket full of animal cracker and raisin filled plastic eggs. Later in the day, we joined family and friends for our annual Easter pot luck lunch. Great food and time together made the day wonderful. Everyone fell asleep on the floor, sofa, and recliners! The kids kept playing, hyper on sugar and new audiences! I covered my grandson with kisses and hugs, and he returned them to me. I thought as we lavished love on each other that THIS is how we worship the Resurrected Christ - by loving each other and watching that love grow and return. Happy Easter!
www.committedtofreedom.org
Maundy Thursday
I've just returned from
Maundy Thursday services where feet or hands were washed, as Christ did with his disciples just before he celebrated his "Last Supper" with his intimate friends. The choir sang a song that pulled at my heart, "In Remembrance of Me." This song is filled with great meaning for me of my early days as a Christian. I couldn't help but tear up.
As I close this day, I realized that it is now, in the Passion of the Christ 2000 years ago, the time when betrayal is taking place, abuse is taking place, horror is taking place, civil and religious
injustice is taking place, and the final moments of Christ's work on this
wretched planet are taking place. I am overwhelmed with an awareness of the deep love of my brother Christ, the ferocious love of my Creator Parent (Father God), and the deep wisdom of my maternal guide, The Holy Spirit. Tomorrow will be called "Good."
www.committedtofreedom.org
Photo Project
We are doing some major reconstruction in how things are done. With growth comes many challenges - like how do we duplicate me? How do we duplicate so many of the unique and powerful things we do during retreats? The answers to these challenges haven't come easy. One major undertaking right now is a HUGE photo project that will eventually be used during the retreats. This has channeled all the creativity of my amazing partners on staff and we're extremely energized by what's developing. We have about two weeks to finish the photos before we begin editing to place them in a context that will make sense.
www.committedtofreedom.org
Anniversary Love and Life
Yesterday, my husband and I celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary. I know it's cliche, but it seems like we began our marriage just last week as two idealistic 19 year old college students - clueless about what we were getting into. The years have flown by with speed that takes my breath away. Most of the day was spent working in our respective ministries (my husband is the director of Teen Challenge and I am the director of Committed to Freedom). We both came home a bit early and went out for dinner at a fabulous restaurant. We were stuffed from the meal and took a leisurely stroll through our historic downtown district of Hot Springs, Arkansas. As we walked, hand in hand, we saw our daughter and our grandson playing in the park near a thermal spring, and ended our romantic evening playing with two of the three greatest products of our love and life together (our son is away at college).
www.committedtofreedom.org
Palm Sunday
This weekend was disappointing and wonderful, all at the same time. My husband and I were supposed to go away for the weekend to celebrate our 34
th wedding anniversary (which is on April 3), but a situation arose that prevented us from being able to get away. We were not able to spend the time we had hoped, but did manage to have a special weekend just being together. We joined our daughter, grandson and his other grandmother for a beautiful Palm Sunday service. There was a donkey and a singing church choir who led a processional around the block and then back into the sanctuary. We all had palm branches and waved them as we followed the donkey and his singing friends. Our grandson wore his cool new sunglasses and was able to convince my husband to carry him for the entire procession. About mid-procession, the donkey decided he had enough and just stopped walking. We were all stalled for a moment, but then the choir started moving and singing again and we all passed up the little donkey, petting his nose as we continued. It was a great start to Holy Week.
www.committedtofreedom.org
