Ok, so my honorary niece's baptism is less than 24 hours away and I am still stuck on what kind of message to write in her card. Yeah, I know that she is only 8 months old and can't read yet, but I would like to say something meaningful that she can read later on in life. My gift is already a bit unconventional. So I figured if I write out the reason for the gift I chose then maybe I can figure out what to say.
First, it took me a while to figure out what to get her. I am not a godparent so the typical baptism gifts aren't appropriate for me to get. I hear that getting the baby Certificates of Deposit or starting education funds are now popular gifts. Well, I don't have the money for that. So needless to say I was having a really hard time with this, because I really didn't want to show up empty-handed tomorrow (although, my friend wouldn't care anyway since my showing up would be gift enough). So, after much debating I decided to purchase a flock of chicks through Heifer International.
Heifer International, for those of you who don't know, is a nonprofit organization that works internationally to end hunger and poverty. The general idea about the program goes like this: Heifer gives animals (through donations) to an impoverish family somewhere around the world. Heifer teaches the family how to take care of the animals and the environment. The family then is able to use the by-products of the animal to either feed themselves or earn income to help send children to school or other basic needs that ordinarily wouldn't be obtainable otherwise. And, as part of the contract for receiving the animal, that family would have to show the same generosity by giving another family the offspring of their Heifer animal and teach them how to take care of it. Therefore, an entire village or town could eventually become self-sufficient. Also, the people in that town or village could reside in peace since they wouldn't be starving or too poor to meet other basic needs.
My thinking is how cool would it be to tie the start of her spiritual journey to this. After all isn't that what Jesus was really getting at with his lessons about loving your neighbor as you would yourself. For me, the most important lesson Jesus ever gave to the world is the Golden Rule: In everything do to others as you would have them do to you. (Mk 7:12) This lesson really sums up the many ways Jesus teaches about how love should be the center of all you do. And, the other thing that I find so appealing about this lesson is that anyone, regardless of religious practice, can apply this in their everyday life. So maybe if everyone applied this simple but not-so-simple rule to their everyday activities, we might not have war, racism, sexism (or other "isms" for that matter), or live in fear, intolerance, greed that plague people in general.
So, my thinking is that if I can figure out an eloquent way to word how this donation ties into Jesus' teachings, then I can contribute in a small way to the foundation of my honorary niece's spiritual journey.
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Geez, Time Does Fly
Ok, so it's been over a year since I posted on this blog. It has been a very challenging year for me, and it has not been until now that I feel that I can actually discuss what has been going on.
This past year, I've took a lower paying job, joined a church, and haven't progressed further towards my doctorate degree. You're probably saying to yourself, WTF? Danielle is using so sure about what she is doing. The problem is that I've felt like I have been floating around without a net. No purpose, no plan, no nothing (yes, I just used a double negative).
I quit my job as Director of Operations in February of this year. In the shortest amount of words possible, the last few months of my employment turned into a living nightmare. My work environment was a toxic one for me and I knew that I no longer was doing my best work. So, I finally had enough and left. Someone, who has known me for years, had recruited me to his place of employment and it was the only decent lead I had in a very long job search. I now find myself back working in my previous line of work: mental health.
I now work for Kadima Jewish Social Services as a Case Coordinator (aka - case management). I never thought I would end up back in this line of work, and wasn't too entirely convinced that I made the right decision when I starting working for Kadima. Actually, now that I think about it, I sobbed on my first day of work. I was back working in mental health (a field that I was trying to leave behind when I got my master's degree) and was getting the paid the lowest ever since graduating with my bachelor's degree in 2001. To top things off... there was no orientation about the job; since I had completed all of my employment paperwork prior to my first day, there was nothing for me to do; no one was available to even give me a tour of the place because all of my supervisors came back from vacation the day I started...let's just say it wasn't a good first day. I also had to shadow one of my co-workers who complained about everything (which I found out later that this is what he does and it drives everyone crazy). So, as I was leaving the building, I bumped into one of the group home mangers. Since this is a small organization, it was obvious that I was new. The group home manager must of saw the look on my face as I was leaving the building for the day because she told me, "Trust me. It doesn't seem like it, but you will like working here. It was only the first day."
It took longer than the first day to come to terms with my new job. I was looking for employment during the first few months of being at Kadima. After being ignored or being told "you have impressive skills and education, but you are not what we are looking for", I decided the time wasn't right to look for a new job and now trying to make the best of things while working at Kadima. Some opportunties have opened while working with Kadima. I am back doing art therapy with adults with chronic mental illnes ontop of my case coordination duties. The Kadima clients love the art therapy class since I am teaching them more than how to do crafts. Also, I am providing one of the few opportunties for the clients to be in control of a group (making it their own). So it's a good feeling.
Opportunties outside of Kadima have also presented themselves as well. This past winter (a few months prior to leaving my previous job), I started to attend Unity of Farmington Hills which was previously known as Church of Today West. As implied in the title, the church is affiliated with the Associated of Uniy Churches. The church is much different than my catholic upbringing and my experiences with Unitarian-Universalist Church (no relationship with Unity). After searching for a congregation, I feel that I finally found my spiritual home. The philosophy of the church matches my own beliefs about Christianity and its role in my life. Attending this church has opened some opportunties for me as well. I participate on the Communications Team which works on recuriting new membership, name branding, and many other things. Through my participation on this committee, it has open doors for me to use my academic study of nonprofit business. I start some consultation work for the church this Tuesday since the church is going through change (attempting to grow from a small church to a bigger one). I've also connected with a woman who is starting her nonprofit and needs guidence in how to get it set up and running. While both consultation jobs are pro-bono, I will get the much needed experience.
For more information on Unity, you can go to: http://www.unityonline.org/
Lastly, the lack of movement on doctorate school. Yes, I will admit that I have not moved much in this area. That is changing. While I am on vacation this week, I am working on a long-range calender to move things along. Because as so many people have told me, "You need to get back in school." Once vacation is over on Thursday, I will have the majority of my plan completed in getting back to school. I have decided that part of this plan will include a regular blog of my activities. Not only will it keep you informed, but it will let me reflect on what I am doing as well.
It's been a challenging and difficult year. While this year hasn't produced what I expected, it has provided opportunties to grow none the less. Thanks to everyone that have been my cheerleaders this past year. I don't think I could have gotten through some of it with out you.
More to come...
This past year, I've took a lower paying job, joined a church, and haven't progressed further towards my doctorate degree. You're probably saying to yourself, WTF? Danielle is using so sure about what she is doing. The problem is that I've felt like I have been floating around without a net. No purpose, no plan, no nothing (yes, I just used a double negative).
I quit my job as Director of Operations in February of this year. In the shortest amount of words possible, the last few months of my employment turned into a living nightmare. My work environment was a toxic one for me and I knew that I no longer was doing my best work. So, I finally had enough and left. Someone, who has known me for years, had recruited me to his place of employment and it was the only decent lead I had in a very long job search. I now find myself back working in my previous line of work: mental health.
I now work for Kadima Jewish Social Services as a Case Coordinator (aka - case management). I never thought I would end up back in this line of work, and wasn't too entirely convinced that I made the right decision when I starting working for Kadima. Actually, now that I think about it, I sobbed on my first day of work. I was back working in mental health (a field that I was trying to leave behind when I got my master's degree) and was getting the paid the lowest ever since graduating with my bachelor's degree in 2001. To top things off... there was no orientation about the job; since I had completed all of my employment paperwork prior to my first day, there was nothing for me to do; no one was available to even give me a tour of the place because all of my supervisors came back from vacation the day I started...let's just say it wasn't a good first day. I also had to shadow one of my co-workers who complained about everything (which I found out later that this is what he does and it drives everyone crazy). So, as I was leaving the building, I bumped into one of the group home mangers. Since this is a small organization, it was obvious that I was new. The group home manager must of saw the look on my face as I was leaving the building for the day because she told me, "Trust me. It doesn't seem like it, but you will like working here. It was only the first day."
It took longer than the first day to come to terms with my new job. I was looking for employment during the first few months of being at Kadima. After being ignored or being told "you have impressive skills and education, but you are not what we are looking for", I decided the time wasn't right to look for a new job and now trying to make the best of things while working at Kadima. Some opportunties have opened while working with Kadima. I am back doing art therapy with adults with chronic mental illnes ontop of my case coordination duties. The Kadima clients love the art therapy class since I am teaching them more than how to do crafts. Also, I am providing one of the few opportunties for the clients to be in control of a group (making it their own). So it's a good feeling.
Opportunties outside of Kadima have also presented themselves as well. This past winter (a few months prior to leaving my previous job), I started to attend Unity of Farmington Hills which was previously known as Church of Today West. As implied in the title, the church is affiliated with the Associated of Uniy Churches. The church is much different than my catholic upbringing and my experiences with Unitarian-Universalist Church (no relationship with Unity). After searching for a congregation, I feel that I finally found my spiritual home. The philosophy of the church matches my own beliefs about Christianity and its role in my life. Attending this church has opened some opportunties for me as well. I participate on the Communications Team which works on recuriting new membership, name branding, and many other things. Through my participation on this committee, it has open doors for me to use my academic study of nonprofit business. I start some consultation work for the church this Tuesday since the church is going through change (attempting to grow from a small church to a bigger one). I've also connected with a woman who is starting her nonprofit and needs guidence in how to get it set up and running. While both consultation jobs are pro-bono, I will get the much needed experience.
For more information on Unity, you can go to: http://www.unityonline.org/
Lastly, the lack of movement on doctorate school. Yes, I will admit that I have not moved much in this area. That is changing. While I am on vacation this week, I am working on a long-range calender to move things along. Because as so many people have told me, "You need to get back in school." Once vacation is over on Thursday, I will have the majority of my plan completed in getting back to school. I have decided that part of this plan will include a regular blog of my activities. Not only will it keep you informed, but it will let me reflect on what I am doing as well.
It's been a challenging and difficult year. While this year hasn't produced what I expected, it has provided opportunties to grow none the less. Thanks to everyone that have been my cheerleaders this past year. I don't think I could have gotten through some of it with out you.
More to come...
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