Step #4

If you're someone who is also my Facebook friend, you've recently seen that my 2-year-old took the keys off of my laptop this week. I've managed to fix everything except the space bar. So, if you try to read my blog hearing my voice, today, the typing sounds like.I'm.punctuating.every.word.I.write.

Let's start talking about Step #4. It's the hardest step. Research and decide what your strengths are and where you can do the most good. A friend this week offered this advice: Pick 3 causes, and stick with just those three (Refugees, Civil Liberties, and Human Trafficking are mine... for now.... I think). I also needed to narrow down my sources of information. I picked one Internet action website (Moveon.org), one print media source (The Chicago Tribune), and one radio source (NPR).

And then there's the honest assessment of how I can help. In November, I started planning massive, sweeping neighborhood and national projects. I wanted to make blankets for kids in hospitals, CareBoxes on our streets for homeless people, a dinner for our neighbors who live alone...... also, it was Christmas so I had also to do all the Christmas things. I've backed WAY down since then.

Things I can do:
~make phone calls
~send letters
~show up to one thing a month (if it doesn't require a babysitter)

That's it right now. Because I have a job, and kids, and I do a lot of things for my church women's group. I'm tired a lot of days. So Step #4 is really about creating a filter for incoming information, and assessing what parts of your life you can use for causes. Life is SO overwhelming right now for EVERYONE. Step #4 takes time, and it's hard. But then you can feel amazing to work on Step #5 next!!