It’s optimistic, inspiring and creative. I love this Discovery Channel commercial… it’s time to explore… more.
Archive for November, 2009|Monthly archive page
Being Thankful
In Educational, Spirituality on November 25, 2009 at 18:29
Thanksgiving has been a long-standing American tradition. The pilgrims first celebrated Thanksgiving in the early 17th century to “give thanks” to God and celebrate a plentiful harvest. Now, Thanksgiving has little to do with giving thanks to a creator and more to do with turkey, which wasn’t even around during the first feast, and football, which I thoroughly enjoy. Like many traditions and holidays, we’ve shifted focus away from any “god” and placed it more or less on ourselves.
I don’t think it’s wrong to appreciate humanity- ourselves and loved ones. I think it’s healthy and wise as a lot of unity, compassion, and self-esteem stems from being grateful for who we are and what we have. However, for me, as much as my thankfulness is with regard to humanity, it also consists of a deeper gratitude extended toward a creator. I believe appreciation for some thing, or some one, greater actually increases appreciation for the seemingly “smaller things.” It does, however, depend on how you view the “some thing greater.” Our ability to be thankful is dependent on our perception of God and our place in this great universe.
How we view our Creator determines our view of creation. In other words, if I think God is a big, grey bearded man, who bitterly sits on a throne and waits for humanity to make a mistake so he can punish them, then my view of creation will likely stem from a place of apathy. I’ll care less about the environment, and the people within that environment because God is just waiting to punish. If I don’t see God as being grateful and loving toward creation, then I too will lose a sense of gratitude and love toward creation. Nevertheless, if I see God as a loving and compassionate creator who is madly in love with all of creation, then I will see creation with those same “eyes.” If I acknowledge that God, the everlasting and all powerful, values me and my fellow neighbor more than I ever could, then who am I to not place value on either? Who am I not to be grateful for all I’ve been given and for all that I am?
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and so is love, gratitude and thanksgiving. Yet how much more gratitude can the eye of the beholder have if she understands that she is beheld as beautiful and lovable in the eye of the creator of beauty, thankfulness, and love?
Coffee Tips
In Educational, Environment, Tips on November 19, 2009 at 17:46
Coffee is the most popular beverage worldwide with over 400 billion cups consumed each year. It’s estimated that 52% of the American adult population (age 18+) drink some type of coffee beverage on a daily basis, averaging about 3.2 cups per day. If you’re like many Americans you purchase a “cup of joe” on the way in to work. If you do the math, as well as the trash, it all adds up.
Depending on what type of coffee beverage you drink, you’re likely paying upwards to $5.00 a day for 5 days a week at 52 weeks a year. This roughly comes out to $1,300 a year. Using the same math, we can calculate that 260 cups are tossed in the trash or nearly 3 pounds of waste per person. That’s a lot of waste when you consider amount of regular daily coffee drinkers there are!
What you can do:
Bring your own cup to the coffee shop next time you go. Not only will you get a discount at most coffee shops, you’ll reduce the amount of waste going into our landfill. Now go get caffeinated!
The Universal Declaration of Human Rights
In Educational, Politics, Social Justice on November 11, 2009 at 04:11
The United States is one of the greatest countries to live in. I really believe that. I know it’s not perfect, but it offers people an amazing amount of rights and securities that are not otherwise afforded in many places throughout the world (My recent article “Fair Trader” goes into more detail regarding these rights). We have the Bill of Rights and the Constitution as a moral compass for Human Rights development in our country, and even if you don’t agree with the development that occurs (or lack thereof), you can speak out in protest or even build a case in a court of law. That’s not bad… but there is better.
I recently ran across the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights and was stunned. The amount of detail it provides in comparison to any piece of legislation we have on the issue is amazing. Check it out: Universal Declaration of Human Rights
I know it’s a bit long, but just try reading a couple articles and see how it compares to your own thinking. Do you agree with their statements? Do you automatically default into “what it would cost” with regard to money? Do any statements make you uncomfortable? If so, why? What do you think the world would look like if these were actual rights for all people?
It’s a great document. Now, if only the UN had the authority to uphold it.
