CSA

CSA
Originally uploaded by natalieandtom

So we decided to join a CSA this year. I spent a little time researching it, and finally settled on the New Century CSA in Circleville, Ohio. Aside from the awesome variety of veggies, what sold me on the idea completely was that one of the owners graduated from Asbury too - so I knew we were getting into this with good folks! :)

This picture is one weeks haul (minus the onions and bananas hiding in the back). I have been utterly amazed all summer at the quality of produce, the amount of variety and the TASTINESS of it all! We've experimented with all different kinds of veggies that we'd never have just bought at the store (i.e. okra) - and have definitely settled into a good habit of eating lots and lots of veggies. I am going to be very sad when the season ends. Good thing there's like 8 weeks left!

The best part is that it ended up being like $14 a week - which is far less than we would have spent buying all these goodies at the store!!

Chaco's - YAY!

I've had my Chaco Chong sandals since our honeymoon over 6 years ago. And as soon as the weather breaks every spring, they become my "worn-most-often" pair of shoes. I was saddened recently when I discovered that I was finally beginning to wear through the soles. I was, however, EXTREMELY happy to find that I could just ship them back to Chaco and have them resoled! The footbeds and the straps have plenty of life left in them, and now it's like I have a brand new pair!!! I am slightly sad that the company has moved all of its production to China, but they do their repairs at their facility in CO, which is pretty cool. So even though I'm wearing "made in China" soles on my "made in Colorado" Chaco's - I'm ok with it. I saved them from going into the landfill!!! And now that they're back from being repaired, I'm on the hunt for another pair on ebay to offer new life to them as well - so maybe I won't wear these out quite so quickly...not that 6 years is quick, but a girl's got to have options!

Awesome!

And here is yet another reason to enjoy a little Makers and Coke:



http://greenbiz.com/news/2008/07/03/makers-mark-bourbon-waste





Please drink responsibly! (and now that has more than one meaning!)

Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics

The new Death Cab song "I Will Possess Your Heart" is being played rather regularly here in C-bus (and no doubt will become "overplayed" to some). At first I thought it was a decent song, kept trying to place the guys voice (Postal Service, duh!), and then the other morning driving to work I heard it in an entirely different light. It was like God was saying to me "This is my song to you." It sounds so trivial when I type this out - but it really hit me hard in the car. So I started listening more closely to the lyrics. It's an amazing song....

I Will Possess Your Heart
Death Cab For Cutie

How I wish you could see the potential of you and me
It’s like a book elegently bound but in a language that you can’t read just yet

You gotta spend some time with me and I know that you’ll find love
I will possess your heart

There are days when outside your window I see my reflection as I slowly pass
And I long for this mirrored perspective when we’ll be lovers, lovers at last

You gotta spend some time with me and I know that you’ll find love
I will possess your heart

You reject my advances and desparate pleas
I won’t let you let me down so easily
You gotta spend some time with me and I know that you'll find love
I will possess your heart

The War is Raging

It's been a while since I've posted. And this is going to be a break from the usual eco-friendly battle I've been waging. I didn't want to post sooner, for fear of reprisals in the area to be discussed. If at any point I'm vague, and you want more details, please send me a message, and I'll see what I can do.

By now, hopefully, you've all heard about the violence that has and continues to erupt in Kenya. While the US media tends to brush this under the rug (don't get me started), it is very real, and many many lives are being lost, disrupted, and put in jeopardy. While I hold my own views as to why these events are not being covered daily, or even hourly, by our lovely media outlets - I think it's pretty much summed up in this - What does Kenya give to the US? What interests do we have there? There is no oil, they're not exporting "valuables" to us, and the long and the short of it is - they're poor.

The background for this post is this - I worked with someone in the late 90's who was from Kenya. He is a terrific man of God. We lost touch for a while, but a year or so ago I got back in touch with him. He is now married, has a beautiful 7 year old, and is serving at a mission through a recognized international mission agency. The project is geared towards AIDS orphans, as well as providing training and livlihoods for young adults in the region. This project is in the heart of where the violence is taking place, and while, so far, their losses have been material only, those serving there are putting themselves in harms way daily.

My friend risked his life to transport his wife and daughter into neighboring Uganda. I do not tell you this for the oohs and aahs about his bravery. I tell you this so you can understand the gravity of the situation there. So you can understand his heartache at being separated from his family to continue serving Jesus in a very troubled nation, and serving people that so desperately need Jesus. So you can see that this is not temporary - but that the violence continues, and people's lives are being drastically changed.

The point of this post is this - get on your knees and pray about this. Look up information for yourselves about what's going on there. I'm standing firmly with my friend in the belief that as Luke 18:27 says: And he said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” KJV. God is waiting to move in Kenya - in fact, I'm convinced He already is moving. We need to remain faithful to those who are putting themselves in the path of this destruction to continue to serve the weakest, those who need him most. We can not, like our media, brush this aside and pretend that it doesn't exist. IT DOES. The violence is real. The destruction is real. Those who are in the midst of it are real. Not just figments of our imagination, half a world away.

Now - for my "apology" - I, in no way, wish to detract from the many things that those of you are praying for. I, in no way, wish to minimize the plights of others in different parts of this world. Kenya is on my heart, and it's on my heart to get as many people as possible praying for the people there. So please do not be offended at my request.