December 24
Clean house, open heart
I’m waiting for my husband to get back from picking up my in-laws at the airport. My house is never so clean as right before they arrive. Cleaning the stove itself was a 4.5 hour project involving three different (nontoxic) cleaners, about six different scrubby sponges and a toothbrush for in between the buttons. Obviously, I’m putting too much pressure on myself. Will they love me any less if they open the closet in the Room of Lost Hope and see where I’ve stashed all the lost hope so I could vacuum? Will they love me any more if they see how artfully I’ve stacked and nested my Tupperware instead of just throwing it in the cupboard?
In short, what’s up with me being all neurotic? Time to turn outward. Think about others. Get in the spirit, you know.
So instead of dusting the door jambs, I’ve been doing my end of year giving and thinking about our wonderful partners. You might not know that you can dedicate 5% of your fair trade, eco-friendly purchase at www.globalsistergoods.com to a great cause. Among them:
Women’s Earth Alliance unites women on the frontlines of environmental justice causes by coordinating training, technology, and financial support for thriving communities and Earth.
Stoveteam International Solving medical and environmental problems by bringing fuel-efficient Ecocina stoves to the world. Indoor air pollution is one of the leading causes of death of children under five in the world. It kills more children than malaria.
Hands to Hearts International is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the health and well-being of orphaned and vulnerable children and economically disadvantaged women around the globe.
Rural Development Institute is an international nonprofit organization working to secure land rights for the world’s poorest people, those 3.4 billion chiefly rural people who live on less than $2 a day, mainly women.
Dress for Success promotes the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support and the career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.
The Northwest Mother’s Milk Bank is raising money to create a functioning milk bank in Oregon, which will collect, pasteurize and distribute donor human milk to meet medical needs.
Please consider supporting one of these fine organizations. Know an organization that should be on our list? Let us know!