Text of the Week

"still feeling bossy obviously."

Text of the Week

"I suppose I should be nicer and more mature..."

Text of the Week

"Hey! You would be proud of me because I am reading a book and I am reading it by choice."

Text of the Week

"Hey pretty!!! I miss you!! I was reading your blog this morning in China and I kinda decided getting text of the week is a new goal :) I guess that means I have to start sending you random texts..."

High Five for Friday

1. & 2. Not one, but TWO, of my friends became engaged women this week! Kristin, one of my roommates, was surprised by her (now) fiance Jim last Friday when she opened our front door and he was there, down on one knee, with a gorgeous rock. He drove all the way from Chicago to surprise her with his proposal. Abbye, a sweet friend from college, was also surprised when her (now) fiance proposed to her on a mountainside while on a visit to Pittsburgh to see his mom. I am beyond excited for both of these wonderful girls and their future hubbies!

3. My roommates bought some gluten-free blueberry waffles for me last week. I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed eating them for breakfast the past few days. Seriously, y'all, it really is the little things in life!

4. My boss asked me to attend a meeting for her on Wednesday because she was unable to go. At first, I wasn't sure how I felt about going to this meeting, but I am so glad I went. It was a meeting for representatives from various organizations in Philly that work with media/arts and youth. I was so encouraged by this group of incredibly passionate and dedicated individuals!

5. There's an organization in Philly called Mighty Writers, and I'm kind of obsessed with their concept. I would LOVE to work with them (or another organization like them) in the - perhaps not-so-distant - future, but for today, I'm just thankful they exist because the work they do is so valuable.

Pretty Ass White Girl

I've been called a lot of things by men (and a few women) in this city, in the name of being hit on: beautiful, sexy, good looking, fine, lovely. I've been asked if I'm married and if I'd like to be, if I will give out my phone number or take someone else's, if I'd like to "have my world rocked" or "hook up" or any number of other things. I've been referred to as vanilla and snow. And I've been looked at in ways that say more than all of it combined.

At first, encounters like these both frightened and flattered me. As much as their brazenness scared me, I also somehow received a self-esteem boost from these men. However, after a while, I started to become used to it. It just became regular, routine, old hat, nothing to write home about. I stopped noticing. 

Until recently, that is.

Last Thursday, as I walked down the street, a man looked at me (for much too long, I might add), and then said to his friend, "Mmm-hmm, that is a pretty ass white girl."

On the outside,  I laughed and shook my head, but inside, my blood boiled. Something about this encounter incensed me. What exactly was it about this particular experience that bothered me so much more than all the others? I was supposed to be used to this sort of thing by now, right? Just shake it off as part of the culture.

And then it hit me. I wasn't mad because he commented on my physical appearance. I was mad because the way in which he did it indicated that he viewed me as an object, not a person. This guy looked at me like he owned me, like it was his prerogative how long and in what way he looked at me. And then, while still looking at me, he made a judgment about me to someone else. He didn't even have the decency to speak directly to me because I didn't matter to him. It felt like when I go window shopping with my girlfriends, except in this situation, I was the dress on display.

I want to be appreciated for my intelligence, sense of humor, and passion, of course. But don't get me wrong - I like being pretty and wearing cute outfits. And I shave, wax, and wear mascara, and I fully intend to continue doing so. 

But I am not an object on display.

Men, I implore you to consider the way you view women. Most of you reading my blog are probably not the kind of guys who would ever dream of hitting on a random woman. But what's in your mind? When you see a beautiful or (in your opinion) a not so beautiful woman, do you look at her like it is your right to do so? Do you think about the way her jeans fit her butt or her dress hugs her hips? Or do you remember that she is a person with a mind and a heart? a woman who wants to be respected not ogled?

Think it about it. Inspect your mind. And be part of changing the culture.

Text of the Week

"Just a heads up... Jim and I are hanging out in our room. Not sketchy."

High Five for Friday

1. Let me break it down for you: I love eyebrow waxes. They are amazing! And I had a terrific one today. :)

2. I think the winter weather is finally ending here in Philly, and spring is on its way. The temps have been climbing this week, and this weekend is supposed to be gorgeous. 60s/70s weather is my favorite, so I'm looking forward to it!

3. Something awesome happened for a friend of mine earlier today, but it's not my news to tell, so I'll have to wait a little while to share it. I'm really excited and thankful though!

4. Adaba recently got its very first internet cafe. You may be thinking: don't you live in Philly? Yes, friend, I do. But my lovely and faithful friend Amanda lives in Adaba, a rural town in Ethiopia. And an internet cafe there means we get to talk to each other so much more often than before. What a blessing!

5. One of my roommates made homemade manicotti this week. Yes, that's right, homemade manicotti. And she made a pan of gluten-free, tomato-free just for me. Isn't that amazing?! It was delicious, btw.

Text of the Week

"I hope that you know that winning text of the week is my goal in life."

High Five for Friday

1. My friend Katie came to Philly to visit me. She's the only person who's made the trip up here since I moved, and I can't even begin to express how much it means to me. I have been so thankful to share my life here with her this week, and I will be sad to see her leave on Sunday. I am incredibly grateful for enduring friendships because they are rare.

2. I received a package today from my parents full of Easter candy! I can't wait to dig in and eat!

3. Katie and I visited NYC for a few days. It was my first time, and although we were a little too ambitious and did A LOT of walking, it was a great trip. Thanks to our friend Bethany for hosting us!

4. I found a really good and affordable sushi restaurant in Philly, Umai Royal. Katie and I tried it out yesterday for lunch, and it was delicious! If anybody wants to go to lunch on a Friday and split the three rolls for $12.50 deal, just let me know.

5. I have really enjoyed being schedule-free this week. Spring break has been just what I needed. Here's to starting the last four months of volunteer service on Tuesday.

Text of the Week

"Well you know he's married to a maxim model. So he thinks he can do anything."

High Five for Friday

1. It's spring break! Holla! I am so thankful for 11 days to rest and relax from the craziness of Mission Year.

2. There has been a baby boom lately among my friends and acquaintances from college. I'm really excited for all of those who are expecting or have recently welcomed little ones into their families, but can I just be honest for a second? I am beyond thankful that I am not a mother yet. Whew! That phase of life can wait for quite a few more years as far as I'm concerned.

3. Have I mentioned how awesome my coworkers are? Well, I'm mentioning it now. They rock! I love going to work because I get to collaborate with some super cool people. Thanks to Nasha, Vicki, Nate, Desmond, and Tan for making work way more fun that it has to be!

4. The NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament started yesterday. I love college basketball, and March Madness is my favorite time of the season. I am loving all the underdog victories so far!

5. Alex Houston, a pastor in New Jersey, blessed me with his message last night. I was encouraged and challenged to continue pursuing the Lord and being obedient to the call He has given me.

Happy Friday, y'all!

Text of the Week

"Saw an ice cream billboard and thought of you so I wanted to shoot you a text!"

Are you aware?

As I said mid way through my beans and rice fast, not eating very much is hard - a lot harder than I anticipated. I'll admit, I struggled to maintain perspective as the week wore on. At one point, I over dramatically lamented to one of my roommates that I couldn't even remember why we decided to fast in the first place.

She gently reminded me that our goals were to raise funds and raise awareness and then asked, "Are you aware?"

As I reflect on my experience last week, I realize that my answer is yes. Yes, I am aware of the monotony of eating the same meal over and over and over again. I am aware of the hunger pains that constantly plague an empty stomach. I am aware of the discomfort associated with gaseous intestines. I am aware of the psychological torment of being unable to have enough food to fill a stomach.

But I am also aware that those of us who are well-fed often cloak our greed and entitlement with the word need.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't eat when we are hungry. I'm not even saying that we shouldn't enjoy dessert or little extras or snacks. But I am saying that we should think more carefully about the language we use to describe our dietary lifestyles, be mindful of ways to love and provide for those who have less than we do, and be active in helping to end global poverty at a systematic level.

I'm not going to quit eating ice cream altogether because poverty exists in the world. But if I'm on my way to buy a scoop (or two) of mint chocolate chip, and someone who needs a meal asks me if I can spare some change, I think you and I both know what I should (and hopefully will) do.

Because when you compare the satisfaction of eating mint chocolate chip to the joy of seeing a hungry person fed, there's really only one choice.

Two New Series

Although I've done a fairly good job lately of posting, I don't always. Thus, I've decided to implement two new series for your reading pleasure (and to keep me accountable for posting more often). I'll still post sporadically as I feel a need to write about the things on my heart, but for those dry stretches, you'll have the regular series to turn to. Without further ado, allow me to introduce said series. :)

Series 1: Text of the Week
I'm borrowing this one from my dear friend Amanda. It's a pretty simple concept, really. I'll post my favorite text I've received during the week - maybe something funny, sweet, thought-provoking, or outrageous. You'll have to read to find out!

Series 2: High Five for Friday
This idea comes to you courtesy of my friends Kate and John (they're newly engaged!). Kate says she borrowed the idea from somewhere on the internet, so who knows who the original credit goes to?! For this series, I'll be posting five things I'm thankful for from the previous week. And, obviously it'll happen on Fridays... hence the title. My sweet friend Katie recently challenged me to consciously spend time being more thankful, so I'm hopeful this series will help me do just that.

Enjoy!

Fasting Failure

As you may know, my team and I are doing a beans and rice fast this week. As a team, we committed to eat only beans and rice for dinner each night of the week - no veggies, no meat, no dairy, no sweets. However, each individual was free to determine what the rest of her meals would look like. Personally, I felt convicted to attempt to simulate the daily experience of the global poor as closely as possible, so I considered portions and number of meals as well as food choice.

I set a goal of eating only one meal a day - dinner - and eating only one serving.

And, let me tell you, it was hard. After three days of being hungry constantly - even while I was eating and immediately after I ate - I just couldn't do it anymore.

I gave in.

I'm still eating only beans and rice for the rest of the week (excluding the apple I guiltily ate at work this morning), but I added lunches back to my diet. Although my teammates wholeheartedly supported my decision to eat lunch the rest of the week and despite the fact that I know my giving up meals won't actually change the nutritional inadequacies of the world, I can't shake the sinking feeling that I've failed.

Stay tuned for more thoughts at the end of the week.

Giving up to Give: Beans & Rice Fast

Did you know that approximately half of the world’s population lives on less than $2 a day? That’s more than 2 billion people. And I don’t mean they have $2 a day to spend on food. They have $2 a day – period.

In order to raise awareness about global poverty and to live in solidarity (sort of) with the global poor, my volunteer service team and I are committing to eating only beans and rice for one week – March 10-16, 2013. 

And we’re asking you to join us.

Why beans and rice?

Many of the global poor only have access to the most inexpensive foods and live in areas where this means they eat a diet consisting primarily of beans and rice. Thus, beans and rice have become symbolic for those of us seeking to raise awareness about global poverty.

Why should I join you?

We are asking you to join us because we believe this cause is one worth promoting. Even experiencing life as my team members and I are doing this year doesn’t come close to suffering as the global poor do. So we are choosing to set aside the comforts of our dietary lifestyles for one week that we might gain a glimpse into true poverty. We would be honored if you would join us.

How can I join you?

Choose one meal, one day, or even the whole week and join us in eating only beans and rice. Then, calculate the amount you save on food during your beans and rice fast – whether it’s one meal or 21 meals – and donate your savings! Also, use your voice – on Facebook, Twitter, your blog, etc – to help spread the word.

I’ll be blogging about my experience, so be sure to check for updates.