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In This Issue:
December 2024
November 2024
What's been happening on my Living Lightly blog lately.
How Much Is Enough? Part 2 - What household stuff do you and I hang on to 'just in case'?
Uber Recycling #5 - Reviewing some recycling basics and adding a few you may not have tried yet
Lightening Your Heart #2 - Check out the 6 ways I avoid being a 'Debbie Downer.' Do any of these work for you? What's our PLANET got to do with it?
Wondering What Is True - One person's fake news is another person's truth. How to tell the difference.
What Is Mine To Do? - As Lent began, I had a 4 point plan. Do any of my resolutions match yours?
Going Into Hiding - Looking behind, underneath, and inside to find what's hiding
Vogt LIVING LIGHTLY Quarterly Blog Alert (Sept., Oct., Nov., 2023)
1. Am I Doing Enough
2. Love the Hub
3. Good Waits, Fasts, Problems
MARRIAGE MOMENTS*
1128. Jan. 6: Epiphany: The 3 Magi’s search for Jesus reminds us that Jesus came for all humankind, not just the Jewish people. So too, married love is not a gift to be hoarded. Reach out to someone who is sad, in trouble, or from a different culture. Can you do it together?
1129. Jan. 13: "Romance is a process...It's not a one-time thing. It's not something that's 'accomplished' and then forgotten. In order to work, it's got to be an ongoing thing." (Gregory J. P. Godek, 1001 Ways to Be Romantic) Think of one romantic way you can express your love for your spouse today. Do it.
1130. Jan. 20: Martin Luther King Day: Martin Luther King Jr. spoke about equality between the races. In marriage we call this mutuality. Although spouses may take on different tasks and roles, your value is equal. Is there any area of your marriage you want to be more equal (chores, parenting, income, affection)? Ask.
1131. Jan. 27: "No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends." (John 15:13) On your wedding day you laid your very life into the hands of another person without knowing what the future held. (Leif Kehrwald, Marriage & the Spirituality of Intimacy) Sometimes it is hard to love unconditionally, Isn’t it?
1123. Dec. 2: Advent is a season of waiting, but... it may be hard to ponder waiting when there is so much preparation to do for Christmas. Perhaps wait patiently today for your beloved to return from work or complete a job.
1124. Dec. 9: What puts passion into your marriage? For newlyweds this may come easily. For others perhaps it's been awhile. Often rekindling romance is a matter of doing something new together. Be creative before the year ends.
1125. Dec. 16: What makes a marriage happy is often not so much how compatible you are, but how you deal with incompatibility. How are you and your beloved most different?
1126. Dec. 23: With Christmas around the corner, you may be busy and tired. Pause for a moment to remember what’s most important about Christmas - Christ, the manifestation of love, becoming present to us in human form and in each other.
1127. Dec. 30: As one year ends and another begins, it’s natural to review and plan. Share your favorite marital moment of 2024. What's one hope you have to enhance your love in 2025?
*Marriage Moments go out to individuals on Mondays. For Sunday bulletins use the Sunday immediately before the above date.
PARENTING POINTERS*
1128. Jan. 3: The Epiphany is January 6. According to tradition, 3 kings came to honor the baby Jesus on this day. In this way the larger/secular world also recognized Jesus as God. Consider giving something gold, sweet smelling, or soothing (myrrh) to your child today as a sign of God’s presence within him or her.
1129. Jan. 10: Increase the quiet space in your home. Move the TV to a location other than the rooms where your family congregates for meals or conversation. Consider also where phones should be used.
1130. Jan. 17: Remember, your children are not a reflection of you. They are souls placed on this earth by God with their own unique purpose. Our job, as parent and guide, is to help them identify this purpose.
1131. Jan. 24: Let your children know when you see them acting responsibly, talking initiative, or being helpful. Use phrases like, "I appreciate that." or a simple "Thank you."
1132. Jan. 31: Family discussion starter: Imagine being present at the Creation. Which day is your favorite: light, the sky, the earth and vegetation, the sun and moon, birds and sea creatures, animals, humanity, a day of rest? (adapted from Family Calendar, Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown)
1124. Dec. 6: On Dec. 6, St. Nick's day, children may get a small treat like candy in their shoe. But what about adding a note of appreciation; recognizing one of their talents.
1125. Dec.13: Politics has put a lot of stress on the USA this year. Seek out someone you may have different political views with. Listen first. You don't have to agree, but at least try to understand. Perhaps your child will notice your careful listening.
1126. Dec. 20: In this season of "Peace" continue your peacemaking by making an effort to resolve a conflict you have with a family member, a neighbor, or a person with a different political view from yours. Who ____? Try it.
1127. Dec. 27: Christmas gifts may be opened and enjoyed, but there's probably a lot of cleaning up to do. To be fully part of the family, include your children in the cleaning up too.
Parenting Pointers go out to individuals on Fridays. For Sunday bulletins, use the closest Friday.
ECO-TIPS
TO EDUCATORS, LEADERS, & MINISTERS:
I offer you these Eco-Tips as a resource for those you serve.
My own faith tradition is Catholic and thus Pope Francis' teaching in Laudato Si' inspired these ways of Living Laudato Si'. Of course caring for creation transcends religions and is indeed a universal undertaking. It cannot be done alone.
You are welcome to reprint these in bulletins, newsletters, and on your website with the credit, "By Susan Vogt, www.SusanVogt.net"
For related articles go to my Living Lightly Blog: www.SusanVogt.net/blog
Since those we reach may be in many different places regarding environmental efforts, I offer 2 options each week:
153. Jan. 6: CLOTHING
EASY: Perhaps you got a new piece of clothing for Christmas. Swap out a similar piece by donating it to a secondhand store - or at least retire it as a rag.
CHALLENGING: If you genuinely need a new piece of clothing, evaluate the fabric it’s made of. Seek natural fibers. Avoid petroleum-based fabrics such as nylon, polyester, and fleece when possible.
154. Jan. 13: BATHROOM CLEANUP
EASY: Review your bathroom medicine cabinet for duplicates and out of date medicines. Pick at least one duplicate item to donate to a homeless shelter. Discard expired medications.
CHALLENGING: Count how many plastic containers are in your medicine cabinet. Can you reduce the number by half? Examples: replace bottled shampoo or lotions with bars.
155. Jan. 20: ENERGY USE
EASY: Beyond heating, cooling, cooking, and lighting, count the items in your home that run on electricity. Is there anything you haven’t used in a year?
CHALLENGING: Give away any electrical devices you haven’t used in a year. Consider setting your computer to turn off after 15 minutes of inactivity.
157. Jan. 27: EDUCATING YOURSELF & OTHERS
EASY: Use the library or internet to educate yourself instead of buying books (except mine 😊)
CHALLENGING: Encourage others (your office, schools, religious organizations, etc) to recycle. Multiply your personal efforts by motivating others.
148. Dec. 2: ADVANCE CHRISTMAS PREP
EASY: Consider reducing the number of gifts you purchase. Agree with family/friends on a limit to the number of gifts or cost.
CHALLENGING: Instead of separate visits to all of your friends during the holiday season, consider hosting an open house. Perhaps have a used/homemade gift exchange.
149. Dec. 9: HOLIDAY CARDS
EASY: Holiday cards? Consider sending personalized E-cards to save paper and cost.
CHALLENGING: Or for print cards research companies and organizations that offset their carbon footprint by planting trees for each card order.
150. Dec. 16: GIFT GIVING
EASY: If you are going out to buy gifts, make as few driving trips as possible, thereby reducing your carbon footprint.
CHALLENGING: When possible, buy from local vendors, crafts artists, grocers, farmer's markets…
151. Dec. 23: WRAPPING PRESENTS
EASY: Recycle cardboard cores from wrapping paper.
CHALLENGING: Avoid buying tissue paper. If you already have some, use it/re-use it. (Tissue paper can't be recycled.)
152. Dec. 30: STARTING A NEW YEAR
EASY: Review 2024 with an environmental eye. Make at least one New Year's Resolution that involves an environmentally friendly new practice.
CHALLENGING: Looking ahead to 2025 and knowing that global warming remains a serious threat, decide one political or public action you can take to influence positive systemic environmental progress.
144. Nov. 4: HEATING
EASY: Winter heating: Change the air filter on your furnace once per month during the heating season. A dirty filter restricts air flow and causes the system to run less efficiently.
CHALLENGING: Inspect the ductwork in exposed areas (basement or attic). Repair any leaks from electrical lines, plumbing, and gas pipes from outdoors. Seal with foam insulation OR, If your heating system is in need of repair, replace it with an ENERGY STAR®-certified furnace, boiler or heat pump.
TO EDUCATORS, LEADERS, & MINISTERS:
I offer you these Eco-Tips as a resource for those you serve.
My own faith tradition is Catholic and thus Pope Francis' teaching in Laudato Si' inspired these ways of Living Laudato Si'. Of course caring for creation transcends religions and is indeed a universal undertaking. It cannot be done alone.
You are welcome to reprint these in bulletins, newsletters, and on your website with the credit, "By Susan Vogt, www.SusanVogt.net"
For related articles go to my Living Lightly Blog: www.SusanVogt.net/blog
Since those we reach may be in many different places regarding environmental efforts, I offer 2 options each week: EASY: Some of us are just starting to awaken to the need to care for creation, or have been busy with jobs, raising a family, or other social justice commitments. We may not have much discretionary time. OR, it may simply be a relief to note, “Hey, I’m already doing this one!” Good.
The 0122 Episode of Simpler OneEarth Living is the last for the present. All 250+ episodes are presented--one at a time--as part of Simple Living Daily Nudges Enhanced. To subscribe, send NUDGE to SimpleLivingWorks@yahoo.com. Free! No ads! Different Theme each month! Different Focus each week!
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Peace, Gerald 'Jerry' Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist
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*Treasury of Celebrations: published by Northstone, a division of Wood Lake Publications, BC, Canada, best known for its Seasons of the Spirit curriculum.