A Christmas Chicken Conspiracy

“Regard it just as desirable to build a chicken house as to build a cathedral,” Frank Lloyd Wright.

Thanksgiving. Over.

Black Friday. Finito.

Small Business Saturday. See ya.

If you can make it past tomorrow’s Cyber Monday, it’s all downhill until Christmas. Like it or not, the holidays are here. Are you one to embrace the full five weeks of the Christmas season, or do you dread the food, parties, shopping, wrapping, and travel?

I think I fall somewhere in between. I don’t shudder at the season, but I try to delay it as long as possible. For me, the Christmas spirit doesn’t usually kick in until mid-December. From now until then I’ll try to avoid the music and the stores. I’ll cringe at the December to Remember commercials. I’ll even ask for a regular white cup at Starbucks. But then, about a week before the big day, something switches within my soul. I’ll shop. I’ll wrap. I’ll bake. I load up my favorite Christmas playlists. And I’ll try to remember the meaning behind it all.

For that last one, I welcome the reminder from a group called Advent Conspiracy (adventconspiracy.org). AC was started back in 2006 as an effort to get church-goers to consider Christmas in a completely different way. AC’s four-pronged mission is to encourage people to Worship Fully, Spend Less, Give More, and Love All.

AC is not suggesting you cease all gift-giving. It’s more of a call to stop spending frivolously, on gifts that aren’t necessary and that won’t be remembered. Instead, put that money or the hours spent acquiring and wrapping those extra gifts toward devoting time with those you cherish in your life. By doing that you’re actually giving more … of yourself.

Another way to give more is to donate to those who are truly in need. To those who didn’t just have a massive feast, to those who think a Doorbuster Deal is when the local market has few extra eggs, to those who camp out all night or walk few miles for fresh water. By spending less you’re actually freeing up your resources to love others. If you are a follower of Christ, by loving others in his name, you’re loving Him and worshipping Him more fully. Of course, you don’t have to go to church to do these things.

I’d like to add another pillar to AC’s platform: Raise More Chickens!

The small church I attend, Life Covenant in Torrance, CA, has been helping out in the African nation of Mozambique. It’s not the easiest country to find, but if you were on the island of Madagascar and started swimming west, you’d hit Mozambique. Like most of Africa, it’s a pretty rough place economically. According to businessinsider.com, Mozambique ranks 12^th on the list of poorest countries in the world. Over the years, Life Covenant has been working with an orphanage in the city of Beira called the Melanie Center. In addition to housing and caring for orphans, the Melanie Center also serves as a hub for the community, providing educational resources and health care services for the local villagers. Additionally, the couple who run the center, John and Maria Jon also train up pastors who set up churches in the outlying villages.

The Melanie Center has a goal of becoming self-sufficient. To do so it’d like to start a local business. The decision has been made to begin a chicken raising enterprise that the church is calling: Operation Mozambeaks!

Operation Mozambeaks will call for the building of two large chicken pavilions and two houses for families who will live onsite and oversee this little chicken industry. Once the pavilions are built, the first wave of chickens can start being raised. These chickens will be used as food for the locals. The revenue will bring the Melanie Center one step closer to being self-sustaining. It is believed that as much as 25 percent of the Melanie Center’s operational costs can be earned from the chickens. This would then allow Life Covenant to give more elsewhere in the area.

Life Covenant is definitely not counting its chickens before they’re hatched. After nearly a year of planning, researching, and crunching numbers, it’s been determined that this project can get up and running for $7,500.00. This total includes the first 500 baby chicks, food, and warming lamps.

Operation Mozambeaks is just one way you can live out the Advent Conspiracy this Christmas season. AC also promotes two additional means of helping others. One is through Living Water International (www.water.cc) which is trying to end the world’s clean water crisis. The other is the International Justice Mission (ijm.org) which strives to bring rescue to victims of slavery, sexual exploitation, and other forms of violent oppression. By the way, AC doesn’t take in a dime.

Online donations for Operation Mozambeaks can be made at lifeformoz.com. Gifts can be given directly at Life Covenant on Sundays. I’d also be happy to drop off a contribution in your behalf if you’d like me to do so.

In closing, take a quick second and write down what you received and gave last Christmas. Exactly. Except for a possible big ticket item, it’s hard to recall everything. So, this Christmas, how about taking the Advent Conspiracy to heart? Maybe put less under the tree and more into the building of an African chicken house.

Emailing Heaven

To: Helen D. Gervase

Cc/Bcc:

Subject: Nine Years

Hey Ma!

It’s hard to believe that it’s been nine years since you drew your last breath here on earth and crossed heaven’s horizon into your new home. I’m not sure how accessible you are to the activities down here, so I thought I take a minute to update you.

First of all, did you know that Neb and I get together every November 8^th to honor you? It’s our little tradition. We always have a shot of Irish whiskey and a back of stories, laughter, and tears. Ma, you should see what that girl has accomplished. She’s about a month shy of becoming a nurse! We’re so proud of her and I know you’d be too. She’s worked tremendously hard and has been studying her butt off! She’s been doing all this while being a mom to those two amazing kids. Helena, just turned five and already has as much spunk as you did. Enzo is two, and he’s a gentle soul. He adores his stuffed dog and loves following his big sister around the house.

So, Nurse Neb has a nice ring to it. You know she’s taking after her big sister, right? Yep, Christy paved the way. She’s a Perioperative Nurse. I’m not sure exactly what that means, but I think it’s the major leagues of nursing. Life and death kind of stuff. Surgeries and the like. Christy is another tireless worker. She’s looking great, staying in shape, and keeping a busy household afloat. She has a special glow about her. Then there’s Hannah and Joe. Get this, Hannah is a senior in high school and will be off to college next fall. Joe is a sophomore. They’re both incredibly smart, articulate, funny, and well, a lot of fun to be around.

Dad is the “Geeze about Town”. Just like Norm on “Cheers,” everywhere you go in Monterey, there’s somebody who knows his name. Big G was a prominent columnist for a good seven years, but his ink space dried up. He’s staying busy by helping to get another local newspaper off of the ground and serving on a dozen local committees. When I go to visit him, I expect to see his face on the side of a bus, he’s that popular. Which I guess is better than seeing his face on the wall at the post office.

And me? Well, I’m okay. Still teaching the kiddos. I’ve finally made it up to fifth grade. On the side, I get to play a lot of softball. My health is good. I went to Peru a few years ago. Other recent trips have taken me to Oregon and Washington D.C. I have a new dog. The previous one passed on in January. Maybe you’ve seen him? Brown, medium-sized, cute as can be, a bit of a whiner.

Anyway, I sure miss you. There were times in those first few years that were tough; the first year especially. In church, if heaven was mentioned, I was wrecked. I quickly learned to prepare for the major “sorrow” events such as Mother’s Day, your birthday, and Nov. 8th. But it was the random memories that popped up and dropped me to the canvas. For example, one day I was walking on the wharf in Monterey and I turned a corner and saw the landing where we went whale watching together. Sucker punch. Or the time I found your magnetic sewing needle container in dad’s pantry. Right cross. I was immediately taken back to youthful days of playing on the floor and watching you sew. One little tangible object of yours had the power to open the floodgates of grief.

Grief is strange. It’s like an active volcano that erupts without warning. The eruptions have definitely lessened. But, strangely, there’s a part of me that wants them to occur. As if through moments of heartache we can still connect. I sometimes feel guilty because the time between eruptions stretches out for months. I desperately want to feel those connections, but I can’t control when they’ll happen.

I’ve discovered that grief is the most profound and formational emotion I’ve encountered. I think it worked me over, spun me around like a washing machine, and spat me out a changed person. Of course it’s a long process. The spin cycle can take years. And during that phase I was probably a jerk more times than not. I think perhaps I am softer and more gentle. I hope to believe I am more compassionate and more in tune with the sorrows and needs of others. I think grief caused me to grow. I wouldn’t want anyone to experience such pain, but after all these years, I can say with certainty that it had a maturing effect on my life. I hope that’s not bragging. Others may not be aware of it. But I am.

And you know, mom, looking at Christy, Jenny, and dad, I think they’ve come out of the spin cycle just as smoothly. I still don’t understand why you had to leave when you did. But I think I have a better understanding of the good that’s come of it.

Of course, you’ve probably known this all along. Knowing you, you may have even had a hand in it.

Pour the Jameson’s … and thank you.

Love,

me

30 Reasons to Vote Yes on 30

 WHY SCHOOLS NEED PROP 30

1.      Prop 30 will raise between 6 and 8 billion annually for seven years by increasing income tax on those making 250,000 or more and on couples who make more than 500,000 and by temporarily raising sales tax for the next four years (one penny for every four dollars).

2.      Money will flow to schools starting Jan. 1, 2013.

3.      My school district, LAUSD stands to receive over 220,000 million.

4.      LAUSD will have a full school year for the first time since 2008 without the potential of more furlough days.

5.      LAUSD had an ending balance surplus of 24.7 million which is enough to cancel two furlough days this year.

6.      But LAUSD will do so only if 30 passes.

7.      It avoids cuts of $1 billion to higher education, including $250 to the UC system, $250 to the CSU system, $338 to the community college system, and $125 million to avoid more UC student fee increases.

8.      California has not funded education at the rate required by Prop 98. Prop 30 will allow the state to pay back schools.

9.      This could mean class-size reductions, new textbooks, and more jobs instead of layoffs.

10.  Prop 30 funding is subject to an independent audit every year to ensure the money is being spent only for schools and public safety.

11.  The audit will be open to the public so that voters and parents know that the funds are being spent properly.

12.  Revenues generated by Prop 30 can’t be touched by the legislature or used for state bureaucracy.

13.  Only Prop 30 (and not Prop 38 which raises taxes on all Californians for 12 years) will provide any support for higher education.

HOW EDUCATION IN CALIFORNIA HAS SUFFERED

14.  In the past 4 years, more than 20 billion has been cut from California’s public education.

15.  California ranks 47^th in the nation in per-student funding.

16.  California has the largest class sizes in the country.

IF 30 DOESN’T PASS

17.  “Failure will trigger $6 billion in spending cuts on Jan. 1.”

18.  California school districts will face cuts of nearly a month from the instructional year.

19.  Including in LAUSD, where there is talk of ending the year on May 8^th, slashing 15 more days from the calendar and from teacher paychecks.

20.  Thousands of teachers across the state will be laid off before the next school year as budgets continue to get slashed.

21.   “There will be an elimination of $20 million in state aid to city police departments.”

22.  “There will be a $150 increase in tuition for CSU and $375 million cuts for the UC system.”

23.  “There will be an additional 80 million in cuts to various state departments that could result in the closure of fire stations …

24.  Eliminate seasonal lifeguards at state parks,

25.  Roll back some flood control and boating safety programs,

26.  Reduce the number of park rangers and curtail some services for the developmentally disabled.”

27.  $8 billion in additional cuts are being proposed.

28.  There will be an 8.5 billion hole in the state budget.

29.  If Prop 38 does pass, funding would not be allocated until after the 2012-13 school year has ended, which means that LAUSD could still face budget cuts that would shorten the school year by three weeks.

30.  “It’s hard to believe anyone would be against Prop. 30. It’s just fair. In terms of pure justice and fairness, people who do well can give back a little.” Governor Jerry Brown.

Information above taken from yesonprop30.com, NEA Today magazine, and United Teacher Los Angeles Newspaper, calfac.org, sfgate.com  Quoted material came from the LA Times, Nov. 3, 2012.