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Sleeping with bread and soup!


I've been thinking the last few days how it truly takes a community and the participation of many to accomplish great things. I can write up to do lists and make plans for all sorts of things in my own life, but if I don't connect and make contact with others in my "village", what is the point?

The last week or so I'd been working on a fundraiser project with my friend Jeff, owner of Labyrinth Press Company, the students from my church and so many friends and family. We held a "Souper Bowl of Caring" non-perishable good collection and a soup luncheon fundraiser. Jeff made the posters and FOUR different kinds of fantastic vegetarian soup, I made centerpieces and got the odds and ends organized, and the students helped serve lunch and cleaned up after the event on Sunday.

We raised $343.00 that we are going to split between Joint Neighborhood Project and Saint Susan's Center, as well donating some large boxes full of canned goods.

Events like this take a great deal of energy and planning, and I feel this event turned out well due to the overall community involvement in it. So often, I'm tempted to try to do things all by myself. Only when I try to be so independent, I only end up frustrated and exhausted. So today I suppose I'm beginning to learn that and over-independence is what often drains me of life, and community is what gives life to me. It's all about balance, I suppose.

I will hold onto this experience and better try to include and involve others in opportunities like this. This is a case that more cooks in the kitchen make a better meal. bread and soup included.
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Comments

Pamela said…
Congratulations on your successful fundraising project! I hear ya when it comes to independence, or too much of it. It's okay to lean on others a bit and is quite often a rewarding experience.

Thank you so much for visiting my blog. I do hope you're feeling much better now. That virus going around was a doozy!
12:15 AM GMT-5
Mel said…
Oh, that's an ongoing lesson for me......cuz apparently I haven't learned it, yet.

Sometimes I do better than others--lately, notsomuch.

I'm really good at saying 'yes thank you, I think I'd like to do that'.....it's the word 'WE' that I need to slip in there that needs the practice.

Congratulations on the success of the project! More proof about the power of 'we'.

Blessings to you and yours!!
6:32 AM GMT-5
Tara Lamont said…
Pamela,
The virus is thankfully on its way OUT!

Mel,
Oh how I need to work on the "we" of life to. One step at a time.
7:41 AM GMT-5
Unknown said…
I agree with you on the community aspect of things... not just in pulling an event like that together but in the benefit of the particular type of event. People get to come together at the event and enjoy fellowship and community. Those are great times... it carves out a time for people to just be with each other.
1:48 PM GMT-5
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