Letters

I've wrote a note a bit of time of ago about writing letters and how much joy that brings to my heart. I also wrote about how it can sustain people because it lets them know how loved they are. Well, story time.

I wrote a letter to a lady I had never met before who goes to my church. It was encouraging her to keep going and to find joy in the Lord, even when times are hard. I quoted Philippians 4:4, saying, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: rejoice." I felt like the Lord wanted me to encourage her to keep pressing on and doing the good work, but I had no idea why.

Well, my mom told me. This woman has been having a really hard time - her husband has cancer and she's helping him. What a hard and discouraging time that is! I wrote her a letter and she received when she returned from a trip with her husband. In short, as mom told me, it was perfect timing.

The next day, I ran into her at church. It was this kind of awkward moment because I'd never met her, but she was passing out handouts and then she said, "Sidney? Are you Sidney?" 

"Yes, I am," I replied, confused. Then she began to explain to me how much that note meant to her and how much it encouraged her. She ended with this thought - keep writing letters. There are a lot of hurting people out there.

Keep writing letters. There are a lot of hurting people out there.

How true, yes, how true. Write a letter today.

Peace.

Mango WARNING

You know that moment when you give advice to do something, only to realize it may be harmful? Said and done that. Did you know that mangos are in the same family as poison ivy, poison oak, and sumac? Yeah, me neither. 

Did you know the peel has a chemical called urushiol? Yeah, me neither. This is the same thing that runs in the oak and ivy. So, yeah. Had that happen. I have a rash. ON MY FACE. A rash...like poison ivy. Did you know that would happen? I don't know. I didn't.

Of course I didn't. I thought fruits were in FRUIT families. Like a family tree, fruit family tree. All the fruit in ONE family. 

Nope. 

Not at all.

I'm really allergic to poison ivy. Like, I'm the cool kid who gets it AT LEAST once a summer (last summer it was three times) and it takes FOREVER to heal. To think I get the same reaction from mangos is...humbling.

I'm in this odd place that I want to eat more mango (with the skin) because I know it is so good for me. I BOUGHT SIX MANGOS. I HAVE SIX MANGOS IN MY FRIDGE. SIX. 

But, with this allergy, you can take the peel off and eat the inside. Usually. Unless the oil from the skin transfers to the inside. At least, I sure hope so. I haven't had that happen when I just eat the inside...

Anyways, there's your warning. My thought when I found out the plant family mango was a part of was the following: what kind of a sick joke is that? 

I believe in a Creator who made everything. I believe He has purpose in everything. I also think that He made humor and mangos the way they are so He can get a kick out of us. I believe He makes jokes to make me laugh. 

And I believe mangos are still wonderful. 

Don't believe me? Here.

Peace (and eat the mango skin if you can).

Sid

Side story - two years ago, I went to work at kamp (K-7 Kanakuk. WUDDUP). When I got to kamp, I developed a really weird rash on my face. Like, all over my lips, and a weird line all the way to my eat on one side and halfway through my cheek on the other. I went to the nurse DAILY and my campers thought I was crazy. I mean, really, how weird is it to see your kounselor with a rash? They think you're crazy. We treated it like poison ivy, but I couldn't figure out when I had eaten poison ivy (I don't do that...). IT WAS THE MANGO. Mango skin. Too much mango...maybe the oil of the skin in a mango that I had eaten. Mango. Mango. Mango.

But, it does make me feel better that I didn't eat poison ivy. Or get close enough with my face to get it on my LIPS to my EAR. 

Awkward.

Fruit and Fiber

Fruit is cool. Like, really cool. Like, one of the coolest foods ever. Side note - my refrigerator is singing at current a very high and loud note and I don't think it'll make it very far in its audition for Broadway, but, by golly, it can hold that note for a LONG time. 

Anyways, fruit.

I like fruit. Strawberries are actually my favorite food. I think the cool thing about fruit is it's like its own handheld snack! Prepackaged joy of goodness in a food. I remember the cool moment when I found out clementines came in their own package - like, when I actually thought about that. It. Was. Awesome.

Oranges are prepackaged. Clementines. Apples. Cherries. Bananas. Mangos. All. The. Fruit. God made them in their own packages! How cool is that?! 

Anyways, I'm also a HUGE fan of fiber. You can get a TON of fiber from fruit. Key: don't peel them. Well, depending. I'm a BIG fan of peeling bananas...

Apples have 4.4 grams of fiber WITH the skin. Without? 2.1. 

Sometimes, eating mangoes is difficult. I wish I had a paper
towel because it definitely dripped on me and that's not cool.
That's uncool.

Did you know you can eat mango skin? Well, with the mango. There's tons of benefits. Vitamins, fiber, omega things, happiness. So eat your mangoes like you eat an apple - but you may need a paper towel when you do that. 

Did you know you can eat the peel of a lemon? It tastes wonderful! There's also LOTS of benefits to that. 

Forgive me, as I am not a fan of oranges, but I guess there's benefits to that, too! WOW. I find all the facts when I research them. Thank you, writing class in high school. Thank you. 

Anyways. Wow. Fruit is the best. And so healthy for you! And a great way to sustain your body and the environment. Note, also. When you can buy organic, do! Otherwise, eat what is best for your body. My thought: the closer to the ground that you eat, the better it is for your body.

Believe me.

It's true.

Peace.

OH! I forgot to mention this. Strawberry leaves! They're so good for you. Not ONLY do they have fiber, but they have TONS of vitamins and minerals. Why choose to compost (yes, compost) something when you can get the health benefits? That's right. No reason.

Also, are there any major fruits you can think of with benefits? Let me know! I didn't list all of them, but mainly the ones I was thinking about. 

P.P.P.P.P.P.P.S. - I got a free geranium today. I'm pretty excited about life.

What a lovely plant.

I Hate Laundry.

I hate laundry. That is, I hate doing laundry. Correction, I strongly dislike doing laundry. I tell my students (well, I think I do) that hate is a strong word and we can make other choices. So, I strongly dislike it. It just seems quite tedious and a lot of the time I think, "Well, if I'm going to just get it dirty again, why wash it?"

This is very dangerous thinking.

It also can apply to many things. For example, "Why make your bed when you're just going to sleep tonight?" or, "Why clean your apartment if it's just going to get dirty again?" Do you see the issue here?

Anyways, laundry has gotten actually a bit better since I've been able to use a clothesline. I invested in a clothesline at Dollar Tree last fall, as well as some clothespins. So, today was laundry day. I cheated and washed the clothes in the washer, then I put them on the line to dry. When I have more time or trust my sense of washing better, I wash clothes in the sink. It's not that hard - it's actually quite rewarding.

I'm a big fan of line drying. Did you know that line drying can help save your clothes for a longer period of time? It's so much better for your clothes. How sustainable! As well, it helps brighten the whites (that is, when drying in the sun). If you'd like to protect against losing color, line dry the clothes in the shade.

In America, dryers account for 6% of the residential energy used per year. That's in the top three energy using sources (following fridges and water heaters). How crazy! In America, did you know that line drying is one of the least favorite things to do? That seems to be because of the regulations put on my apartment/rental owners. However, when you can line dry, do! Check with where you are living to see if it's okay. Or, if you don't know either way, just do it and see if no one yells at you...

Did you know that in Italy 95% of the homes don't have a dryer? They use outside! In in UK, there's a 4:1 ratio for people using line drying:not line drying. It'd be nice to see those stats in America. 

You should make a change! Get a clothesline. Get some pins. Take time and hang your clothes. Not only will you save money, but you'll help the environment. It's a WIN WIN. All the wins.

Peace.

Sources (these are REALLY easy to read): 
Five Reasons to Line Dry Laundry
America's Most Unpopular Way of Saving Energy...
Infographic: Line-Dry Laundry

Trees and Letters

Today, I found another favorite tree. My back PERFECTLY fit into it and I could hang out in the shade while still being warmed by the sun. What great joy that is! Apparently, there's a lot of good ones around here. And I found this article about how trees can make you overall feel better about life. There's something to say about that.

But, I found a new tree. I took a couple selfies with it. Awkward. But also? You'll get the joy of seeing one of those. What did I do after I found a tree? I wrote letters! 

Writing letters is absolutely one of my favorite things. It costs little to nothing and it brings joy to those around me. I'm currently writing letters to people working at camps over the summer. I have also been writing to people at my church. I think everyone needs a bit of joy in the their lives, especially when it comes in the form of a letter! 

One of my favorite websites to find people to write letters to is a place called More Love Letters. There's letter requests to write to people who need encouragement. What better way is there to bring joy than a letter? 

...maybe a cup of coffee...

Anyways, find a tree and write a letter. Sustain someone's life through giving joy. 

Peace.

PS - if you'd like a letter, hit me up. It could take years, but I'd love to write you. 
PPS - write someone else a letter. Spread the love.
PPPS - when writing your letters, to look classier, drink tea. 

THE SEEDY MUFFINS

Hi. 
I said I would post a picture of the muffins. 
They're muffins. 
Here they are. 
Aren't the beautiful?

Reusing to Help

Recently, I've been trying to find ways to use things that I have that I don't necessarily need. From school this year, I had a lot of hygiene items left over (I was going to give them to my students, but we ran out of time. That was a bummer). But, I was talking to my people on the book of faces and trying to give the items to people who need them - my cousin suggested doing something with the items.

Let's clarify really quick - the items were the following: 

- bar soap

- wash cloths

- shampoo

- conditioner

- combs

- deodorant

These are such usable items, but I wanted to make sure that these items went to people that could use them! So, I put something on FB, basically saying I have items and want to give them away - help me help you. My cousin posted something with it by saying I could put the items in a purse (or a couple purses) and help out the homeless women around my community.

So, I did just that! I took the items, spread them out over six different bags/purses, and got them ready to give away. Here's the thing, though. I wanted to make sure that I included items that could be used - even if I needed to search around my apartment. For example, feminine hygiene products are so helpful! I couldn't imagine the necessity that is without having it. A pen (or a couple pens) are so helpful! Hairbands, a notebook, an extra Bible, a deck of cards. My constant thought was, "What can I do/put in this to bring joy to another person?" or, "What would make me feel loved?"

Also, I put in granola bars! Nature Valley. They make my heart happy and don't melt in the heat. And a toothbrush, toothpaste, and toothbrush holder! What useful items. I put bags together and put them in my trunk. I have six bags that I can give out to people! I'm so excited to help out people with items that are so helpful! 

People need to know how dearly loved they are - no matter where they are at in life. People are people. Simply that. 

Side note - I'm not a big fan of giving things without an interaction. Therefore, when I give the bags out, I'm going to make sure I have time to sit and talk with the individuals I'm interacting with. People need human LOVING contact sometimes more than material items. Most of the time.

Next side note - I think it's also an important note to see both sides of this argument. There can be the idea that making these bags is hurtful to people and can cause them to feel 'lesser than' by being given a bag. That comes a lot out of a heart level. Would I make a bag to make myself feel good or help another? (it kind of reminds me of my classroom - did I give out hygiene products to make myself feel better or help the kids?)

Next next side note - People are people and everyone is worthy of love and respect. 

Ah, Seeds

Seeds are wonderful. They're like natures own little free gift to all of us! Clarify: I'm talking seeds we eat, not the planting kind. 

Currently, I'm making (or attempting to make) some sort of cupcakes without many things - sugar, eggs, flour (well, wheat flour), and I'm also attempting to add additional sources of protein. Protein is always something I have a lot of trouble getting into my food intake.

Anyways, seeds. In my muffin/cupcake things I have the following seeds: chia seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flax seeds. I also included coconut flakes for fun, as well as cacao nibs. I'm not really sure of the health benefits, only that they're really good for me. I think that's enough. =]. 

I'm thankful for seeds because they're a very natural source of protein that lets me get protein without having to cook meat. Meat cooking has been something that has always been hard for me, and I'm thankful that the Lord is now showing me other ways to get protein. Praise His name!

I'll update on the cupcake/muffins MAYBE when they're done. And I may put a photo up if I actually take one. I'm a mess and a half. I like it that way.

The Story of...

Today, I've been watching a couple videos. The Story of Stuff and The Story of Bottled Water. Basic idea: materialism runs our country and we should use what we have. Sound familiar? I think so. 

The thing that hit me the hardest (at least so far...I'm still watching about bottled water) was that there is a continual problem throughout the entire production line. So, as a consumer, I can still do things, but over the production line more damage can be done. I wonder how I encourage companies to use more sustainable practices? Write letters. Sign petitions. Write more letters. DON'T BUY THINGS.

Water bottles frustrate me. Why buy a bottle of something I can get from the tap? Tap water is just about free and clean. We have clean water in America - why not use it?! We've been given a gift - we should use it. 

There is a demand for something that we don't need. We don't NEED bottled water. It's something that we already have - from the tap. What would happen if we stop buying water bottles? Why don't we take back the tap?

Reuse bottles rather than using a disposable one. I wonder what would happen if there were more drinking fountains around town...I guess I can write a letter about that.

Save the environment. Use the tap. Don't buy what you don't need. Also, I don't have a picture of my water bottle, so here's a picture of water to get you thinking about saving the world through reusing.

Also, after writing this I was thinking more. If you have a disposable bottle, that doesn't mean you can't use it! I do this - fill it up with water from the tap and use it until it can't be used any more. You'd be surprised how long it'll last! 

Trees

I like trees a lot. I think they're absolutely beautiful and show the character of the Lord in a way that isn't shown in many other things. 

For example, think of the parts of a tree. Roots, trunk, leaves, branches, twigs. They're so lovely! They have so many parts that need no explanation, yet they can relate to the lives of every single person. 

How? How? What in the world are you talking about, Sid? Are you crazy? Probably. Maybe not. Maybe so. Picture a tree. At the very bottom of the tree are the roots, but we don't focus on those very much - we more so focus on the things we can see. 

What do we see? A trunk, branches, and leaves. Twigs, yes, but we'll go with branches. The leaves are attached to the branches, the branches are attached to the trunk, the trunk is connected to the roots. So, I guess they're all connected. Because of the roots, the trunk grows. Because of the trunk, the branches grow. Because of the branches, the leaves grow. The tree gets bigger based on the different parts. 

People are connected, based on the different things that happen. Clarify: people are the way they are because of what has happened to them. Debate within yourself nature versus nurture and have a hay day. 

Most of the time, we focus on the leaves and the branches. How people act. What is going on at that current time in their lives. The things they do because that's all they know. The branches (experiences) shape how they act (leaves) and what has happened (leaves). For example, someone who may use drugs (branch) may have a result of losing their family (leaves). A lot of the time, we try to treat a problem by cutting out the branch. 

What happens when you cut a branch? It usually comes back...stronger. Fiercer. Sometimes, when we try to kick an issue, it comes back stronger than ever. 

To help a tree, you need to treat the root. To help a person, it's much better to treat the root of the issue. Why use drugs? Maybe something happened in the past that needs to be worked through. You can't make an assumption about a person based about what you see. You just can't. It doesn't make sense. A lot of the time, though, that's what we do. 

Anyways, people are trees and trees are like people. I hope that made sense. If not, it makes sense to me. 

Also, trees are fun to climb. Have at it. 

Berry Picking

Today, I went berry picking with my dear friend, Grace. We went on a walk the other day and found at least seven mulberry trees! What a blessing from the Lord. Every single time that we found a tree, I joyfully exclaimed, "The Lord has blessed us!" Trees are beautiful and a blessing. They remind me of Jesus and who He is. 

This morning, we found about two pints of berries! Well, I think. Approximation is not the thing I am best at in the world. We picked all the trees as much as we could without getting poison ivy all over us. That's a skill in itself.

I'm still trying to think of what to do with the berries, but I think it will be magical. Maybe I'll make a pie or a couple jars of jam. Who knows? I don't.

While talking to Grace after picking, I came to a conclusion: most of my hobbies don't cost money. Or, at least, little to no money. I like being outside and watching plants grow. I'm a big fan of cooking new foods from things I've already bought. I tend to go on long walks to places I've never been. I don't like to spend money unless necessary (or if it'll bless someone else). And, I think, that's okay.

Berry hunting is fun because it gives lots of joy and has benefit - you get berries. You don't need to spend lots of money to have a joyful experience. Sometimes, they happen one berry at a time. 

Look at all the berries we found! What a blessing from the Lord!

I Teach

Sustainability also can mean sustaining people. My friend asked me to give a brief overview of my job as a teacher (day by day). Here it is. --> 

I teach. Children. Every single day. Math, writing, reading, social studies, STEM, life skills. I take care of everyday needs, like food to fill hungry tummies and making sure that my kids get enough sleep. I make sure that, emotionally, the kids are ready to handle the day and when they’re not, I help them process their emotions and teach them that emotions aren’t bad. I plan lessons according to the 20 different needs in my classroom, making sure that they will understand, while still being engaged. I put value in kids who may not see their value and I build them up so they know they are able to accomplish ANYTHING. That’s a brief overview. I teach. I love. I build.

Use It

I'm a big fan of natural products. I'm also a fan of cheap products. Now, my love of the natural outweighs my love of the cheap. However, I have lots of products - shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, cleaning supplies, more - that I need to use. Yesterday, I was contemplating whether or not I should throw them away or use them. 

My ending thought - why throw them away when they will hurt the environment in the same way than if I didn't use them? I might as well use them.

Yes, I realize that they're not the total best for me. In fact, the change will be made to the natural when they're all gone. However, there's no point in throwing something out that can be useful (and I know I'm going to use it!). 

I think that's the key - if I'm going to use it, I shouldn't throw it away. However, I shouldn't be buying more and more things when I don't need them. It's about a balance - only buy things when you need them, only use things that you have.

Peace.

Why Do I Have SO MANY CLOTHES?

Sometimes, I look through my clothes and try and get rid of them. I just don't need that many. And I have a lot more clothes than I think I need. Or even want, for that matter. I tend to live by a principle that if I get a new article of clothing, I get rid of one. At least, that's what I try to do. I got like three shirts the other day and I didn't get rid of anything...

...but I did today. So far, I've gotten rid of three things. Three things! That is, so far. I'm looking through my clothes because I just don't want too many. I feel happy when I get rid of things. It feels like I'm helping another person and maybe (yes, I am) helping myself. 

Thinking about looking through my clothes, it was a smart idea to look at my winter clothes during the summer. I was able to see and evaluate if I had worn it AT ALL that previous winter and if I hadn't? Bye. See you later. Or never, because, basically, I didn't find enough worth in it to wear it. 

It's a hard thing, sometimes, to get rid of things. There's a constant thought of - what if I use this? Or maybe - what if I really need this for something? I guess, though, if you haven't used it, why keep it? Someone else can use it - that's a way to help another person. 

Sharing is caring. Get rid of things you don't need.

Peace.

Let's Begin

Why? Why start a blog about sustainability? I watched another documentary. Jane Goodall. Golly, that lady has an inspiring life. It made me think: how can I help the world? What can I do? So, here we go. The ponders of a 5th grade teacher, trying to help the world with the help of Jesus. 

Goal: help others help the world. Help people. Help animals. Help the environment. One way or another, I think we can help the world we live in. One step at a time, one sustainable choice at a time. 

So, here we go. Life details for me? I live in an apartment in Kansas. I like plants. I try to eat as close to the ground as possible (little to no processed foods). My favorite food is strawberries. I teach 5th grade. I love Jesus. He makes my heart sing and gives me reason for life. Coffee is cool (actually, hot), and my limit for that is five cups a day. No more - at about four cups I start to get giddy. 

That's all. Let's work together to help this planet we call home.

Sid

I'm pretty classy. That is, pretty and classy. And really cheesy.