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Two Things I Do That Are Right For All

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Here was the writing prompt:

what’s right for some, is not right for all. I’d love to hear your thoughtful analysis of

2 things you do in your life because of your relationship with jesus that you think is right for all

Monday I mentioned two things I do that are right for me, but not necessarily something I think everyone has to follow. Today, I’m going to try and mention, without offending, two things I do that I think everyone should do.

1) I eat only ‘fair-trade’ chocolate. Unlike coffee, tea and other products where people advocate fair-trade (and I agree you should support fair-trade, though it’s not perfect), chocolate is one of the few goods that uses in large part children in forced labor to harvest. My ‘free market’ friends might argue that rigging the market so that ‘fair-trade’ farmers get an artificially high price for coffee beans, but it’s different with chocolate. Fair-trade chocolate is primarily an attempt to keep children from being enslaved to harvest the beans for your Hershey’s kiss or fudge chunk sundae. I think everyone should eat only fair-trade chocolate so that 284,000 children who are forced to harvest cocoa beans will be freed because there will be no demand (and that’s the ‘free market’ at work).

2) I think everyone should meet their neighbors. Seriously, if you don’t know your neighbors, the ones the next door down (or up) from you, then stop what your doing, walk out the door and go knock on their door, now, I’ll wait… Ask if you can borrow an egg. In our techonolgy and consumer driven society, not only are we building fewer relationships, but we tend to form relationships with people just like us. We meet and hang out and spend time with people that attend the same social events or clubs that we do, church, soccer, gardening, college major, etc. We met and connect with people from all over and we are all constantly driving all over the map to hangout with people that are just like us. Less and less do we form relationships simply because we are in proximity to people (like your neighbor). And who knows, you might have a lot in common, or you might be nothing alike. But meeting and getting to know your neighbor is an opportunity to form a relationship on the basis of nothing but proximity. And the benefits are huge.

Honestly, I probably could make a longer list, but who wants to read about me pushing my values on you (that’s probably what the majority of this blog tends to be anyways isn’t it?). The two things above are things I think are right for everybody, and each and every one of you will be better for it if you choose to do those things.

(photo credit)

Blog

Two Things I Do That Are Right For Me

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Here was the writing prompt:

what’s right for some, is not right for all. I’d love to hear your thoughtful analysis of

2 things you do in your life because of your relationship with jesus that you think is right for all

AND

2 things you do in your life because of your relationship with Jesus that is right for you, but not right for all.

I’m starting with the second question because it’s easier to address, I hope I understood the prompt right. These are two things that I do in life that are Right for me, but not necessarily right for all. This is not an attempt to make anyone feel guilt for not choosing the same for themselves.

1) I don’t drink alcohol at all. Besides a sip or two from my parents glass before I entered high school (and maybe at a communion were they tricked me with real wine), I’ve never consumed alcohol. There are a couple reason I can recall for this, none of them really being all that noble. I went to an Fellowship of Christian Atheletes soccer camp the summer before my freshman year of high school and I signed a pledge that I would be alcohol and drug free. That pledge, and the fact that I wasn’t cool enough for anyone to want to pressure me into drinking, kept me from ever even really having the temptation to drink before I turned 21.  The reasons I’ve continued not to drink are multiple, and again, none is some ‘holier-than-thou’ vow of soberness. I’ve never really had any desire to drink alcohol (nor coffee for that matter). Not ever having had alcohol, I don’t know how susceptible I would be to over-indulging or alcoholism, and I don’t want to find out. I already have enough vices, I’d hate to add one. Alcohol is expensive and is not a need (which means I’d have to use my fun money, and I don’t want to). Finally, people I know and care about have been hurt because of the misuse of alcohol, and so it is a small sacrifice on my part to simply avoid it all together. Maybe when I’m 50 I’ll try a glass of wine, but for now, this is right for me.

2) We own a house (actually the bank owns it). In a number of ways I’m an advocate of not being in debt, I think there is a Biblical precedent for it, I believe it’s a viable option for many people in the USA (instead we choose credit driven consumption), and I think it will makes us happier freer people. However, my wife and I chose to buy a house last year and with the mortgage and our student loans will be in debt for about ten years. I don’t think buying a house is for everyone. Even if you can buy a house with cash it will tie you down and will continue to require your time and energy. I don’t think going into debt for a house or school is for everyone. Many people can and will work their way through school, and have no chains to Aunt Sallie when they graduate. However, I believe it was the best financial stewardship decision for my wife and I to buy a house last November, and though there were things I did not expect, I’m still satisfied with our decision. Going into debt to ‘own’ a house is not for everyone, but I believe it was right for us.

I think I’ll get around to the other question eventually, about what is “is right for all”, but I’ll leave this part open for discussion first.

(photo credit)

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Contest: New Day Revolution Book Giveaway!

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New Day Revolution

After posting a review of New Day Revolution, Sam contacted me and suggested I hold a little contest on the site. Being a fan of Sam, the book, and CoolPeopleCare, I eagerly agreed. Here are the details…

The Prize: An Autographed Copy of New Day Revolution!

The Contest: Leave a comment on this post with your idea for making a difference with small choices. Sam and Stephen (the authors) will choose the best idea and you’ll receive a copy of the book. It’s that easy.

Contest Deadline: Friday (July 25th) around noon

Go ahead and start sharing your brilliance with the world. Go ahead and give as many ideas as you want, but be creative, Sam and Stephen have already come up with a lot.

My Idea for Making a Difference With Small Choices is…

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Book Review: New Day Revolution, by Sam Davidson

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I had the pleasure of getting to know Sam briefly while living in Nashville. He and a friend, Stephen Mosley, co-founded a website/organization called CoolPeopleCare, and together they co-authored this book, New Day Revolution: How to Save the World in 24 Hours. My other good friend in Nashville, Daniel, bought me a copy and I finally sat down and read it.

If you’ve been to the site, CoolPeopleCare then you’ll get a basic idea of what the book is about, tons of simple lifestyle changes you can make to better the world. They include everything from drinking fair-trade coffee to reusing wrapping paper, all organized into nice little categories through out your day (Commute, 9-5, The Weekend).

What I really liked about this book is it was a simple reminder that our lives our made up of a million choices every day. We often go through the motions, not recognizing that each decision, each step, is often a choice, and for the betterment of the world, it’s a good thing to reconsider some of the choices we make. Something as simple as the toothpaste we buy is a choice that we make. Choosing organic toothpaste is a small change that can fall more inline with the convictions and values that we have. Same goes for stopping junk mail, or using your morning commute to learn something new.

New Day Revolution is a quick and easy read, and choosing to put into practice some of the things you learn in those pages is well worth your time.

Update!: Sam contacted me and gave me permission to do a giveaway on the site. I’m going to create a new post about it, but the prize will be an autographed copy of the book. The Contest will being on Monday, so stay tuned.

(p.s. I know I skipped a couple weekly book reviews, but I’ve still been reading. We are at week 28 of the year and I’ve already read 30 books!)

Blog

On Being a Passive Participant in Violence

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I Just Wanted You To Love Me
I Just Wanted You To Love Me

On the Fourth of July we went downtown to enjoy the festivities (yes, we weren’t sitting at home in sack clothe and ashes). There were bands playing and we were wandering around, listening to the music and checking out the different kids activities in the area; I had my daughter in my arms.

About fifty feet in front of me I noticed two men exchanging words. One man, tall, long haired, shirtless and either his personality or a few drinks had caused him to be a little off kilter. He was following another guy, this man trendily dressed with cool shades and a slick messenger bag over his shoulder. Something had obviously been said between them during the music, and they were now confronting each other, the trendy guy slowly walking away, but continuing to turn around and antagonize the other guy. Then I noticed the mace or pepper spray in the trendy guys hand.

The rest of the story is not really that important, pepper spray was used and police showed up shortly after. The point of the story, is that I’m confident I could have done something to de-escalate the situation, but instead I just sat and watched. There were a couple minutes, as the argument progressed that I, or anyone else watching, could have stepped between those two men and told them to calm down and go their separate ways, but I didn’t.

It’s not very often you come across a situation like that were you are at the right place and time to intervene shortly before a situation occurs. More often we are working for change in the aftermath of a tragedy, or we are making efforts in the community long before, and without knowledge of, the violence that could become if we weren’t making those efforts. Available youth programs in an area plagued by gangs are active steps toward non-violence, providing alternatives for youth long before violence and gang involvement ever occur for those youth.

I recently chatted with a pastor at a local church. A recent violent tragedy that had occurred in the neighborhood had involved one of their church members. He was asking the question, and the church was taking proactive steps to build a wider and deeper community. He said we needed to “get nosy” and develop relationships so friends, neighbors or relatives could know about someones struggle long before they resorted to violence.

The efforts I’m making in my community are not all that different then the efforts we all could and should be making where ever we live. From North Minneapolis to Columbine, those who resort to violence see it as a viable option to deal with their situation or problem, often they see it as the only option. Getting to know your neighbors, the nice ones and the cruel ones, and actively providing those around you with opportunities and options (you as a listening ear and active community programs) are all steps we can take to building more peaceful communities.

(this is in response to crossn81’s writing prompt. photo credit)

Blog

Writer’s Block? I Need Writing Prompts!

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So, I feel like I haven’t written much of substance on here recently. And because I’ve been posting some old posts I’ve sort of ended up with a month long writer’s block that I haven’t done anything or had any reason to get over.

That said, the best way to get over writer’s block is to write, and one way to do that is through prompts. So, I thought you might be of help. I was thinking maybe you could write me some writing prompts. They can be anything. Here are some examples of prompts (from Writer’s Digest):

  • You and a friend have just finished a lovely meal at your favorite restaurant. But things take a turn when you notice that the waiter has scribbled an unexpected—and startling—message on your bill. Write this scene.
  • Describe your dream house. Where is it located? How many bedrooms? The more details, the better.
  • Write a 16-line poem (rhyming or non-rhyming) about a moment from your childhood that changed your life for the better.

Those are examples, but I’d like one more geared towards me and you and stuff I’ve written about before, faith, money, politics, parenting, etc. They can be “Ask Ariah” type questions or more creative, fiction, descriptive, etc. The more specific the better.

Anyways, thought maybe you could help me out.

p.s. When I get board I also start messing with the blog’s look, so you might see some changes around here, we’ll see. A definite sign of procrastination and sloth.

Blog

What I’ve Been Doing Lately

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Sorry for all the random housekeeping posts, but why stop now. If you want some good reading and dialog (okay, not all of it’s good) check out my 4th of July post.

I’ve been doing a lot of random things lately, so I thought I’d consolidate it all into one post and give you an update on things.

  • The first is my website, ariahfine.com, which I mentioned yesterday. I’d still really like some feedback on it if you have a minute.
  • I’ve been doing quite a bit of freelancing reporting for the Twin Cities Daily Planet. It’s been a good learning experience and helped me broaden my writing a bit. I hope to do mostly stories focusing on my community, but for now I’m trying a lot of different things just to get in the game. Anyways, two of my stories I just wrote actually turned out to be in the top five most read on the site. Here’s a screenshot:
    My Articles on TCDP
    I wrote ‘Bike Cops Nab Bat Man‘ (and no, it’s not fictional) and ‘Book note: Pious parable parses presidential politics.’
  • The project that’s been on my mind a lot is called the North Minneapolis Encyclopedia. It’s basically a Wikipedia specifically for North Minneapolis. For those who don’t know what a Wiki is, it’s a collaborative website, meaning anyone can add or edit content. Here’s just a couple reasons I think this could be beneficial. First, in an area like North, there are a TON of non-profits, churches and others who have programs to meet people’s needs, but rarely is there a central resource to know about them, and those that do exist are often incomplete, meaning a lot of people don’t know were to go for help. This site could allow anyone, from staff at the non-profit to a web-savvy patron, to edit the information on the site and keep it updated.
    If I can get others on board it could be come a valuable resource quite quickly. If it just me working a few minutes here and there it might take a while but it will still become a useful resource and collection of information I think. We’ll see what happens. I’d really love to find some partners in the project (even web-savvy, long distance interested parties who are good with a little google searching).
  • On top of that project I’ve picked up a number of different web design projects for community groups. I’m doing a website for the Northside Food Project (focused on bringing health food options to North Minneapolis), another for Northside Resident Redevelopment Council, and another handful of other sites that are currently in the works. I’ll probably post links once they are each up and running and fully operational.
  • A just wrote an article for the Sanctuary CDC
  • I’m still meeting a lot of neighbors and trying to figure out my role and opportunity in the community
  • Still working on a children’s book manuscript, hoping some connections will help get it going.
  • Last, I’m working on trying to make a free pdf ebook about finances to post on my ever so popular Why I Ditched Dave Ramsey blog post.

That’s probably enough to bore you for now. Seems like one topic sort of dominated the conversation above, but it is what it is.

News and Politics

We were better off in Egypt!

6 Comments

Stop Complaining

As true as much of what you say here may be, I’d invite you to compare life for yourself, the descendants of slaves or native peoples, or anyone else here in this country to the plight you or they would have if your lives were lived as a citizen of, say, any country in Central or South America, or Asia, or India, or Africa, or a Muslim country in the Middle East. –Aaron

Let me be honest and start by saying that I deeply appreciate when Aaron takes the time to comment on my blog. He is challenging, always kind, and continually leaves me pondering my beliefs and reflecting on my position and values.
The comment above is one Aaron left on a post I wrote about the fourth of July. It was a letter to the editor, esteeming the sacrifices of a range of people who helped make this country great, but did not receive equal freedom on the day whose anniversary we celebrate each July 4th. The letter was a response to a politicians opinion piece esteeming the sacrifice of the soldiers who fought in a the numerous wars our country has been through. Here is how I began my piece.

I want to first of all thank Congressman Mark Kennedy for his article concerning this country’s “Independence Day.” There is certainly room for celebration and many of the historical facts he pointed out are worth noting and esteeming. Unfortunately I fear Congressman Kennedy missed out on the whole picture of the American Experiment and I feel the need to complete, or at least add to his summary.
It is true our Experiment has succeeded because of sacrifice, but whose sacrifice?

Aaron’s critique is that I am often negative and always pessimistic about this country, The United States, and seem to do little to recognize the good in it. Honestly, I think Aaron might be right about that. I’ll let you be the judge, but I am open to admitting that I might be critical to a fault of this country.
However, I do not feel I should stop raising my voice in solidarity with those who are mistreated, overlooked, or oppressed in this country. Just because our plight is better, relatively speaking, then some other countries on this globe, does not make it right.

This might seem harsh, but this is what I felt and what deeply disturbed me when reading the comment above. It’s a simple, and seems at first, fair argument, that even the citizens who have it ‘bad’ here are much better off then those anywhere else. It’s similar to the “Each your beans, there are children starving in China” argument. However, here is what is disturbing to me.

The same argument could have been used in the Jim Crow south: “Blacks in the segregated south are better off then when they were slaves, they should stop complaining and just be happy with how good they have it now.”
It could be used on the Native Peoples: “They should be happy we left them any land at all.”
or Jewish people: “At least your not living in Germany.”

Comparing the oppression of one person or group to those worse then them is not justification for that group to stop fighting for their freedom and justice.

I don’t know if you’ve ever went to your boss and asked for a raise, or worse, tried to address or file a grievance because of mistreatment of some kind, but imagine if your boss said:

“Look, I’m sorry for you, really I am. But, Things aren’t going to change around here, your just going to have to get over it and be happy with where you are. Look at all the grunts working below you, they’re making minimum wage and don’t have it half as good as you! Quit complaining.”

If you were like me you’d be hurt, offended, or disturbed.

I believe we live in a great country. It is a place where I not only have the opportunity to speak my mind with little risk of being harmed (not all on this planet, or in this country have that freedom), but it is also a place where I can speak challenging words with the hope that they might bring about some change. If I didn’t have hope in the people and powers of this nation, I wouldn’t be spending my time speaking out about those areas that are lacking. I do hope that those in power will write celebratory words that congratulate the achievements of this country, but that they would do it holistically, recognizing the sacrifices of all the people involved that have made this country great. Until that happens though, I will continue to raise my voice.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere
-MLK

(p.s. “We were better off in Egypt!” was the complaint of the Israelities to Moses as they wandered the desert eating manna, having just escaped slavery in Egypt. As the story goes, they where definitely not better off, eventually making it to the promise land as free people. I used this as the title, because I’m aware that I don’t know the end of the story here and I might look back and find my complaint as ridiculous as the Israelities.)
photo credit