warm weather - warm hearts

As the weather continues to get warmer and warmer it seems harder to concentrate on some things. But in the warmth we look for any excuse to be outside. This can mean accomplishing a lot and making a difference in this world. Examples of this were certainly seen during Earth Day celebrated yesterday. I drove down Cherry Street, later in the evening and saw the cardboard house that Habitat for Humanity group built to stay in for the evening. The next morning as I saw the ‘house’ again, I was reminded again that there are so many people in our world that don’t have homes to go to at night. I spent the day and the next sorting through recycling stuff at CoffeeLoft.org House and making trips to the recycle center. Thinking I wish more people would take the few extra minutes in a day to walk to the recycling bin instead of the trash. I was impressed by a young woman who stood up in one of my classes and spoke passionately about protesting the building of a hog farm. Everywhere we turn people are trying to make a difference in the world. So please do your part! Have fun with it and take joy in the differences one person can make.

CoffeeLoft.org has an event coming up where you can make a difference.
Support the Orphanage!

When a group of our students went to Mexico on a Mission Trip we were able to visit an Orphanage. We were all very moved be the experience and wanted to do something for these kids. So, on May 3rd we will be having a Garage Sale to raise money to send clothes to the kids and the rest of the money will go to the Orphanage. You can help by bringing anything you would like to donate to sell or if you want to help out with set up or hang out to sell stuff the day of the sale. Any of your help and donations would be much appreciated! Help the children in Mexico!

It is time for us all to stand and cheer for the doer, the achiever - the one who recognizes the challenge and does something about it. ~Vincent Lombardi

Why is humanity such a rarity?
Is showing sympathy such a difficult thing?
We make others feel worthless.
We leave psychological scars.
We are the bullies.
But what if we weren’t?
What if we went out of our way to be kind?
To compliment rather than put down.
To make someone’s day.
To treat people with dignity and respect.
~Luna Argintie in reflection of the Virginia Tech. Tragedy

The last couple of days have been beautiful. You walk outside put your face to the sun and just smile as the wind brushes by your face, or blows you over. Sometimes when we least expect it the storms of life hit us head on. There are storms all over this world that sometimes go un-noticed. There are upcoming events taking place where we can make a difference in the world right here at USD.
Reach out to the world! Show your love to your neighbors.

Weds, April 16th
Join us as we remember the Victims &
Survivors of Campus Violence.
7:00 - Ecumenical Candlelight service at Newman Center, the Lutheran Bishop will be speaking. Candle Procession to Danforth Chapel. After we will gather at
CoffeeLoft House for refreshments.

Saturday April 19th
Amnesty International hosting JAMnesty
FREE ADMISSION
9 PM – MIDNIGHT
RAZIEL’S
Donations & Raffle Drawings
ALL PROCEEDS TO REBUILD
SOUTHERN SUDAN THROUGH EDUCATION

Unease, anxiety, tension, stress, worry — all forms of fear — are cause by too much future, and not enough presence. Guilt, regret, resentment, grievances, sadness, bitterness, and all forms of nonforgiveness are caused by too much past, and not enough presence. ~ Elkhart Tolle

Live in the present.
You hear this saying all the time, yet aren’t we constantly bombarded by hopes of our future and regrets of our past. Lately I have been thinking much about what the future holds. Thinking of this leads me to wondering about past experiences and how I have gotten where I am today. This sort of thinking can drive us insane. Maybe this is why we are reminded to live in the present. This usually seems easier said than done. When we are continually trying to accomplish certain tasks in our life and moving forward in our lives, it is very hard to just be in the moment.
Tonight at Taize I had a moment of insight, what I like to call ‘a God moment’. Steve Miller expressed the importance of being in the moment and brought attention to a "Buddhist gatha" we would be singing later in the service. When the song presented itself I was sitting, listening to the words and being in the presence of the beautiful melodic voices of the music ~
~ “In, out, deep, slow, calm, peace, smile, release;
Present moment, wonderful moment.” ~
I lost myself in the music for a moment and something said to me “See if you were still in your past you wouldn’t have been able to experience this moment now.” Tears streamed down my face as I realized how often in our lives to we miss a beautiful day, a beautiful person, a beautiful moment because we are not living in the present.
Pastor Brook recently challenged a group at church to share a meal with someone and be present. Turn off the TV, don’t have any agenda, and just sit and enjoy; appreciate and cherish the moment with that person. I challenge you to do the same in the next week …and live in the present.
~Angelica

Lost Boys of Sudan

Tonight I went to listen to Moses, a Lost boy from Sudan speak. He discribed the conditions he came from in Sudan. There was a civil war going on that over 4,000 people had to flee from the area. Many died along the escape route due to lack of food, water, and rest. By some miracle Moses finally found his way to South Dakota. (Which many people I know would not consider a miracle.) When arriving in the United States he knew vary little English. In the 6 years he has been here he has gotten his GED, became a US citizen, recieved his associates degree in electric work and will soon be a liscenced pilot as well. He has great hopes to make a difference in his country by helping to build schools. A good education can make a world of differnce to the people of Sudan; Moses has proven that. It continues to amaze me how many blessings we have, just being American. We take so much for granted. I was reminded again this evening how thankful we all should be for our lives. All Moses is asking for is pennies.

Just bring your pennies to CoffeeLoft.org, "Change for Classrooms". We have a jar sitting inside our doorway. When you stop in grab a free cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa. You can make a difference by donating to this cause.

~Cup of Coffee~

What are you going to be when you grow up?
Smiles come across our face as children responding to this question “a fireman, a princess, a doctor, an airplane, or an architect."This answer continually change and develop as you get older. In high school suddenly the questions is serious – What do you want to do? (and it sounds like for the rest of your life!) You finally decide on something so you don’ t feel foolish anymore, not having all the answers. Or you continue to change majors as you grow in what you believe and think. Then you are graduating and start to panic about the ‘real world’. Is this really what you want to do with your life? Is this who you are?
Is this the way it works in the church as well? If you pick a church, or a denomination are you trapped in this view of the image of God forever? I don’t think it should be that way. We are all continuing to develop and grow in so many areas of our lives and the way we think about God should be the same way. Recently I started reading a book called Velvet Elvis, Repainting the Christian Faith by Rob Bell. He says, “…to truly pursue the living God, we have to see the need for questions. (pg 28) … And this is why questions are so central to faith. A question by its very nature acknowledges that the person asking the question does not have all the answers. And because that person does not have all of the answers, they are looking outside of themselves for guidance.” (pg 30)
So I encourage you to continue to ask questions about God, stretch your faith and expand your passions in life. Find someone to share with what you believe and what you discover.

It’s the way you grow!

~Angelica