"What good can you do without money?"

Today a volunteer in my office asked me what I was going to do with my life in the future. I told him I wanted to do work in the field of social work, to work with troubled kids. He laughed out loud and said that I was capable of doing so much more.

He went on to say that there was little good I could do in social work, there was no money in that field and, "What good can you do without money?"

His next statement shocked me and I quote, "I think that Bill Gates is a much better humanitarian than Mother Teresa." This statement angered me at first but I responded,"I guess that depends on what your perspective is on being a humanitarian."

I went on to tell him that I thought Bill Gates and his wads of money could help numbers of nameless-faceless children and people. Surely his new start up schools will benefit many, and I am sure hosts of people have been blessed by his wealth and ability to share. Mother Teresa, on the other hand, mourned with those that mourned, comforted those in need of comfort, and she held children in her arms while they were dying. She sang to the desperate, she brought peace to the hopeless, and she gave all she came in contact with the gift of Christ, the perfect humanitarian.

So I guess it really is how you want to see it.

My desire to do social work is not about saving the world one child at a time-it is, however, about empowering people to make needed changes in their own lives. (Give a man a fish, or teach him how to fish). I am a bleeding heart-idealist who wants to know, at the end of the day, that I made a difference in my life and lives of others around me.

And certainly the greatest of all gifts and all good cost no money!

The Silence of Communication

Not a lot of people know this about me out here in Boston, but I'm semi-fluent in American Sign Language (ASL). I have been removed from the Deaf culture for a while now so I no longer think in picutures, I still use deaf slang in my regular speech, and I still find myself wanting to us a sign to describe what I'm feeling.

Recently I lost my voice because I was sick. And in those few days I had a strong longing for my ASL communication. I found myself talking about my ASL mission experiences, signing a little to people who had no idea what I was saying, and mostly praying in ASL. There is something so beautiful about the silence in that communication.

Those who know me know I love to talk to people, but there is something amazing that happens to me when I am given the opportunity to express myself in Sign Language. It's the closest way I know of communicating that feels like singing. It is much easier to express my testimony in song then in talking, but ASL seems to be inbetween.

Like most other things there is much contraversy in the Deaf culture, among Deaf people, CODAs (children of deaf adults), and hearing people. And with the pain comes the joy. I am so grateful to know this language, to be able to express myself through it, and to be blessed by it!

Things I've learned (am learning)

1. Honesty may hurt-but it is still the best policy
2. Being grateful allows you to be happy with what you have instead of always wanting more
3. Dreams allow you to push yourself, make things happen, and help you to fly
4. Sometimes it is so not about me
5. A genuine compliment goes much further than a thousand accolades
6. Pity serves no purpose
7. Never argue with the spirit
8. I cannot fix or take away the pain in others
9. There is a decided difference between empowering others and helping them
10. Imagination will save the world
11. Everything testifies of Christ
12. Fear and faith cannot coexist
13. Love is not suppose to be hard; Life is not suppose to be easy
14. I have the greatest family ever!
15. People leave impressions on my heart and take a piece with them
16. All things are possible with God
17. Death ends a life-not a relationship
18. Silence can speak a thousand words (or pictures)
19. Language is limited;the heart is enless
20. In the end love will conquer all

Happy Halloween!

So I have to say that Julie, Carrie, Sylvia, & Christy threw a FANTASTIC Halloween party! It was great to see everyone dressed up. People were so creative with thier costumes.


I am one lucky girl!


What did Dorthy ever do to 007 anyway?


Jelly Beans anyone?? (Trisha), Prefontaine (Brian), Dorothy (me), and That Metro Guy (Cyrus)


Double the Flavor, double the fun, double your pleasure with Double Mint Gum! I love these Double Mint Twins! Carrie, Kylee, And Julie (and yes Richard, we see you in the background).

(thanks Brian and Jared for the pics)