Selfless Acts of Kindness?

I used to be a Friends junkie. When Rachel and Ross finally got together, my sister and I shared the moment long distance, huddled around our respective phones and televisions. A hundred miles apart, we were there together to share in the joy. (pathetic, isn’t it? but it was fun at [...]

Have You Found Your Area of Passion?

Time for a confession: I’m a total introvert.
This will come as a surprise to no one. I tend to keep work and personal life separate, I don’t frequent the Friday night party circuit, I don’t feel a need to add to every conversation.
But start talking about the latest on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, civil liberty [...]

YOU’RE teaching Bible School???

I knew this would happen, but I didn’t expect the response to run so far and wide. I volunteered to help with our church’s Vacation Bible School this year, and people are shocked. In the restroom this morning, I got a nonchalant, “So, how’s that workin’ for ya?” I decided then and [...]

No Reason Absentee Voting

Considering the massive amounts of media attention already being paid to the Presidential candidates vying for their individual party’s 08 nomination, I know you all are just dying to read a blog about elections.
But hey – I’m steering clear of the candidates. This blog is about something a little more simplistic – No Reason [...]

Because We’re Human, That’s Why

I had the recent pleasure of spending a day with a group of CSDs (Community Service Directors) through our partnership with Michigan Campus Compact. I’ve worked with many of them in the past in various capacities, but it was relatively new to have them all in the same room, focused on the same thing. [...]

Nonprofit Partnerships…To-a-Tee

T-ball [tee-bawl]
–noun
A modified form of baseball or softball in which the ball is batted off an adjustable pole or stand, usually coached by enthusiastic first year volunteers who do not yet understand that 14 five-year-olds running around with bats can only be described as organized chaos.
With whistle and clipboard, two [...]

Catharsis via Yard Sale

My big old house has a big old front porch. Right now that big old front porch is full of boxes and bags and plastic totes, and all those containers are full of Stuff. Stuff That I No Longer Need (and I’m not sure that I ever did).
Last weekend, a bunch of folks [...]

Quirks of the office

If you’ve ever checked out the “Meet Our Bloggers” section of this site, you’ve caught a glimpse at the more personal and amusing side of many of our employees.
We all have our quirks. Some people are more apt to embrace them than others. Here’s one of mine: I routinely walk into large, stationary objects. [...]

Leadership Includes the Small Stuff

Apparently, I’m meant to draw my leadership lessons from unlikely places. Last weekend, I was at a concert with two of my favorite bands – people I also happen to be friends with. In the break between sweaty bodies, pounding drums, screaming guitars and frenzied vocals, my buddy Ryan (lead singer for one [...]

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

Summer is here. The sun pours through my window earlier and keeps my kids awake later. It’s the last week of school, I’ve got new neighbors moving in, my cat is shedding her winter coat and we’re shifting things in the office. Once again, it’s time for change.
Change is a strange thing, [...]