Fifth Day of Christmas

This is the fifth day of Christmas and the fourth day of Kwanzaa. My retreat today will embrace the disposition of a toddler... a busy kind of retreat, with lots of short projects and (hopefully) a long nap!

Agenda:
1. Kwanzaa principles

2. Christmas retreat

3. Becoming Rooted reading

4. Service and activism goals for 2022

5. 

Make end-of-year donations

1. Kwanzaa principles:

The fourth day of Kwanzaa is dedicated to the principle of ujamaa (oo-JAH-maah), cooperative economics - the idea that when we work together, we all profit. Cooperative economics encourages us to meet our common needs by chipping in together. Imagine a world where everyone shares their wealth (even our government) and uses our economic strengths to make the world a better place!

2. Christmas retreat:

Today I am honoring my service, activism, and integrity: 

What are my responsibilities to my earth and my world? How can I be of service? How can I better speak truth to power? 

What things can I do in the New Year to actively help my family, my community, and my society to solve our problems? What group or cause do I really want to work for, be around, impact, and inspire?

What can I do to teach or support freedom, equality, and dignity for all people? How can I educate and work for earth care and climate justice? What do I need to learn?

How can I show my thankfulness for the blessings in my life in tangible ways? How can I “pay it forward” with my time, talent, and money? What resources do I have that I could share? What changes could I make in my buying habits? 

3. Becoming Rooted Reading:

I got the book "Becoming Rooted" by Randy Woodley for Christmas (by request) and today I will read the introduction.

"What does it mean to be rooted in the land? How are we shaped by being from somewhere, some place, some land in particular? How do we become rooted?"

Some of my Quaker Earthcare Support Group will gather weekly on zoom to discuss this book starting January 20th, as part of the "100 days before Earth Day, Reconnecting with Sacred Earth", organized by Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon.

4. Service and activism goals for 2022:

I'm finishing up the work of setting goals and resolutions for the New Year, focusing on my priorities, which are Love, Home, Health, Service, Learning, Creativity, and Life Purpose. 

My theme for today is service, activism, and integrity, all the ways I show responsibility and give back to the world for the gift of my life. Integrity is the quality of being whole and undivided, and acting promptly on what I am called to do. When I am honest, virtuous, and loyal my integrity lights the dark places of life. 

Service and activism goals might have to do with raising my level of integrity in some way, raising my energy and tenacity level for responsible action, using my talents to support a cause, growing as a leader and activist, or educating myself and others.

My ideas for activism and service goals for next year so far are:

• Continue to work with Climate Revolutions by Bike; choose a monthly action to commit to.
• Lead the Quaker Earthcare Support Group; research and post weekly and monthly information.
• Get creative with the children's program; document and post our projects on line..
• Complete a monthly craftivism project to spread a message of peace, social justice, and environmental responsibility into the world.
• Give a voice to nature and the environment. Paint love poems to the earth.

5. Make end-of-year donations:
Today I look at my yearly budget and decide who to make donations to, generally my Friends Meeting, kids and schools, human rights groups, environmental groups, and those who help the homeless.

This year I'm donating to 350 Eugene, Community Supported Shelters, Friends of Trees, and the Chuush Fund, which is for the Warm Springs Tribe, to help with their clean water source.