Simple Living Works!

Simple Living Works! Weekly Digest

Dec. 8, 2015

In This Issue:

• WHOSE Birthday? Podcast series
• New SLW! Blog Index
• WHOSE Birthday Is It, Anyway? #27
• Worth Revisiting

• • Hope in History vs. Consumer Addictions by Rabbi Michael Lerner

  • Food Swap Game by Stan Friend

  • You Don’t Have to Green Up Alone! by Steven L. Beumer

• Advent Conspiracy – interview with Ken Weigel
• Wisdom from Author David Shi on Simple Living
• Do-It-Yourself “Whose Birthday?”
• Free Fall Festival Resources
• What Others Are Doing – So much help!
• More!

* * *

I’m pleased to be quoted in
“Simply Christmas: Sustainable ways to observe, cherish the season”
in the current issue of The Lutheran Magazine.

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New SLW! Blog Index

*  *  *

WHOSE Birthday? Podcast Series, Episodes 57-59: Christ Was Born to Set Us Free

This legacy ‘Whose Birthday?’ is a three-part SLW! podcast series released Nov. 15, Dec. 1 and Dec. 15. It features well-known preacher and national leader Louis Lotz, author Meg Cox and others. It can also be used as text or audio. It’s calendar and readings match this Advent’s lectionary cycle (C, Luke).

Encourage others to listen. Use this article in your newsletter/web site.

Each episode is released about two weeks in advance so that you can plan how to use the calendar, reflections and activities with others at the appropriate time. Nov. 15 episode includes Advent 1 and 2; Dec. 1, Advent 3 and 4;  Dec. 15, Christmas and Epiphany. (Complete previews of all three episodes are also available now.)

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Worth Revisiting

Whose Birthday? #23

Reflection: Hope in History vs. Consumer Addictions

Rabbi Michael Lerner reflects on how the holidays of the lights in Judaism and in Christianity are not only about the return of the sun but also of the possibility of a transformation of human reality.

Activities

Food Swap Game

Stan Friend shares a game that can be played anytime, especially with children, to promote local, sustainable and healthy food choices.

You Don’t Have to Green Up Alone!

Steven L. Beumer has a simple three step strategy for protecting and nurturing God’s kingdom on Earth: Conservation, Conversion and Creation. 

SLW! Podcast Episode 51 :: Steve Beumer, White House ‘Champion of Change’ Honoree

WHOSE Birthday? #22

• Is Christmas Christian? by Richard Rohr

• The Best Gifts at Christmas by Tony Campolo

• A Family Giving Tree by Meg Cox

Whose Birthday? #21

• ‘RULES’ for Buying by Lynn A. Miller

• The Best Gift I Didn’t Get and Parties with a Purpose by Sandi Baete

* * *

WHOSE Birthday? #27

The classic Advent/Christmas resource “Whose Birthday Is It, Anyway?” is available in multiple formats in 2015 to meet your personal, family and community needs.

“Whose Birthday?” #27 is a new, free online collection. 

“Xmas Gift Equation” and “Priceless Gifts” by Susan Vogt
“Saving Forgetful Old St. Nick’ and “O Holy Night at the Clothes Closet” by Melodie Davis
“Advent Devotions” by Bob Sitze
“Putting Herod Back Into Christmas” by Joy Carroll Wallis

You’re welcome to contribute to our most widely-read resource. All past editions are still available on the SLW! site. The articles are carefully indexed. The current edition will be updated as new material arrives, so send ideas and items anytime. Prepare something now while it’s really on your mind. Submission Guidelines

Yes, YOU can have our own customized, DIY Whose Birthday? Click here for tips to CREATE, PRODUCE, DISTRIBUTE and PROMOTE your do-it-yourself version.

Make it provocative, humorous, serious or a combination, in your way to advance SLW! mission: “equipping people of faith to challenge consumerism, live justly and celebrate responsibly.”

Read past editions in the archives.

What’s NOW with SLW!

• SLW! Podcast Episode #56: Ken Weigel, Director of Advent Conspiracy

  Since 2006 Advent Conspiracy has become a global movement of people and churches resisting the cultural Christmas narrative of consumption by choosing a revolutionary Christmas. In this episode, Ken illuminates each of four tenets:

  • Spending Less,
  • Giving More
  • Loving All
  • Worshipping Fully

  Because of people who have entered into the conspiracy, millions of dollars have been given to provide clean water solutions around the world.

  FREE Church Resources: Children’s Curriculum, audio, video, more // Advent Conspiracy FAQ’s // 2015 video on YouTube, 3:09

• FALL FESTIVAL RESOURCES (free online)
  • UNPLUG the Christmas Machine Workshop
  • How to Host an Alternative Gift Fair
  • Planning an Alternative Christmas Workshop
  • How to Organize an Alternative Christmas Community Festival
  • Resource Index: Advent/Christmas
  • Feeling Bullied by Consumo? Ask Slim.
• SUBSCRIBE to SLW! Podcast for free through iTunes, Stitcher.com or your favorite podcast service. Subscribe to SLW! Blog. Click “+Follow” at lower right of blog post, enter a name and email address. Welcome!
• Simpler Living Alternative Daily Calendar — DECEMBER
• Check out a few of SLW! thought-provoking, timely resources that might meet your personal, family or congregational/group needs. They’re all FREE. Visit Seasonal/Thematic Resource Index

What’s Coming

• SLW! Podcast: WHOSE Birthday? part 3 — Christmas and Epiphany (Dec. 15)

What Others Are Doing – So Much Help!

I’m glad to pass along links from simple living bloggers, podcasters, coaches and others. Some faith-based, some not. You needn’t read them all. Choose FIVE links — including SLW! — to investigate.

• Becoming Minimalist (Joshua Becker)
  • 7 Ways to Avoid Overspending this Holiday Season (12/9)
  • Health and Fitness, the Minimalist Way (12/2)
  • Give Your Christmas to Someone Who Needs It (11/27)
  • But What Do You Want to be Thanked For? (11/23)
  • Inspiring Simplicity Reads. (11/21)
  • 5 Tips for a More Intentional Holiday Season (11/16)
  • A New, Minimalist Economy (10/26)
• Center for a New American Dream: Kids Unbranded Action Kit
• The Common Good Podcast
  • Episode 66 :: Dan Swanson: What’s Trending in Jubilee’s Paradigm Shifting Mission (12/1)
  • Episode 65 :: Mel Lions: Why Food Choices Are Our Best Portal to Making Differences Ecologically (11/1)
  • Episode 64 :: Paul Canavese: Why Pope Francis’ Encyclical and Visit Matter (10/1)
• NEW – Creation Justice: CAPSULES– News and Opportunities for Christians Doing Creation Justice, Fall 2015
• Earth Mama (Joyce Rouse) — Website, Songbooks, Whole Enchi-Mama on a USB Thumbdrive, Standing on the Shoulders music video, sheet music offerings — all NEW
• Eco-Justice Ministries (Peter Sawtell) // Voluntary Simplicity archive
  • Facing up to Fear (12/11)
  • Vignettes of Hope (12/4)
  • Paris (11/20)
  • Bus Boycott and Pipeline Protest (11/13)
  • Balancing Abundance and Need (11/6)
• GodSpace (Christine Sine)
  • My Favourite Books on Gratitude (11/26)
  • How Then Are We to Respond (11/17)
  • Preparing for a Blue Christmas – New Ideas for 2015 (11/16)
• The Homesteading Guide Daily: Homesteading adventurer exploring life off the grid. Inviting you to share my journey and the friends I meet as we help you with your homesteading endeavors.
• Living Lightly (Susan Vogt on living more simply but abundantly): 365+ Days of Give-Aways // TMI-Too Much Information
  • Generosity vs. Prudence
  • Finding good homes for no longer needed items rather than just putting them in the trash.
    • Finding Good Homes #2 –  These are the miscellaneous items that have been gathering dust while I focused on Too Much Information over the summer.
    • Finding Good Homes #3 – Weird things like carpet squares, trinkets, and not-so-weird things like towels
    • Good Homes Are Hard To Find #4 – Things like mattresses and trophies are a challenge, plus the old stand by of “Leave it by the curb the day before garbage pick-up and hope someone “steals” it.
    • Homes for Inherited Stuff #5 – What to do with stuff that carries emotional attachments or is too upscale for Goodwill.
  • Pros & Cons of Recycling – When recycling is not enough.
  • Inheriting & Investing Money

• Live Simply (Third Way: Celeste Kennel-Shank)
• Mustard Seed Associates (Andy Wade)
• New Celebrations (Clyde Griffith)
• NorthWest Earth Institute‘s newest discussion course ebook,  Change Is Our Choice: Creating Climate Solutions
• The OneEarth Project (Lee Van Ham)
  • Three minute film: Ecology and Economics—Colleagues, Not Rivals
  • Conversation about The OneEarth Project and Lee’s book,
    Blinded by Progress: Breaking Out of the Illusion That Holds Us
  • The Common Good Podcast, episode 42
  • Lee’s new Slide Show
• The Pastoral Center/Gospel Living (Paul Canavese)
  • CatholicCreationCare.com – General resources
  • CreationCareKids.com – Children’s resources
  • Advent/Christmas resources for families, some incorporating Alternatives.
  • Easter resources for families
• PostConsumers: Find the Satisfaction of Enough
  • The Hidden Consumerism of Crafting (10/30)
  • 37 Marketing Traps to Look Out For This Holiday Season
  • • Online Marketing Traps
    • Offline Marketing Traps
    • Sign-Up Marketing Traps
    • Upgrade Marketing Traps
    • Data Collection Marketing Traps
    • All Marketing Tricks and Traps
  • Tips for Raising PostConsumer Children: Grade School // Middle School // High School // College
• Simple Enough (Bob Sitze)

  • “Too Many Anomalies” (12/8)

  • “Simple Congregations: Desperation That’s Tangible” (12/2)
  • “Advent Devotions” (11/27)
  • “Simple Things: Rope” (11/23)
  • “Simple Words: Intimacy (11/20)
  • “Simplicity’s Children: Best Friends Forever” (11/17)
  • “The Law of Unintended Drones” (11/14)
  • “Mortal Thanks” (11/11)
  • “More Magic Thoughts” (11/8)
• Simple Living: the Good Life (Janet Luhrs)
  • 4 Ridiculously Guilt-Free and Healthy Dessert Recipes (12/1)
  • When It Really CAN Wait: How to Manage Your Time at Work (11/17)
  • Simple and Super Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dishes (11/5)
  • Easy Tricks to Get Your Daily Dose of Vitamins from Food (11/3)
• Simple Times (Debi Taylor-Hough): Saving Your Time, Money & Sanity
  • Latest edition
• Simplicity Collective – Let us be pioneers once more (Samuel Alexander)
• Simplicity Parenting (Kim John Payne): because it is a beautiful world
• Smart and Simple Matters podcast (Joel Zaslofsky of Value of Simple: Liberate Your Time, Money and Talent)
  • Why Simplicity Helps You Reach Your Life’s Purpose(s) with Tsh Oxenreider – Ep.88
  • How Scott Dinsmore’s Connections, Passion, and Work Changed Our World (a Tribute) Ep.87
  • How 241 Post It Notes, Candid Stories, and Huggr Power Changed 55 Folks (#SimpleREV 2015 Recap) – Ep.86
  • Essentialism with Greg McKeown: The Priorities Problem, Creating Space, and Your Highest Contribution – Ep.85
• For links to earlier entries, check the previous SLW! blog.
  

  Upcoming Alternate Celebrations

  • November-December

What’s Happened

• SLW! Podcast Ep. 55: David E. Shi, educator, speaker, consultant, author of the classic “The Simple Life: Plain Living and High Thinking in American Culture” Complete Preview
• SLW! Podcast #54: Paul Canavese on Pope Francis — How to Keep His Momentum Building
• SLW! Podcast #53: World Community Cookbooks UPDATED
• Previews of Simple Living Blogs, Podcasts and Sites // New Collaborators and Champions
• Recent Responses to all SLW! media, including links
  

  Podcast Reminder

  You can access all SLW! podcast audio and the show notes either at SimpleLiving.startlogic.com/SLW-PODCAST or at SimpleLivingWorks.org (then click window #3). Complete Episode Index Listen through your computer, iPod, iPad, iPhone (or equivalent).

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  Peace, Gerald “Jerry” Iversen, Chief SLW! Activist

  *IMAGE: Spirit of Simplicity #3-A0147

  For hard copies of Alternatives’ resources at nominal cost, contact ELCA Archives, 321 Bonnie Lane, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 // (847) 690-9410 // archives@elca.org

  We do not solicit or accept donations, nor do we sell anything. All our resources and services are free of charge. We’re an all-volunteer organization. Instead, we urge Alternative Giving. Give away at least 25% of what you spent last year on all celebrations – Christmas, birthdays, etc. — to local, national and international causes.

  Copyright: Creative Commons non-commercial attribution share-alike license.

  *Treasury of Celebrations: published by Northstone, a division of Wood Lake Publications, BC, Canada, best known for its Seasons of the Spirit curriculum.

  Through social media, we extend the mission and resources of the non-profit organization Alternatives, 1973-2011. Simple Living Works! web site home page | Theme/Seasons Index. To learn more about SLW! – our MISSION, for example — please listen to our getting-acquainted episodes, especially #1 and 2. We produce a half-hour podcast twice a month, hopefully educational and inspiring for you, your family and your congregation or group. We blog each week.