Re: Sorta OT: My Announcement/Long
- From: "Sharon Harper" <sharonoz@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 21 Nov 2005 17:35:01 +1100
Yahooooo! Way to go Tina!
--
Sharon from Melbourne Australia (Queen of Down Under)
http://www.geocities.com/shazrules/craft.html (takes a while to load)
http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/shazrules/my_photos (same as website but
quicker)
"Tina" <tina@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:1132455085.111358.8260@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Well, I don't want to be responsible for anyones blood pressure as a
> result of suspense, so I am going to try to make my announcement
> without ALL of the info and statistics I hoped to have......
>
> 1. You have seen my mention of the need for employment and my lack of
> interest in returning to 40+ hour a week "Corporate America". I did
> that for too many years, for a really big salary and a miserable
> existence and I have dreaded the possibility of having to return to
> that.
>
> I have known in my heart, ever since I left Corporate America, that
> when it was time for me to return to the workplace, and when the time
> was right for me in general - there would be "something" that I was
> meant to do.
>
> During my time of unemployment and after the finalization (mostly) of
> the legal struggles with my ex and for my children - I was able to do
> some serious soul searching. I also discovered, again, my love of
> sewing and creative arts and expression.
>
> 2. My most near and dear friend, through both my previous life with ex
> and my new life since ex, has been my friend Todd. He was the minister
> at the church where I was a member when I was married to the ex and he
> is the minister who married John and I. He has two children, close in
> age to both of mine and has been through far too many of the
> same/similar struggles in his life that I had.
>
> About the same time I was leaving my ex and that town - Todd was also
> leaving that area and moving back to Houston to start a new church. He
> has been following a calling, answering his heart and waiting to see
> where this ministry would lead him. In the time he has been back in
> Houston, he has become very actively involved with Houston's
> overwhelming, homeless youth population. He started a group within the
> church called Project R.I.O.T. "Reaching In and Out Together"
> http://www.forministry.com/USTXCCDOCNCCCN/ProjectRIOT.dsp This is an
> outreach program that goes OUT to the streets to try to get kids off
> the streets and into programs that can rehabilitate their life, get
> them off drugs, complete their education, bring them back to mental and
> physical health and get them involved in a positive and productive
> life.
>
> This outreach program has outgrown the boundaries of his small little
> church. It has been becoming clearer and clearer that it was time to
> grow, time to move up and time to make changes that would reach more
> youth, offer more assistance and get more kids off the streets.
>
> Todd has just recently been offered an opportunity to invest, with
> help, in a new location - a REAL church with additional building space
> and outreach space!
>
> I have worked with Todd over the last few years in small, voluntary
> capacities when and where I could - but it just never seemed like I
> could get really involved with the legal issues and the issues my own
> children were going through.
>
> This past year, a lot of that changed. And, this past year it started
> get closer to me needing to get back to work.
>
> I presented an idea to Todd recently (thank you Pat) that I had come up
> with, as a result of Pat suggesting I make quilted greeting cards.
> These youth are outstandingly artistic and creative. Art provides them
> with an expressive outlet for a lot of the abuse and troubles they have
> been through in their lives. I suggested to Todd that he create an art
> center in the new location. Provide fabrics, art supplies, music
> supplies, craft supplies etc. and let the kids "express themselves".
> This would provide art to decorate the new location, but also, we could
> set up a "gallery" and have an Art Fair to help raise money for the new
> location and the program.
>
> Todd "one up'ed" me. He suggested that the new Foundation contract
> with ME to be the Director of this new Art Center! It was just an
> idea, a suggestion - but it started to "bloom".
>
> Today, we spent the day with the Founder of My Friends Place in Los
> Angeles, CA. http://www.myfriendsplace.org/ Todd visited there last
> week to see their Center, how it was set up, how it was run, etc.
> Today, they came here to meet with us and talk about how WE set up our
> Center. Today, we talked about the creation of our Board. Today, my
> heartfelt dreams were answered as to "what am I going to do with my
> life". I have been told for years (took all those high shcool and
> college "Placement" tests, what you should be when you grow up tests,
> etc.) that I should be in social work or be a teacher. I just couldn't
> see it. If I worked directly with abused/troubled kids day in and day
> out - or put up with the "system" day in and day out, I knew I would
> just go crazy! I get too emotionally involved and it would just
> destroy me. Nope, everyone kept telling me it "was my calling" - I
> would be perfect for it, etc.
>
> So while this is the "planning and creating" stage - I am about to
> embark on not just a stupid new "career" but a future of more than just
> collecting a "paycheck" every month. I am about to embark on a dream,
> a vision and an answer to a prayer. Doing something to give back to
> humanity, to touch peoples lives and still be able to eat dinner and
> feed my kids.
>
> I can't begin to tell you what an exciting, and at the same time
> frightening, opportunity this is for me. To work with these kids, to
> give them a chance at expressing themselves and creating something they
> can be proud of - is just beyond my wildest dreams.
>
> Oh, and the first thing Todd wants me to do is get the "Stitching
> Circle" back up and running at the new location. It was one of the few
> things at the old location that brought the older members, together
> with the younger people. I am just in a head spinning, whirlwhind daze
> at the moment.
>
> This hardly isn't the "whole enchilada". There will be more
> information, lots of work to do, lots of begging to do (please contact
> me before you send all your stuff to FreeCycle! LOL) and lots of hard
> thinking, planning and praying - but I feel like a weight has been
> lifted off my heart - my life is starting over again in a whole, brand
> new light!
>
> Thank you to those here, who new a little "behind the scenes" and
> supported me so faithfully and whole-heartedly!
>
> Hugs,
> Tina
>
.
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- Sorta OT: My Announcement/Long
- From: Tina
- Sorta OT: My Announcement/Long
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