C Me As Hope

Thank you to everyone who donated items to C Me As Hope for the relief effort in Haiti.  We collected everything from blankets to shampoo to toothpaste to bars of soap.  We received so much stuff that we actually filled 3 shopping carts!  Darian and I dropped off all of the items to World Care in Tucson.  We are so excited that we were able to support those in need. We are still collecting items and/or donations…Haiti will need continued support and prayer for a long time to come.

Every little bit helps!  Thank you!

Carla

I got to help a friend today and it felt amazingly-amazing.  The kind of helping where you didn’t even know there was a problem, they sought you out and you were able to be part of the solution.  My heart is warm and fuzzy just thinking about it.

I wasn’t feeling well today.  Really tired, achy, upset stomach and stressed.  I have so much school work to finish this week and I am not sure how I will get it all done.  I sort of wallowed in it today.  Then my friend called.  When I knew I could help, all my aches and pains went away.  I forgot about my stress and I suddenly wasn’t tired anymore.  (Proof is this post…I am usually fast asleep by now…9:49pm)  I was able to give someone the gift of peace of mind and that, in turn, gave me peace of mind.

It reminds me of a book that Lang bought me for Christmas, after hearing me talk about it.  It is called, “29 Gifts; How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life” by Cami Walker.  I haven’t read it yet but I think I will start it tonight.  (I have at least a few books started at any one time so I may not finish it anytime soon but still…I will start it.)  The author is a 33 year old woman who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis only a month after her wedding date.  It’s her journey of healing through the power of giving gifts to other people.  I saw her speak on The Today Show and all but a few of her symptoms of MS are gone.  It sounds like a very inspirational story.  I am excited to start reading it.

Anyways, today’s events made me think of that book.  Made me think about all the sadness and stresses in the world and maybe this is a way that we can do something about it.  Selfishly giving to others to make ourselves feel better.  Does that really sound like such a bad idea?  Hmmm…something to think about.

Carla

I have thought a lot about the difference between hope and denial.  Is there a difference?  If there is, I think it is a very, very fine line.  Today at church, the sermon was about celebration and more specifically, joy.  It got me thinking about the days in the hospital with Lang and the joy that I had each day for the smallest things.  The sunshine, a walk, brushing teeth, holding hands, sharing a meal, watching a movie, listening to music, etc.  Where did this joy come from?  And why did I feel it inside, even on the days when I cried due to loneliness or uncertainty?  And why do I have a hard time holding onto this joy now on a daily basis…in my normal life?

The sermon today spoke that Jesus said that in the joy we find in our faith, we will also find our strength.  This was interesting to me.  So because I had faith that God was in control, I had joy, and therefore, had strength to confront life head on.  I don’t feel like my faith is less strong.  I don’t feel like my circumstances are less than ideal.  So what has changed?  Control.  For me, the thing that has changed is control.  When things are bad, I turn to God to make it better.  To take control of an out-of-control situation.  But when things get good, I say, “Thanks God.  I can take it from here.”  That’s when my joy starts to drain from my body.  The more joy that drains from me the more I try to control my situation.  Things may start to seem hopeless and chaotic.  I get tired and don’t want to confront life head on anymore.

So what is the difference in hope and denial?

I believe the answer is joy.  Because of the faith I carried in my heart while Lang was in the hospital, I found joy in a very joyless situation.  This gave me hope.  And through this hope came strength.  The very strength that I needed to battle the tears, weariness, fear, doubts, and loneliness.  It is in our everyday lives that we have to remember this.  That our strength comes from something bigger than us.

I truly believe that with hope, you can get through the darkest of times.  That you will find the strength to persevere.  And I know that without hope, one can die…emotionally and physically.  For me my hope came from the joy I found in my faith in God.  You may find it somewhere else and for different reasons.  I am convinced that no matter where you find that hope, that the important thing is that you just find it…and hold onto it.

Carla

What has happened in Haiti and to all of the victims in Haiti is absolutely horrible and an example of the power of a natural disaster.

http://www.cnn.com/search/?query=tragedy%20in%20haiti&primaryType=mixed&sortBy=date&intl=false

It breaks my heart every time I see or read about what people are going through over there.  Tears stream down my face, feeling the pain of losing everything you have, seeing the devastation in our fellow humans eyes…compassion is what I am feeling.  So Lang and I are asking ourselves, how do we turn our compassion into action.  As Christians, Jesus has tasked us to take care of those in need.  To pray for them, to give to them, to care for them, to serve them.  Did you know that there are over 3000 verses in the Bible that instruct us to take care of the poor, the oppressed, the needy, the widows and the orphans?  So how do we do that?  Thousands of miles away?  Just two regular US citizens that don’t have hundreds or thousands of dollars to donate.  Is this too big for us to make a difference?  The answer is no.  And Jesus would say that if every small contribution, every small effort is noticed and effective.

Lang and I will be collecting basic items, things that you probably have laying around your house, for the next few weeks, or as long as necessary.  Things like gently used blankets, towels, and sheets.  How many of us shop at Costco and have a stock pile of toiletries in our closets?  Any extra bar soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toothbrushes, toilet paper, etc?

There are other ways to help, but this is the way that Lang and I are choosing to show our compassion.  I encourage you to find a way that works for you and put it into action.  If you would like to donate any items to be sent to Haiti, please contact us to make arrangements or just drop it off at our house, if you are in the area.  (Or find somewhere that you can donate in your area.)  We are also collecting items at church each Sunday and bible study on Wednesday nights.  You can also donate to this foundation, C Me As Hope and the funds will be donated to the victims in Haiti.  Thank you & God Bless us all.

Grace & Peace ~ Carla & Lang @ C Me As Hope

The following is a list of items that are in high need in Haiti at this moment:

EMERGENCY RELIEF SUPPLIES REQUESTED FOR HAITI’S EARTHQUAKE:

We arrived home from WA late last night…or perhaps early this morning.  It was a nice long vacation with our family and friends in WA full of holiday cheer.  Although I miss my hometown tremendously, I am glad to be back in my house, in my bed, and in the sunshine! 

Some of the great things that we did over the holiday season:

• Took the kiddos to see The Nutcracker at the Pacific Northwest Ballet.
• Ate too much at the Cheesecake Factory.
• Visited all family members.
• Had dinner and drinks with some of our most favorite friends.
• Exchanged gifts.
• Drove through the neighborhood and admired all the Christmas lights…twice.
• Played Wii and got sore the next day.
• Caught up with friends and discovered that some friendships are meant to last the test of time and circumstance.
• Slept…alot!
• Went to the movies…alot!
• Ate at all of our local favorite restaurants…Boatshed, Spiros, Red Robin, Family Pancake House, Azteca, and Global Bean.
• Babysat our nephews…and got lots of baby time!
• Ran in the cold and sometimes icy conditions…and up hills!
• Rode on the ferry.
• Read an entire book from cover to cover.  (The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind…it is a true story, very humbling and eye opening…I recommend it.)
• Returned to the site where Lang first asked me out…Harborside Fountain Park…what memories!

We had such a great time at home but as with any vacation, we were eager to get back to our normal life.  Today is filled with laundry, cleaning out the fridge, and getting ready for the upcoming week.  Darian and I both go back to school tomorrow.  And Lang will be hard at work finishing up his book and begin submitting it to publishers.  Our fitness routines return in full force this week as well, along with half of America.  Which reminds me…New Year’s Resolutions.

I am not a big fan of them but I did actually make a few this year.  Yes, fitness is one of them but that is always on my mind so it sort of doesn’t count.  While on vacation, I learned that I should be a nicer person so this year I am going to work on “how I say things” versus “what I say”.  I am also determined to enjoy each day that I have no matter where I am at.  Be it Arizona or Washington, at home, in church, at the gym, soccer field, etc.  You get the picture.  The resolution that might be the hardest will be letting things go.   I have lost some friends this past year and that makes me sad.  I have to mourn that and let it go.

Other than school, my work on our foundation (C Me As Hope) is on the top of my list as well.  Lang and I have decided to really focus on a few organizations, find out what they need, how we can help and then start talking to people about how they can help us accomplish that.  We would also like to sort of “adopt” a family that is in similar need that Lang and I were in, just last year.  So stay tuned for more on what we are going to do with the foundation.  It is going to be very exciting!

Lang and I have become temporary vegetarians.  What do I mean by temporary?  Well, through a long process of research and realization, we are having moral issues with the farming industry in the world today.  Not the farms that you think of when you sing along to “Old McDonald Had A Farm.  E-I-E-I-O!”  Or the farm you think of when you watch “Charlotte’s Web”.  But the industrial farms that plague the world today.  The farms that don’t care about the life of the animal but the dollars that can be made by it.  The more animals that are packed into a farm, the more dollars can be made.  But with so many animals and so little space, what is the actual quality of life of the animals.  Most people don’t think twice about it because the animal is just considered their next meal.  Lang and my journey began with the question of, “Is this how God intended these animals to be treated and cared for?”  (A question raised by a podcast given by Greg Boyd.)  That is where our research began.  We looked at “Free Range”, “Cage Free”, and “Organic”.  Discovering that none of these words actually mean that the animal lives out it’s life as intended by God and then comes to the end of it’s journey on my plate in my dining room.  (Or anything close for that matter.)  This was a sad discovery because we like eating meat.  It’s delicious.  But morally, with the knowledge I hold now, I can not blindly eat meat.  This doesn’t mean we won’t ever eat meat (or maybe it does), it just means that we are in the process of educating ourselves to be environmentally and spiritually responsible with our actions…as we see fit.   I see it as a belief.  We believe that farming animals this way is wrong so we are not supporting it.  All we ask is that others respect that decision…not agree with it…just respect it.  We don’t judge others whom do eat meat for the same reason.  We respect their belief.  Their decision.  I have heard many people say, “Don’t tell me about it because it will ruin eating meat for me.”  I understand that.  This has been a process for me that has shaped itself for many, many years.

I have learned a few things in the short 3 weeks that we have completely stopped eating meat:

1. It is really hard to go over to someone’s home for a meal when they eat meat and you don’t.  It can sometimes cause panic for the host and a feeling of judgment by the guests.
2. Most people like eating meals without meat, if they are just shown how to make a nutritious meal with more than just bread, cheese and carrots.
3. Like most other things, what people don’t understand they will attempt to mock or degrade.
4. Eating no meat comes with a stereotype.
5. A lot of foods have animal products in them.
6. A lot of household products have animal products in them.
7. I like trying new recipes with new veggies that I have never heard of…like fennel!
8. Faux meat is faux-delicious…as in “not good”.  I am sticking with veggies, beans and grains.
9. I still have a lot to learn about veggism.
10. I would like to learn more on how to make changes in our current farming standards.

My New Year’s Wish: For more people to become more educated on what we are doing to our environment (including the animals) and take purposeful action to make a difference.

Happy (Safe-No-Drunk-Driving) New Year ~ Carla

Our local channel 4 news program featured Lang and I yesterday on a segment called “Making A Difference”.  We were very excited to see how our story would look on tv and hopeful that I at least one person would find inspiration from our triumph.  As we eagerly watched ourselves on tv, many thoughts ran through my head.  I wondered how we would be perceived, how our story would/could help others and worst of all, all the “should of-could of-would of’s”.  I have a bad habit of replaying an event or situation over and over in my head and think of all the other things I should have said.  It takes away from the joy of the outcome.  So I am learning to be content with the words that come out of my mouth and move on.  It is proving to be harder than you would think.  Being a writer, I can sit and think about what I want to say before I put in on paper but with speaking…I am hostage to the first words that come out.  The news did a great job telling the love story of Lang and myself while using the marathon as an example of our commitment to each other.

I have learned from the few interviews that we have done, that I do not like to be in the spotlight.  I will leave that up to Lang.  I thought it would be great to speak about our story and my experiences but I am rethinking that option.  I think I am more comfortable behind the scenes, working on the foundation, and supporting Lang in his venture with his book.

On another note, we are heading to WA on Saturday for the holidays.  We will get to spend two weeks with our family and friends in the freezing cold.  I can’t wait and plan to enjoy every minute of it.  We are taking the kiddos to see the Nutcracker at the Pacific Northwest Ballet, which is one my all time favorite Christmas traditions.  I have taken Darian to the Nutcracker for the past 4 years and we have such a great time.  This year will be the first year we will get to share this tradition with Lang and Lara.  I hope they love it as much as we do.   I think they will.  For those of you counting down…Only 8 more days till Christmas!

Carla

Here is the link for the article that the Tucson newspaper ran about us last week.

http://www.azstarnet.com/altds/pastframe/sports/321121

It graciously mentions the C Me As Hope Foundation that we started and Lang’s book that he is almost finished with.  We are still looking for a publisher for the book and now that I have a break from school, I will be working on the foundation with more diligence.

Carla

Lang and I completed the Tucson Half Marathon this past weekend in 2 hours and 19 minutes!  It was full of amazing moments shared and a triumphant end.  I was able to run the entire race without stopping once.  This was my goal the entire time.  I didn’t care how long it took me to finish the race, I just wanted to run the whole thing and not stop.  I saw a lot of people walking so it wouldn’t have been the end of the world but for me, it wasn’t an option.  We had to leave the house at 5 am and stand in line at the high school for the bus to shuttle us to the start line.  As we stood in the dark and super coldness, I found myself watching the other people in line and wondering, “What does this event mean to them?”  I knew how important this event was to me and Lang but everyone else had their own reasons.  And after standing there, freezing my butt off at a ridiculous hour in the morning, I assumed that each reason had to be a good one.  No one would do this just for fun!

At the start line, Lang and I weaved through the mass of walkers and elderly joggers.  Lang stayed close to my heals as I shouted out “left” or “right”.  We were a great team maneuvering safely through the crowd.  Once we broke through all the people, we set our pace and settle in for the remaining 10 miles.  Soaking in the beautiful view of the Catalina mountains and exchanging thoughts, we swiftly passed mile marker after mile marker.  Mile eleven was when my feet and knees started to object to the constant punishment against the pavement.  That’s when Lang’s words of encouragement kicked in.  “Only 2 miles to go, babe.”  “You’re doing great!”  “Better than we ever thought.”  “Don’t give up.”  Some of these words sounded very familiar, as I had spoken them to him months earlier in the rehab hospital.

We victoriously crossed the finish line, hand in hand, with smiles that could light up the night sky.  As our friends and Darian cheered us on from the sidelines, I felt a wave of serenity and thankfulness.  Thankful for the opportunity and ability to share such an amazing moment with my husband.  Thankful for our great friends who shared our moment with us.  Thankful for God and all that He has done for us in our lives, in our hearts and for our future.

For me, completing the half marathon was the last milestone for Lang and I following his accident.  A lot of big “life” moments have taken place this past year for us.  And I am looking forward to whatever awaits us this next year.  Many people have asked me if I would run another half marathon.  Although the race was not as hard as I thought, the answer today…the day after the race…would be “perhaps but not for a while”. 

Carla

This morning Lang and I were interviewed by Tucson’s Channel 4 News.  They are featuring us on their “Making a Difference” segment and it will be airing next week.  (Day & Time to follow.)  We are very honored to have this opportunity to share our faith, hope and love story with others.  Lang and I both feel that if we are able to help just one person in their time of need, then we have succeeded.  Our story is just our life so it doesn’t seem inspirational or extraordinary to us.  But we can see how others would see it that way.  We are just used to it.  We are also very blessed…with our family, friends, community, church, etc.  I like to think that Lang and I recognized our blessings before the accident but we both agree that since the accident, the term “blessings” has taken on a heartier meaning.

We are so thankful.  (And that is even an understatement.)  Our measurements of how big or small blessings are has been adjusted.  To us there are no small blessings, all blessings are of equal measure to us.  They are just that…blessings…all welcome and appreciated.  We celebrate everything from the silent moments together to the eight miles we ran today.  I also think our “need meter” has been altered.  We were in such dire need and so many people (even strangers) met those needs…came to our side…gave their time, money and resources, that we see fulfilling others needs as a priority now that we are able.  Whatever that looks like.  A friend needing help at work to get through the week, a kid needing a ride, a friendly meal with a neighbor, friend or stranger, a good listening ear for the lonely elderly, a smile and encouraging word for someone with wavering hope.  Don’t get me wrong…we still have needs (jobs, money for school, new treadmill, unlimited free airfare to WA, more intimate friendships, a publisher for Lang’s book, etc.) but we have faith that God will provide what we need, when we need it.  Jesus said that we should all meet each others needs.  Take care of each other.  Love each other.  Who doesn’t want to be like Jesus? 

I was really nervous before our interview this morning.  What was our message going to be?  Our story covers so much and can touch people in many different ways.  We would only have a short amount of time to tell our story.  What if we don’t say the right thing or waste this opportunity?  As Lang and I waited in our warm car for the news crew to arrive, Lang led us in prayer.  “Please Lord give us the words that will make you proud and bring glory to your kingdom.”  My nerves subsided and I was ready.  God would give me the right words.  Stepping outside of the car, I was shocked at how cold it was.  As I answered the reporters questions about the accident, what our days in the hospital looked like and why we are doing the Tucson half marathon, I fought back the shivers.  I did remember to thank our sponsor for the race, Foot Solutions, and Lang remembered to mention his book.  Most importantly, Lang and I were able speak of the love we have for each other and use the actions through out the accident to demonstrate that love.  I realize that we continue to demonstrate that in our day-to-day lives, just on what others might consider a smaller scale.  But like I said, our sense of measurement as been skewed.  We feel it’s even more important now to purposefully show that love to each other than it was in the hospital.  It’s easier to be kind, loving, and giving to someone who is ill or going through a hard time.  When real life begins, we could find ourselves taking each other for granted, and looking past the daily blessings that God provides for us. Just 9 months ago we were celebrating Lang brushing his own teeth and us sitting quietly in the sunshine listening to Dave Mathews Band.  Now we are going to run a half marathon!

We were provided a few opportunities to share this message with others and our hope is that at least one person is touched and changed by it.  We don’t know how many more opportunities we will have so we are determined to make the best of each one.  I pray that Lang’s book reaches many and that we continue to be blessed with each other, our family and our community.  Who knows where all this is going?  Maybe this is it?  Maybe this is just the beginning?  We are just determined to enjoy the ride!

p.s.  We will be posting the links to all the interview once they have aired…stay tuned!

Carla