Books About Love (Don't Worry, It's Not The Cheesy Kind You're Probably Already Thinking Of)

I love books about love.

I understand the above is a pretty random statement, but the truth and relevance behind it make it a statement worth exploring.

When I mention books about ‘love’ I am talking about the sweep you off your feet, make you do crazy things, live a life of whimsy and grandeur only the love affair with God can bring to you. It’s a love never fully described by any human being (the span of the Earth’s most talented writers could write for their entire existences combined and never fully grasp and be able to form into sentences the epic nature of this love).

That’s probably why I love reading about it.

I love reading about something I can never fully understand. I like how it’s not in the ‘I’m not a science person so I don’t get it’ way, or the ‘I’ve never been good at math’ kind of way—but the ‘This is so huge’ way which leaves us constantly yearning for more… more knowledge, but more so, more experiences. Experiencing this kind of love makes you want to learn more. Learning more makes you want to experience more. It’s possibly one of the best cycles to be on.

The books topping my list of ‘love’ books are Crazy Love byFrancis Chan, The Love Revolution by Joyce Meyer, and the most current addition to the list, Love Does by Bob Goff.

I met Bob Goff once. He gave me a hug upon our first meeting and was one of the most difficult individuals of the day to keep tabs on. The words “Anyone have eyes on Bob?” were so common in one short time frame. It was Not For Sale’s 2012 Global Forum and I was assisting back stage—keeping tabs on all the speakers, making sure they were in the green room prior to their main stage appearance, ensuring they were getting mic’d up at the required time, and then, my favourite part, handing over their ‘Thank You’ gift upon their exit from the stage. While most folks were easy to get back stage-- and have them stay there, Bob liked to listen to the other speakers. Listening to the other speakers in itself is wonderful, however, he enjoyed listening not from the designated place to watch for speakers, but from the back of the room. Really, the back of the room is the best place to take everything in—you get the full experience, but when your job is to get people where they need to be, the back of the room is the hardest place to spot someone and casually get them to the backstage area.

The way individuals flocked to Bob was nothing short of amazing. His “intimate break out session” designed to host 25 individuals literally took over the space. The crowd gathered turned out to be closer to, oh, almost everyone in attendance. If someone can draw that huge of a crowd, hugs everyone he meets, and can actually engage an entire audience, I want to read their book.

I finally got my hands on a copy of Love Does and it has quickly become one of my favourite books to read. The chapter length makes it ideal to bust out while waiting for food, a friend, or between jobs. It has also proven to be a wonderful conversation starter. The stories told, always ending with how wonderful Jesus is and how God moves in our lives, creates a perfect inspirational backdrop to how your days can continue to move forward in pursuit of Love. Love waiting for you, calling your name, reaching for your hand, enticing you to come along for the adventure it knows you are created for.

While I could easily recount numerous concepts, sentiments and one-liners that I’ve wanted to post endlessly on social media, my choice of topic is Whimsy.

I have never been more enthralled with a word than I am of the word Whimsy. In the book Bob says;

“What whimsy means to me is a combination of the “do” part of faith along with doing something worth doing. It’s whimsy that spreads hope like grass seed in the wind. Whimsy reminds me of the Bible, too, when it talks about stuff being like an aroma. It is not an overpowering one, just something that has the scent of God’s love, an unmistakable scent that lingers.”

This description of whimsy is delightful, don’t you think?

Contemplating Bob Goff’s definition combined with the general whimsical sentiment leaves me excited.

Lately I have felt the unmistakable sense of whimsy while riding my bike and looking at the trees. I am consistently in awe of Gods awesomeness when looking at the trees—their sheer size and ability to grow so large is incredible. How each one can be adorned with thousands upon thousands of intricate leaves, and how the roots go so deep down it’s almost unimaginable. Talk about a work of art. Combine those awe-creating factors with all the life giving properties of trees and can someone not be carried away by a whimsy only accented by the warm summer breeze gently swaying them in song and dance? Taking in this awe-creating surrounding allows me to arrive at my destination ready to put faith to action—an action worth doing and allowing Bob Goff’s definition to set in.

When you send love and whimsy flying towards each other from opposite directions, the fragments from the crash are their own brand of ‘doing’ that are unstoppable. It’s up to us to allow the fragments to get lodged in our heart to guide us where God wants us to go—spreading more love and whimsy to all we encounter. Imagine everyone ‘doing’…. I can’t help but smile and feel the inspirational excitement of the justice, restoration, peace, and all other wonderful feats actively being pursued out of what Love can do!

Stop Participating In The Problem

My name is Aelea and I am an addict.

I am addicted to motivating, inspirational quotes cleverly placed on top of images of intriguing cityscapes, endless landscapes or any other generic beautiful thing that nature and creation has to offer.

I'm not sure when my addiction started but it has been fed by clever videos in church, Pinterest, Facebook, and artsy friends. This addiction has taken over my "likes" on Instagram and Pinterest, and makes the photo album on my iPhone full of images I scroll through when I feel a need to be pumped up or left in wonder of the world around us. One main contributor to this addiction is a certain Facebook page called Pure Nourishment. It's literally a page where most of the posts are epic images with matching epic phrases to make you feel good, make you say "ha, so true" or images that you want to share with others.  The most recent images that I have "liked", saved as images in my phone, and read through many a time are the following;

A black and white image of a trendy lady roaming the streets outside of what are most likely equally trendy coffee shops and cafes with the saying, "When a woman says, 'I have nothing to wear!', what she really means is 'There's nothing here for who I'm supposed to be today.'" - Caitlin Moran

An image of a whimsical underwater scene bursting with lovely shades of teal, coral, peach and pink with the words "Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

A simple white background with black handwriting declaring "Sometimes the easiest way to solve a problem is to stop participating in the problem." 

And a bold statement in white and red on a sky blue background boasting "Don't just talk about it, be about it."

The first two are fun but the last two are truly the most amazing and challenging. 

When I read the words "Sometimes the easiest way to solve a problem is to stop participating in the problem." I immediately thought of our daily choices and their contributions to slavery. Yes, our daily choices contributing to slavery-- the choices we don't realize, the choices we do realize but choose to ignore for our 'sweet fix' or 'It's just so cute I have to have it' mentality that leaves us thinking the more we have, the better off we will be. I will never tire of telling people about the issues of slavery, but there comes a point when I tire of telling the same people about the same issues just to see them continue on a path that completely ignores the very things they eagerly and passionately inquired to me about.

The famous William Wilberforce quote goes, 'You may choose to look the other way but you can never say again that you did not know.' To me, this quote needs an image behind it, cleverly designed in such a way that people 'like' it on all forms of social media, share it with their friends, save it to their phone photo albums, and allow it to penetrate their electronic life that is so heavily relied upon. Allowing themselves to be constantly faced with the fact they do know brings to light they can never again say they didn't-- that they can never again say they didn't have an option because the very fact they see the image every day reminds them they already have an inherent interest in how to be a change maker in the world. 

When it really comes down to it, we are all created with a level of compassion that seeks justice when someone is wronged. When something bad happens we all automatically want to do something to see the scales of the situation tilted in the opposite direction and have the wrong made right. The issue of modern day slavery is exactly the same and requires us to actively pursue the balance of seeking justice when we know injustice exists. The goal, however, is not to have balanced scales, but a scale where the justice is so evident-- so strong in comparison to injustice-- that injustice is no longer existent to even add a feather weight on the scale. 

As a goal we can all be active in pursuing, we can stop participating in the problem and be part of the solution. It's in our somewhat meaningless every day choices the most meaning can come from-- we can stop actively participating in the problem.

What is your most meaningless choice that you have come to realize contributes the most, to not only modern day slavery, but to injustice in any of it's many forms?

Are You Actually Dreaming Big?

Have you ever thought you were dreaming big only to find out you actually weren't?
It's shocking, it's exciting, and it kinda weirds you out a bit.
Welcome to my current state.

Recently I took the plunge and have been sharing my ideas, visions, and goals with individuals I find to be worthy of such personal and important information. These spectacular individuals are those in mentor-like positions in my life. The select comrades vary from one who has literally mentored or supervised me during times of immense professional and personal growth, to one who has my faith life as one of the main filters our conversation passes through. It's a small, well rounded crew of individuals who really do have my best interest in mind-- which is exactly the environment you want when you are getting all personal!

While sharing ideas and discussing what I see as the big, main, end vision, something strange happened. The feedback from the other end came out not as the expected reaction to what they heard (positive and/or negative feedback), but more so as a growth response-- here's what happens after the perceived end vision can be enjoyed in brick and mortar.

What?
Things come after this?
Where do these 'after' ideas come from?
How did you just think of all these epic things that I could be part of?

All of these questions raced through my mind as discussions swirled around the ideas of what 'Love Inspires Change' means, how it can relate to people, how it can be a movement, how people can be involved, how it could be a collective force of positive change like nothing I had ever thought or imagined it could be.

Suddenly my list of discussion points touching on URL, logo design and branding-- while still valid-- seemed a whole lot less important when faced with the grand scale ideas that were being being brought to life right in front of me.

I didn't ask the above questions out loud. I took in the moment. I soaked in the ideas, the possibilities, the fresh and exciting new adventures that I could also embark on and only spent alone time after conversations shocked at what was said, pondering the above questions and more...
Was I selling myself short?
Was I allowing one goal to be the end when the end isn't even something that should exist?
Am I not allowing God to be bigger than the original thought he shared with me months ago?
Was I too focused on the immediate next steps to not allow some fun in imagining all the great, amazing, possibilities that could really come?

Image from Facebook.
Artwork available at www.ohnorachio.com

I was inspired. I honestly couldn't remember the last time I was this inspired to really pursue the even bigger picture-- and not even really pursue, but to simply start to dream or pray about what things could really be on the grander scale.

I want to challenge you.
Next time you are thinking about the big picture, take a moment and allow yourself to entertain the even bigger picture. Think big. God didn't give you passions, strengths, gifts, and talents for no reason. He has the biggest picture in mind for your life. He wants you to be more than you thought possible. Allow yourself to be inspired.

It's through inspiration we can put to action what it takes to be a positive change in the world-- and it's love that will keep us moving forward. 

Challenge: Clothing with a Conscious

Spring Fever.
I have it.
I don't know if it is highly contagious, if I caught it from someone-- but I have a firm belief I can almost 100% back up with proof that it is brought on by the weather. This fever will only break once temperatures warm up outside. Symptoms can be treated by sitting by windows so you can be all 'cat-like' and bathe in the sun (something I am known for doing anyways), drinking smoothies and eating salad reminiscent of summer-time picnics and gatherings, and by shopping-- preparing yourself for when the fever breaks.

As I sit in my wonderful husbands coffee shop, at the long wooden coffee bar that could be a picnic table-esque, drinking my Mango green tea and basking in the sun streaming in warmth from the large window in front of me, I think of a few things:
1- Sunshine is awesome and I'm glad I have my SPF100 as tattoo protection in my bag-- sun even from a window still requires the appropriate safety precautions!
2- Oh how I want new spring clothes
3- That article

When I reference "that article" I am talking about an article I recently read that was posted in the Winnipeg Free Press titled "Looking for ethically made clothes? Hard to prove workers weren't harmed  making T-shirts". While the beginning of the article states things that are nothing new to me-- that ethically made clothes are hard to find and supply chains are easily riddled with so many hands it can be almost impossible for companies to track, there was one hard hitting section that left an impact on me...

America's Research Group, which interviews 10,000 to 15,000 consumers a week mostly on behalf of retailers, says that even in the aftermath of two deadly tragedies in Bangladesh, shoppers seem more concerned with fit and price than whether their clothes were made in factories where workers are safe and make reasonable wages.C. Britt Beemer, chairman of the firm, says when he polls shoppers about their biggest concerns, they rarely mention "where something is made" or "abuses" in the factories in other countries."We have seen no consumer reaction to any charges about harmful working conditions," he says.Tom Burson, 49, certainly is focused more on price and quality when he's shopping. Burson says that if someone told him that a brand of jeans is made in "sweatshops by 8-year-olds," he wouldn't buy it. But he says, overall, there is no practical way for him to trace where his pants were made."I am looking for value," says Burson, a management consultant who lives in Ashburn, Va. "I am not callous and not unconcerned about the conditions of the workers. It's just that when I am standing in a clothing store and am comparing two pairs of pants, there's nothing I can do about it. I need the pants." -- Bold added by me for emphasis.

Does any of this shock you?
Does it not baffle you to think that deadly fires due to unsafe working conditions doesn't factor into how consumers are shopping, and doesn't make them second guess what they are planning on purchasing?
Does it not surprise you to hear that there has been no consumer reactions to any charges about harmful working conditions?

I wonder how this exploitation can provoke sadness and a pursuit of compassionate justice in myself, and how the exact same information can provoke nothing from another.

What is sad is the lack of education of the general public. An article like this, while wonderful at showcasing the efforts of a couple doing their best to be conscious consumers, still highlights the fact that a consumer actually thinks that while they are at a store comparing pants (or any other garment they are debating of lining their probably already full closest with), they don't have an option to be a person purchasing for freedom of those being exploited.

How do you not have an option? Does the average individual not have the ability to have intelligent conversation, to "google it", to seek out options? The reality is we do have those options. Resources, like my personal favourite and constant source of information Free2Work, exist to educate you and aid you in your choices. We, as consumers, have the power with our purchase to encourage companies to not allow more tragic deaths because we want cheap shirts.
 We can clothe ourselves with compassionate justice, with conscious consumerism, with choices that inspire conversation! To every person who compliments an article we are wearing that we can say 'Thanks-- It's awesome AND I'm trying my best with my purchases to not exploit others!' When it comes down to it, doing our best-- and encouraging and setting an example for others to do the same-- is what will make the biggest difference. Be a person who shops for value and price-- value for the people involved in bringing what you wear to existence and knowing the price you pay is the price you put on someones life.



Found on Pinterest

When I take the necessary steps to aid my Spring Fever symptoms, and go shopping for some spring clothes, I'll go to the store with Free2Work ratings in hand and be smart with my decisions. I'll shop at a thrift store where the money goes to a good cause, I'll upcycle my current wardrobe to be more trendy.  I'll do what I can to be sure that articles like this are no longer the norm in how fashion and humanity collide-- but so they reunite in more responsible and innovative ways.

I challenge you to freshen up your spring and summer wardrobe ethically!

1- Take a look at what is already in your closet- can you upcycle?

2- Hit the thrift store!

3- Research companies before you go out. Know which stores you feel comfortable shopping at and only go into those stores.

4- Use Free2Work. Get distracted by something shiny in a store you didn't originally want to go to? Check out the company on Free2Work and see where they grade.

How do you ensure you are making conscious clothing choices when you shop? How have you set an example to others with conscious consumerism choices?

"Let's make a documentary..."

How often do you think to yourself "I should make a documentary?

For me, it's not too often. For my wonderful husband, it's probably at least once to twice a day.

As you can tell from the premise of my blog to the topics I've been discussing lately, being an ethical consumer and using your purchasing power to make a difference in the world has been on my mind a lot. Combine these factors into one, and you have the idea of a documentary with the premise of ethical living at the forefront of our ideas.

The idea was simple-- live a slave free life for one month.

It's amazing how it's so simple to speak a sentence, or write it, or share it with someone, but it's the meaning behind the sentence that really packs the punch and the weight of the impossible. 

Live a slave free life for one month.
Upon thinking of the logistics we came across some interesting points that would have to be addressed:

- Would we live where we currently live, or would we scout out an ethical place to live for the month? It's a dream to think that our houses aren't hoarded with slavery-- from light switches, pipes, couch cushions to cupboards.

- Would we wait until late summer when the world is ready to deliver it's local deliciousness to us? Living in Canada, doing it any other time of year may prove us to be left starving.

- Would we re-buy our wardrobes, or would we keep the basics and anything else we would buy would be ethically sourced?

- What kind of rating system would we use? Would we stick with Free2Work's grading system as our base or would we be doing insane amounts of research, travelling, etc to find out for ourselves that is really happening where our consumables are being made?

While at a local drive-in finally open for the summer months, eating grilled burgers and sharing french fries, we came to one startling point. A point that literally stopped me in my tracks and thought process on how to execute the entire idea...

Where would we get the camera? 

While all other aspects of the process seemed exciting to me-- like what would be the hardest yet most immensely rewarding challenge-- this one, small fact really threw me off.

I've done research on clothing, chocolate and food. Free2Work provides information on clothing companies that are doing the best in their industry to provide transparency, research their supply chains, remediate any problems that arise and are putting wonderful policies in place to be graded a mark that would make even your mom happy on a report card. Food starts to get a little tricky but if we were to grow our own in the summer, get free range meat (or just go vegan for the month) it is possible-- and would be quite the diet! I'm sure we would see lovely results in our physiques!

When it came to housing options, well, I didn't think too much of it. Logistically I wasn't ready to commit to figuring that process out.

But the camera, the use of technology, the means of communication-- these are all things that become non-existent to us. 

I hadn't done too much research on conflict minerals, or the dramatically titled Death Metal, as one article referred to Tin. I knew conflict minerals existed but hadn't taken the time to educate myself. Insert me on my first "second day off" in over two months. I am sitting at my husbands lovely coffee shop, using my MacBook Pro to research the very thing I am actively contributing to-- conflict minerals.

This is an uncommon term to anyone who isn't actively involved in going above and beyond the basic information provided when being a conscious consumer. 

Let's have a little 101 lesson!

Conflict Minerals:
Conflict minerals are minerals mined in conditions of armed conflict and human rights abuses. They come from mines controlled by armed groups, who then sell the resources to purchase weapons and other supplies—or luxuries. It's a cycle that essentially keeps the war going (no funds = no weapons = less violence), and is often also affiliated with spikes in sexual violence. The most common area to find conflict minerals are the Dominican Republic of Congo.

The minerals we are referring to when speaking of Conflict Minerals are most commonly the "T3G" minerals; tantalum, tin, tungsten, and gold. Most of these minerals are extracted from the technical name of what is exactly being mined. 

My first thought is, "ok, this stuff is in the electronic stuff I use. What parts?" 

I'm apparently a curious person who is going to share this information to burst your virtual bubble:
Tantalum is used particularly for applications requiring high performance in a small compact format that is highly reliable aka- welcome to the entire world of cell phones, tablets and laptops. Not to mention the use in airbags, GPS, hearing aids, pacemakers, video games and the cameras to name a few.

Tin is part of solder-- the connecting substance on the circuit boards of electronic equipment.
Tungsten is a very dense mental is possesses hardness and wear resistance properties. It's used minimally in electronic devices but, speaking of phones, it is used in their vibration mechanism.
We all know what Gold is... Gold is used in jewellery, dental products and our electronics. 

While doing this research I found out the United States is trying to do something about this. The Dodd-Frank Act seems promising-- if businesses comply. But isn't that always the issue? Laws are in place, governments are set up to hopefully keep the best interest of the people in mind, but that's not what happens. 

This act has it on businesses to assess their supply chains and report publicly if their supply chains contain these 3TG minerals from conflict areas. If a business says their product doesn't contain, they must provide the information on where their minerals are coming from. This information and research companies must now provide has a time line to start in 2013 and be completed by May 2014. One article I found that best explained in a way I am able to understand the act states the following:

How wonderful this statement is. 

I love the admittance to the fact it is tough, but that it is also, potentially, the most rewarding. 

Aren't all aspects of life often filled with challenges? Aren't it those exact challenges-- overcoming them and learning from them-- that make it rewarding? 

That statement makes me think that one day, as businesses come to realize how the pro's can easily outweigh the con's of stretching their comfort zones, wallets, and ethics to encompass compassion and justice for those making the items market to us as consumers, we will be able to dream with freedom. We won't have an idea out of reach due to our individual figurative "video camera made with conflict minerals". 

What has been your figurative "video camera"? How have you overcome feeling helpless in the situation to overcome and find success?

References aka, where I obtained my new knowledge from:

Wikipedia (yea, I went there...) 

Conflict Minerals 101: Coltan, the Congo Act, and How You Can Help

Dodd-Frank and the Conflict Minerals Rule

"Find What Speaks To You"

Have you seen the commercials on TV for for Pier 1 Imports? They are the cutest commercials where an individual is walking around the store and they hear something... It's generally a voice that is too cute for words and is saying something ridiculously relatable to the person who is doing the browsing. The individual sources the voice and it's an inanimate object that the person just has to take home now that they seem to have a wonderful bond. The tag line for the commercial is "Find what speaks to you."

These commercials are...
- Adorable
- Make me want to shop at Pier 1 Imports (I'm such a sucker for clever marketing)
- Speak to a greater truth in our lives

I find that when God has something important to say to us-- something important for us to learn-- He brings the lesson to us in forms of things that "speak to us". That could be a particular conversation with a friend, a quote you happen to read on Facebook or Pinterest, a picture you see, a movie you watch, or even a book you just happen to start to read at a bible study you randomly signed up for.

From the specific detail of the last sentence I'm sure you can see where my example is going to be coming from...

There's a church here in town that I don't attend. I've gone a few times with my husband and a few times on my own. We have friends that attend and are heavily involved. And while we don't attend regularly, we often go to their extra activities. Most commonly, we attend their bible studies.

A friend of mine who attends had posted a status on Facebook about how excited she was for the upcoming ladies study. I don't remember the post exactly but I can almost guarantee it said nothing about what the study was about, who the author of the book study was, or even what night of the week it was going to be. All it said was the title of the book which I had remembered hearing about before-- "Lioness Arising". While the description of the study was basically non-existent, she shared her excitement for what she was sure was going to be an awesome time of fellowship and learning with fellow ladies.
I needed to inquire more.
I found out the night of the week and signed up.
Done and done.
Easy as pie. (And I feel, as someone who likes to bake, I can use that analogy and stand behind it's truth.)

The Sunday before the study was going to begin I attended the service at the church. I got my book "Lioness Arising" by Lisa Bevere upon arriving and anxiously awaited the end of the service so I could start reading. When the service finished I headed straight for my wonderful husbands amazing coffee shop, sat down with a lovely cup of strawberry green tea (my usual) and started to read.

Let us pause for a moment and asses the "speaking to me" scenarios we have encountered thus far:
1- The Facebook Status. Really? It was so vague! But "something" spoke to me. I signed up literally within a day to be part of the study and would have signed up within minutes if it was a face to face conversation, not over a Facebook status where I had to wait for the next post to learn more information.

2- Anxiously awaiting the end of a Church service to read. Church is great. I love going to church-- meeting with other Christians, learning about God, reading his Word, worshipping Him. He is awesome! But I just knew there was going to be more learning, more of God speaking to me through the book, than at the service that Sunday.


As I was sitting at the modern concrete and re-claimed wood coffee shop, sipping green tea from the bright red mug that is the perfect inviting accent to the almost cold look of the modern decor and snow filled outdoors beaming in from the large windows, I couldn't help but get the shivers and feel the warmth of the surreal terrain when imagining the Lioness described in the book. The description is as follows;

"Radiant light was everywhere and appeared to come from everything. There was no mist or shadow, only glorious color. These saturated hues of living color were comprised of shades so concentrated that I am without earthly reference to name them. The pigments were layered and multi-dimensional. For some reason I best remember the tones of purple (but not quite our purple) and blue (yet unlike ours). There were no edges, sides, or upper border, yet the backdrop of color enwrapped what is showcased-- an elevated platform of flawless, cream-colored stone, and on this platform reclined a golden lioness."

As the imagery from the above passage lingered in my mind and senses, I continued to read through the first chapter and anticipated even more tangible passages in the second...

The second chapter starts with the quote;
"If ever there comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will a force such as the world has never know." -Matthew Arnold, nineteenth-century British poet and philosopher.

The wonder, honesty, bravery and pure power of that quote just gets me excited.

The second chapter spoke to the injustice of human trafficking. Can you imagine my excitement? Here I am, reading a book on how us women are to arise like a lioness to come together and be a force for Christ the world has never seen, and then they touch on a topic so relevant to me like human trafficking! This takes the whole "it speaks to me" to a new level.

It's amazing how God works. How he can take a simple Facebook status that requires but a simple response, to speak to us and lead us in the direction of more knowledge of Him and His wonderful plan for our lives. With every paragraph, every quote and every point this book makes I feel arising in me the attributes of a lioness-- Fierce, Fearless, Graceful, Stunning, Confident, Bold, Strong, Beautiful, and most of all, Awake.

Awake to the plans the Lord has for me, and awake to the potential we can reach when we stretch ourselves to be all He calls us to be.

My hope-- my challenge to you-- is that you fully commit to experiencing what God is using to speak to you that you might grow in His love for you, His knowledge He wants to impart to you, and the wonderful part you play in this life.

I will leave you with my words taken from the "Safari Guide" workbook, my latest Impressions on how I am feeling reading the book and adventuring with the safari guide!
"I feel this study is God speaking directly to me! That He is calling me to acknowledge it is time for me to really be all the characteristics of the lioness as my next step to a life committed to seeking justice for those who cannot speak for themselves. It's like my tool kit I'm putting together to be a fierce force of God! I LOVE IT!"

When has something really "spoke" to you? Where did it lead?

Challenge: Ethical Easter

"Hundreds of thousands of children labour in the West Coast of Africa to produce cocoa, the main ingredient in chocolate. Specifically, over 40% of the global supply originates in the Ivory Coast, where the US Department of State reports that over 109,000 children work under the worst forms of child labour. Of these 10,000 are victims of human trafficking or enslavement. Children working in cocoa production labour long hours and are often required to use dangerous tools. They are frequently exposed to toxic pesticides in the fields that create health issues and are forced to walk long distances in extreme heat. Furthermore, because these children work long hours they are denied access to an education." -- From Free2Work.org

I'd like to propose a challenge.
As with all challenges, this will not be the easiest thing you have ever done.
It will require thought, effort, will power and commitment.
It will require you to go beyond the social norm, break free of traditions you may have set in place, and step into a world where you not only care about your friends, family and taste buds, but care about the world, and the people in it, who contribute to the most consumed item this Easter... chocolate.

You may think the paragraph above is slightly dramatic-- I understand. How often is chocolate "the bad guy" to anyone except individuals watching their waistline and those who can't consume for health reasons? We so thoughtlessly consume chocolate with perhaps our only thoughts being
a) How many calories?
b) What is the price?

This Easter you will challenge that thinking.
You will make a stand for the rights of human beings around the globe in going above the cute packaging, the clever marketing, and adorable eggs & bunnies that overtake your senses in stores and will commit to purchasing ethically made chocolate and candy.

Perhaps you are thinking "Sweet! This will be easy!"
I applaud your optimism!

When walking through Walmart, Superstore, Shoppers Drugmart and other chain stores, you are provided with many chocolate options. Everything you could desire! Enjoy the gooey centres of the Chocolate Creme Eggs? You can have them-- and even enjoy the same gooey-ness in the form of a Caramilk Egg and even enjoy the bitter sweet dark chocolate in the same format. Do you prefer salty with your sweet? As consumers demand the sea salt & chocolate combo, companies respond and even seek to entice you with other options-- why not caramel with your chocolate and sea salt? Want to feel healthy eating your chocolate? How about a dark chocolate bar with fruit and nuts-- you can indulge your sweet tooth and while you'll still be indulging your figure, it won't be as bad as the milk chocolate, nugget and caramel king sized bar you could have picked up from right beside.

As you swim through an ocean of rich, milky, indulgences, do you see a Fair Trade option? And I mean a real fair trade option-- none of this Cadbury-providing-Dairymilk-as-their-ONLY-Fair-trade option? Do you see chocolate eggs in festive packing made by a company that is dedicated to caring about those that work to get the cocoa from the field to the production line? Chances are, in your average retail store in Canada, these particular items are not lining the shelves.

I've pretty much just dashed your dreams of going into Superstore or Walmart and purchasing everything you need for your Easter festivities and leaving with a clean conscious. I'm ok with the fact I just did that. I'm actually happy I did.

It's going to take time, effort, and research to find chocolate and candy options that care about those individuals making the treat first and profits second. You'll have to venture into stores you might not normally take a look in (Ten Thousand Villages or even some health food stores), you may have to do some pre-planning and order goodies online, and, as my hope is, you will realize how often we contribute to continuation and expansion of slavery around the world.

This brings us to the REAL challenge.

While the general idea behind the challenge is to have an Ethical Easter, I think the real challenge is accepting, acknowledging and allowing this challenge to resonate in your day-to-day life. Our day-to-day lives are tainted with slavery. Lately I have had the extreme privilege of seeing people all around me learn and take to heart this reality. I've been privileged to share some of my knowledge with them about slavery, human trafficking and the resources I find most valuable in being a conscious consumer. Lately one of the best feelings is where I'm having a conversation with someone, and they mention something to me about downloading the Free2Work App, or looking at the labels where their clothes are made and wondering about those who made them. These things bring great joy! I know seeds that have been planted are growing and soon enough these same people can be sharing this information with others. A movement is happening.

At Easter we reflect on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is our example of how to live, how to love, how to be. He came to Earth and shattered what the world believed as right and both preached and led by example how forgiveness conquers revenge, how we are to pray for those that persecute us, and how Love truly conquers all. Jesus was the original abolitionist-- teaching us to help the oppressed, care for the poor, the sick, the needy, the widow, the orphan, and to set the captives free. If we, as Christians-- followers of Jesus-- cannot find it in ourselves to daily, in the choices we make, live a life of justice for those have been silenced, then how are we living a life following his example?

As we celebrate the ultimate sacrifice God made out of His amazing, incredible, immeasurable Love for us, let the choices of what we use to celebrate reflect the lessons of Jesus' life on Earth-- Love, Justice and Freedom for all.

Image from TreeHugger's 10 Fair Trade, Organic, and
Vegan Sources for Easter Chocolate.

Here are some resources for you to use when it comes to purchasing ethical chocolate and candy this Easter season!
Free2Work (Can you tell I have worked with Not For Sale? Only my top recommendation every time!)
World Vision's Good Chocolate Guide
Slave Free Chocolate Table by Stop Chocolate Slavery
TreeHugger's 10 Fair Trade, Organic, and Vegan Sources for Easter Chocolate




FAQ's:
Will Fair Trade or Ethical chocolate be more expensive?
Yes, it will be. With good reason-- caring about everyone in the supply chain! From those farming to those working in the factories, the people in the supply chain are treated fairly. It's worth it to spend a little more to know that people are being treated right!

So the chocolate is more expensive which means I can't buy as much. What about the traditions of my friends/family/children/co-workers/neighbours/general human beings I am in contact with have? 
I understand that your family tradition is to hid a bazillion chocolate eggs all around the house and do a massive hunt on Easter Sunday. Traditions can be adjusted! Instead of hiding a bazillion eggs, hide clues that lead to a basket of treats! It's still a hunt and still awesome! Maybe you could splurge and hide a bazillion fair trade eggs!

How can I explain to my youth group/family/co-workers why they aren't receiving the generic chocolate they expect and love without making it seem like I am being a jerk?
No one wants to make someone feel bad. Explain to them that you have been learning about what happens with the production of chocolate and that you are using your purchasing power to make a difference. We've all been the person who had no idea this was happening. Take this opportunity to share with them the excitement you have about being a conscious consumer! Maybe you'll get them in on the movement! Even kids can find a connection. Does your kid love to go to school? Does your kid love to play sports, or dance, etc. Connecting the dots of "You get to do this but not all kids get to. Some kids have to work all day long." can make a huge impact!


How are you going to have an Ethical Easter?