Recently I had a revelation when I listened to Michael Pollen’s book on tape, THE OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA. I was drawn to this book because our local Fayetteivlle, AR Library was hosting a community book read by the same author. IN DEFENSE OF FOOD is the sequel.

My wake up call came when I realized something I had known my whole life, but it seemed so basic and obvious that I overlooked it as the foundation of everything that I had focused on. We all need good healthy food.

You can learn more about my passion at my blog www.fayettevillegrowslocal.wordpress.com

I am starting a food growing business so that you can grow food in your own back yard.

Okay, here is the thumbnail sketch:

Patricia is at an out of town job organizing near Siloam Springs.

She notices the car is shaking, and chooses to continue to driving, but cautiously.

She senses something is wrong–pulls over to a miraculously wide shoulder on a country road.

She has a very bad blow out–the tire is destroyed.

She is able to call on her cell phone one a road where there is rarely reception.

Robert makes it in record time all the way from Kingston.

She also gets help from Leigh, who calls Dodie, who calls Geanette, who gets the help of her neighbor–in case Robert takes very much longer to rescue her (it is dark)

Robert rescues her and they spend a wonderful valentine’s day evening and weekend together with Mahriyanna and Chris. They dream that the car is safe and they know they will go back to get it.

Robert and Patricia go back three days later to repair tire. Car is not there.

They call sheriff–car is impounded. Need to come up with $300 to get it out.

Money is in bank, but because of out of state check just deposited, the cash that towing company demands is not available. $30 a day towing fee plus more time and energy results each day we don’t pick it up–as well as no vehicle for Patricia to work.

Friend shows up out of nowhere at Patricia’s cleaning–willing to give cash for a check.

Friend calls at last minute desperately needing Patricia to babysit. Mahriyanna is able to do it so Patricia can go to towing place to get car.

Robert and Patricia get to towing company. Get car out. Get flat tire fixed. Get car jump started.

Patricia gets to work late, but client is not upset.

With lots of prayer, some grieving, a little bit of anger resulting in crying out to God, much introspection, taking responsibility—Patricia and Robert get through this victorious.

They do not fight at all.

They are positive.

They get closer to each other, God, and Jesus.

They find comfort and help in their circle of friends.

They feel grateful for all their blessings in the midst of the crises.

They almost lose it at time, but encourage each other and trust in God.

They are determined to rise above the challenges and continue to pursue their goals to be the hands and feet of Jesus, helping to bring the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.

Amen! Thanks be to God. Thanks be to Jesus.

I have spent many fulfilling hours helping Joan Pharr, a volunteer for Mission Honduras, organize her office and household so that she can be even more effective in her efforts to support Mission Honduras. The purpose of Mission Honduras is: To Break the cycle of poverty…one child at a time.

I have felt so grateful for the time I spend with Joan. When I see her tireless dedication and commitment to help children and support the founder of Mission Honduras to help children, I feel very inspired. From what she tells me–from her first hand experience–my sense is that Father Emil Cook, founder of the mission, is very similar to Mother Theresa. I am glad to use my organizational skills to support such a worthy cause.

I also feel very grateful that Father Emil will be here in Fayetteville sharing his experiences on Wednesday, Feb. 25. There is more information below. I am going to do my best to attend, for I think it will be beneficial to meet both Father and other supporters for fellowship, inspiration, and a reassurance that there is much good happening in the world. Here is the invitation I received from Joan:

YOU are invited to attend a private reception for Father Emil Cook, the founder of Mission Honduras International, on Wednesday, February 25, 2009, beginning at 7:00 P.M. at 40 North Crossover Road in Fayetteville. You can talk with him, see the mission’s newest accomplishments on video, and meet new friends.

It has been a year of good and bad for the efforts of the mission. Expansion is continuing with new locations being added. Each year more graduates take on a productive role in their countries. But floods in Honduras destroyed our food supply and cash crops, and fewer donations reflected the economic conditions.

The enclosed information is about our part in a Denton shipment of humanitarian aid. The collection point is at St. Bernard’s Church Hall in Bella Vista on Sunday mornings until mid March. Mary Marks at 479-586-6235 has more information.

The highlight of my year with the mission was attending the graduation of my second sponsored student. Alícia received her M.D. in September and is now doing a residency in Internal Medicine at the leading hospital in Honduras. In all of her academic career she consistently made top grades. She is also a caring and compassionate person who will be a good doctor in Honduras for the rest of her life. Personally I want to think this will do more good overall than can be accomplished in a one week visit by a team of medical people from the states.

Without Mission Honduras and your help, she might never have made it past early grade school. Her family just could not afford it. How many other children in Honduras today could grow up to be good doctors if only they had the chance to go to school? How many lives could they save and improve? What can you sacrifice to make a difference? How will you help improve our world one person at a time and break the cycle of poverty?

Ash Wednesday night come to The North Forty located at 40 N. Crossover Road in southeast Fayetteville. From the corner of Joyce and College at the Mall go east on Joyce, then south on Crossover. The North Forty is on the east side shortly before you reach Highway 16. You will meet some really nice people!!!

Love, joy and peace,

Joan Pharr

Volunteer for Mission Honduras International ~ jpharr@missionhonduras.com

The essence of Jesus teachings is: He came to show us how to bring the kingdom of God on earth as god had originally intended before man and woman fell. (They stopped trusting God)

Jesus demonstrated through stories, concrete actions, and direct, clear words how to bring the kingdom of God on earth: Love God. Love everyone.

Jesus made God more easy to love because we could now see God clothed in flesh. It is hard to love an abstract creator. But if we imagine or believe Jesus is still alive and actively learn about and experience his presence in our lives, we can experience the same kind of love for him that naturally feel for peoploe who nurture us. Also, Jesus said, “Whatever you do to the least of these, you do to me.” I hear from that loud and clear that when we love everyone, we are loving God.

By loving Jesus, he canmore effectively guide us and have a relationship where he can help us more. As I ask, listen, obey, surrender and thereby partner with Jesus to lovingly bring God’s kingdom on earth, I have life more abundantly.

what Jesus wants for all of us is to TRULY love. I believe that love means that we sincerely, without out any doubt or even effort want the best for people. Everyone. Even our perceived enemies and people we have issues with. I think that we are trying to love people, we are not really loving them. Trying means that there are conscious or subconscious issues, often from our childhood wounding, that are preventing us from loving. If we love because we should or because Jesus wants us to…I think this is not true and powerful love.

In order to love, then I believe we need to clear our childhood woundings through various techniques, including prayer, journaling, counseling, and introspection. In order to clear our childhood woundings, I believe we need to be in safe relationships, including our marriage partner if we have one.

But I also think we need to be in community with other who are passionately wanting to love as Jesus would have us love. We have more opportunity to heal our past if we are interacting with others who understand that when they act out of distress that they need healing. Not just prayer or covering up actions with scripture or trying to be nice.

by living with other in community, we also can live a life where our spiritual, emotional, physical health is optimized. We can help each other by:

1. encouraging each other in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, meditation, bible study and journaling.

2. Helping each other to live simply so that there is more time and resources available to serve

3. Encourage each other when we are discouraged from the challenges of being in the world.

4. Co-create projects such as neighborhood outreach that can help bring God’s kingdom on earth

5. Eat healthy food so that we can have more energy and have less or no disease, thus being a positive role model for others.

6. Share child-raising so parents are not drained and children have a wide array of support which contribute to children having more security, nurturing, and less childhood wounding to deal with.

7.Practice transformation of uncomfortable feelings into positive actions and pure love by using such techniques as non-violent communication and re-evaluation counseling that have an added Christ centered focus. Practice conflict resolution methods which contribute to a harmonious household.

8. Create a space of such sincere, unconditional love that residents feel safe and can heal on deep levels.

I believe that the whole church which often looks like a club scene has deeply hurt people because people have not focused enough on deep healing. People think that if they would just pray enough, sing enough, cry enough, and study their bible enough, then all will be well. Sadly, these actions do not usually get us to a point where we can do the most important things that Jesus clearly tells us to do–love God, love people.

And so, in conclusion, my yearning is to live in a household where the focus is about how we can bring the kingdom of God on earth by loving God and loving people. By living cooperatively in such an environment, I believe we will be blessed even as the early Christians were blessed. Everyone had what they needed to live. And the numbers of believers increased in amazing numbers because people felt the pure love

Maybe the early Christians could have made it in their communities if they had the tools that we have now Maybe they were weakened because they were unable to even be aware of the childhood hurts that they suffered that kept them from loving as purely and as powerfully as Jesus called us to do.

Our relationship with Jesus is about hearing his voice moment to moment, and co-creating with him the kingdom of God on earth. If we can’t hear his voice clearly beause of subconscious “stuff” that we have, then we are not able to be in a position to truly love–to see what we need to do to be love to others.

I hope and pray that I can find a community of believers who want to live in a household together learning how to truly love God and each other.

If anyone is out there who might be interested in this, I hope you will contact me.

Here is an excerpt from the book, BECOME THE ANSWER TO OUR PRAYERS by Shane Claiborne and Jonathon Wilson- Hartgrove

And yet so much in the world tries to rob us of this divine
gift, seducing us to settle for in-
dependence over interdependence
—security over sacrifice—
to the point that community
looks idealistic and spectacular.

We express our deep hunger for
belonging through such forms of
community as nationalism, bio-
logical family, marriage or small
group Bible study. And there is
some good in all of these. Like
appetizers, they give us little glimpses of community. But we
often don’t make it to the feast. We stop short of the great
community that God has invited us into.

This book is an invitation to join the feast already taking
place at the table of our Lord—by becoming the answer to
the prayers Scripture teaches us to pray. Jesus established a
community in his resurrected body. “This is my body, broken
for you” is a physical reminder that we have been baptized
into Christ’s body. As living members of that body, we speak
Christ’s words. Praying the Lord’s Prayer as members of the
church is inviting God to make us what we already are—the
beloved community of a new humanity….

We don’t have to give into greed or work as
everything depends on us. When the options are “get rich”
or “save the world,” we can respond with, “I want to become
part of the people who ask for God’s kingdom to come in their
life together.” We can find our identity not in our work or our
causes, but in “Our Father in heaven.”

End of excerpt…

My conclusion from reading the whole first chapter of this book is that when we try to be the answer to ours and other prayers–in other words–be the hands and feet of Jesus bringing the Kingdom of God on earth–we get burned out unless we have a good support system.

I believe we need a bigger support system than a nuclear family, a church family, a small group family. Living communally with others saves so much time, and prevents burn out. My 35 years of research into community living demonstrates that it is very possible to live in cooperative living arrangements very harmoniously. Unfortunately, I have not found the ideal living arrangement–mostly because my husband and I had different needs.

But now I am ready. I can still be married, and temporarily live apart from my husband. He realizes that this community living is the most important thing in my life. He realizes that he can not and isn’t required to fulfill all my needs. He is my best and dearest friend. I know that without a doubt. And, he is not in a space right now where he is willing to live with others in community. My dream is that he will get to that place.

I look forward to writing more about my vision. You can find out more about what I envision in community www.newmonasticism.org

This dream came out of left field. I am really busy, and seemingly don’t have time to do this. But I am praying that God will make a way for me to get this started.

Here is how it happened. My friend Bea started talking about a sponsoring a fund raiser to help especially innocent and young victims in the recent bombing by Israel soldiers of civilians living in the Gaza strip in Palestine. Here is more information about this horrible situation.

When she told me about children having limbs amputated without anesthesia and phosphorus bombs burning little victims in horrible ways including burning down to the bone, I was shocked and saddened. When I sent her an email suggesting that perhaps I could help by doing a concert for children with songs which encourage peace making, she had the idea of having a mass children’s choir.

When I attended the Interfaith Harmony Day sponsored by the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fayetteville, I felt inspired to talk to people at the various tables as well as friends I met at the event about the idea of having and interfaith youth choir which would have as its first performance a fund raiser for victims living in Gaza.

I was flabbergasted by the positive response by everyone I spoke to. I felt so supported and encouraged that now I am convinced this is the right thing for me to focus on.

I have decided to make a small organization to help create this Youth For Peace Interfaith Choir (that is the name I just made up).

Since I have had much experience with working with children as well as producing three tapes for young people, I feel confident that I can create a successful choir. I also have learned that I will be much more effective working with a team.

The songs we will be singing have a universal message, are easy to sing,  include audience participation, and appeal to people of all ages. These songs are ones that are written mostly by my two friends Linda Williams and Carol Johnson who have a wonderful ability to write music with a message.

If you have any interest in helping organizer and in other ways supporting this endeavor, let me know.

Here are some needs:

1. Contact choir directors and other representatives of faith based groups in the area.

2. Help with the monthly rehearsals.

3. Donate funds to pay for the production of rehearsal dvd’s and videos so that the children can learn songs and motions at home.

4. Help with video production of the motions to the songs.

5. Be part of a team/board of directors  to organize the whole effort.

6. Do research and see if a similar project has been undertaken elsewhere.

7. Help with the actual rehearsal by helping supervise the young people.

8. Help with the fundraiser. We are having a meeting Monday, Jan. 20 at 7pm in Fayetteville.

Thanks for your interest! You can contact me at 479-313-0414 simplifiedliving@gmail.com

I finally took the plunge and went to the New Heights Church service. I realize now I am quite terrified of being disappointed in New Heights. I yearn to be a part of a group of Jesus followers, but I’m scared that I won’t be accepted–or that there will be some value the church holds. that I can’t handle.

I share in the previous blog how I had such a challenging evening having a fight with my husband. It was so bad, I was on the verge of creating conditions that would prevent me from going to the church service. Maybe on some level my scared and vulnerable inner child who has been hurt so much was trying to help me out by supporting me in not taking a risk of reaching out. I suppose it could have been the devil trying to keep me from connecting as well. These are deep topics that deserve more attention than I can give to them right now.

But things worked out. In spite of many obstacles, I arrived at New Heights Church. I sat in the very front row. I felt very inspired by the songs sung by the worship team, the message given by one of the pastors, and more inspiring songs which were sung during communion. I really loved how communion was presented. There were tables all around the periphery of where people sat (in the gym of the Boys and Girls Club) which had the grape juice and bread available. During the ten minutes or so of the worship team singing, people, Be could go to the tables at any time.

During the first song, I prayed unto God to help me with my financial challenges and all kinds of other prayers that flowed from my heart. I found myself being prompted to cry out to God on my face. I have learned that there are many postures for prayer that are effective and demonstrated in the bible. I notice that when I am on my face, my prayers take on an intensity and cleansing power than any other posture.

I resisted the temptation to fall on my face, wondering what people might think. But I also said, “Jesus, if this is what you want, I will do it. I know it is more important what you think than what others think.”  And soon I found myself on my face, sobbing and shaking with spoken and unspoken prayers to God. I was so glad there was kleenex available which I had stuffed in my pocket before the service.

After the song, I was back in my seat, enjoying the wonderful music and lyrics. God was not through with me, it seemed.

During one of the next songs I felt inspired to dance. The words of the song almost demanded physical expression. I found myself torn. Here I was in the front row–dancing there was going to appear like a performance. Should I not go into the back of the room so I wouldn’t make a spectacle of myself?After all, this was my first service. I didn’t want people to think I was a show off.

But the Holy Spirit seemed to have other plans. I found myself first moving my arms slowly, then with more expression, then my whole body was moving. Yes, part of me was still self-conscious and thinking, “What will people think,” and most of me felt swept up in blissful connection to Spirit and my dance was pure worship unto the Lord.

I was so glad I could take communion now, feeling more connected to God than when I had when I first arrived. I also went to the side where the pastor had said there were people ready to pray with me. I didn’t know who was ready to pray with me and was feeling rather shy–so I prayed alone.

After the service, all of which was so inspiring, a radiant young woman came up to me and said lovingly, “I loved your dancing.” I was writing a prayer on a prayer request card, and I think she didn’t want to interrupt me. I said thank you, and she walked away.

Then she came back again, and initiated a conversation. It was kind of wierd–I wasn’t sure if she was the same person who had told me she enjoyed my dancing–but when I asked her later, she said she was.

We found we had so much in common. We had a wonderful talk and I appreciated hearing her passion for loving people who had issues with Christianity and Jesus–mostly because they had such bad experiences with Christians. She also had many friends who were gay and liberal, who saw things differently–but she had no desire to attempt to convert them by telling them they were wrong or going to hell. She valued being Christ’s hands and feet to everyone. Although she didn’t say this, I am pretty sure she would agree with the idea I have heard that we of ourselves can not bring anyone to Jesus–it is the Holy Spirit that does the work.

One topic we touched upon was the issue of homosexuality. She agreed that this was a topic that was not black and white as to whether or not it was a sin. She, like I, had many gay friends who she did not want to alienate by judging them as sinful. I know we will be talking more about this issue.

I look forward to connecting with her more and exploring how we can support each other and connect. I felt as if I had made a new friend, possibly a kindred spirit. I thought that perhaps God lead me to dance partly so that she could see me and realize that she wanted to reach out to me.

I also talked to a woman who was in charge of the prayer team in a local organization that ministers to people who have crises pregnancies. She was very inspiring and encouraging.

I even talked to the worship pastor, and found that I did not have to be a member of the church to part of the worship team. They do not have the same worship team every week, but rotate among about 40 musicians. I made an appointment for an audition, and look forward to seeing how that will go.

I left the service feeling uplifted and joyous and hopeful. Maybe this could be a place I could belong. We shall see.

How can it be that last night I felt like I was going crazy–actually to the extent I just want to die–to be done with the world and all its suffering. Then, today was such a blissful day…

I know…you might be thinking–typical manic depressive by polar behavior. I would agree with you if this happened on a daily or weekly or even monthly basis. But more and more–as I deepen my relationship with Jesus, these “dark nights of the soul” occur less and less often.

It is a story worth telling–and when I get down and discouraged, perhaps I will read this to remind myself that “all things work together for the good for those who serve him and are called according to his purposes. ” Paul said this somewhere in the New Testament. By the way, I think everyone who is sincerely doing their best to live a life of goodness are serving God and are called according to his purposes–but that is another story!

It had been a great week. I had the revelation that we are called to be living epistles–the gospel in action. Paul said that somewhere. (By the way, I am really bad at memorizing scripture and where they are found–but I remember the big truths that jump out at me and seem to be written on my heart)

Having this revelation helped me feel useful in everything I was doing. Even though I want to do community organizing projects and create an eco-village community with a community organizing school–I have not yet done this. So when I do organizing work, or cleaning, I often feel discouraged, thinking I am not doing what I am called to do. But this week I felt so grate. I felt Jesus love just pouring out of my heart and everything I did felt joyful. Even cleaning the rental house and making it shiny and clean (even cleaning the really gross stuff under the refrigerator and stove was a happy experience) was great.

I listened to the CD BETWEEN THE CROSS AND THE DOOR by Casting Crowns the whole time. I cried out to God to make me his instrument and help bring the kingdom of God on earth. I prayed about all kinds of things, including for my family and the suffering going on in Gaza especially with wounded and dying children who do not have adequate medical supplies and attention.

Wow! It was amazing how I even got into helping out a sick client/friend. I was helping her de-clutter her house, and she got really ill while I was there. This kind of thing sometimes happens when people are experiencing de-cluttering. They have an internal cleansing as well that manifests in challenging and painful symptoms. (I need to figure out how to make their inner cleansing less painful.) One of the things I did was clean out the vomit in the sink. Amazingly, this was not so bad, and I took great joy in knowing I was really helping her out. I also prayed for her. She was very grateful–and got well soon after I prayed for her.

But then my husband Robert told me we were short on money again. I promised myself that no matter what were my external circumstances, I would do as Jesus actually commanded, “Don’t worry!” His words are so wise–I mean, worry never helps any situation.  We can’t hear the voice of the holy spirit if our minds and hearts are clouded with worry.

But I did what I told myself I would not do. I started criticizing my husband unjustly. I started panicking. I started getting scared. My husband and I got into a big fight, mainly instigated by me. When he did not listen emphatically like I wanted him to, I spiraled downward into an abyss of discouragement that created a big wall between my husband and I.

I also got really mad at God and Jesus, and yelled at them. Why why why–I keep doing my best to hear God’s voice and follow Jesus and be the hands and feet of Jesus. I am blessed beyond measure with wonderful children, a good relationship with my former husband, a wonderful husband, nurturing friends and neighbors. But the money situation keeps challenging me. And the lack of my dream of community coming true.

When I told my husband I just wanted to die–but I was not going to commit suicide because I was just not capable and I knew it was wrong–I hoped he would hear the depths of my pain and come to my aid. I really don’t want to do extreme things to get attention–but the pain I was feeling was extreme. I felt so separated from Jesus. I felt alone and hopeless.

Robert, my husband, was able to be there for me in a way that was truly beautiful. I felt so much better after being able to just rant and rave and have him listen without taking it personally. He was calm and loving and I feel so grateful.  He was empathic and at the same time logical. I could handle that.

I felt at peace, and connected to both my husband and Jesus.

I went to sleep feeling much better, and woke up in time to go to New Heights Church and have an amazingly blessed day which I will describe in my next blog.

My husband said today that I had left a message on his phone telling him that I had a revelation: that I was called to be a living epistle to everyone I met.  I left the message on Friday–and he didn’t hear it until Sunday. I don’t even remember leaving the message. He said that perhaps the reason I had the challenges I did–which felt like an attack–was because I made this stand. It seems like when I go to a new level of faith, I am challenged. That is also another whole topic.

As always, I welcome your comments and input about what I have shared.

One of the reasons that I enjoy doing organizing so much is that people are so happy with my work! Here’s one letter from a satisfied customer:

If you need someone to help you with organization, cleaning, sorting, packing or any other detail to help improve your home/quality of living or moving experience, then I would recommend Patricia’s assistance.

Earlier this year, my family had to pack up and move somewhat unexpectedly.  My husband started his new job 2 months ahead of our move, so I was left with 2 chidren and a house to pack.  Patricia was instrumental in guaranteeing that our household was pulled together, boxes were organized, packed and labeled, and that I retained my sanity throughout the process.  Quite a burden to place on anyone, but Patricia was certainly up to the task.

Patricia was flexible, willing, professional, sympathetic, good at listening, and prepared to meet our needs.  She worked smart so I felt that my money was very well-spent.  She helped take care of details so that I could focus on things that really needed to be attended to by me.  Patricia was a great buffer in helping me avoid distraction during work hours.  She helped involve the kids, called my attention to things that needed discussion or decisions, and was just wonderful to have around.

I very much appreciate my experience with Patricia and strongly recommend her services for either one-time projects like I had or for long-term projects.

Sincerely,

Amy Fugman

Patricia Mikkelson
simplifiedlivingnow@gmail.com 479-313-0414
Fayetteville, Arkansas

My mission: To support people in simplifying and organizing their lives so that their lives are enriched and they empowered to contribute to the well-being of others, including family, friends, neighbors, and their local area.

One person’s experience of Patricia Mikkelson:

“Patricia Mikkelson worked for me in the company called Live Love Laugh. She was always a dynamic and energetic presence in making things happen, coming up with creative new ideas, coordinating many volunteers, organizing events, workshops and publicity– just to name a few of her many contributions to the success of Live Love Laugh. During that time she also helped organize and produce various Self Esteem workshops led by the now famous Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. Patricia is a forward thinker and seems to always press for things that make it a better world for everyone.”

Cliff Durfee

My goals:

1. To find organizing work with people who can really benefit from my services.

2. To find people who are greatly contributing to bettering their community and the world who need help with organizing, and work for them.

3. To find well-paying work with people who are totally overwhelmed and think that their jobs are impossible, and help them to get their lives in order working with others who can help them on other levels, such as counselors and life-coaches.

Organizing Experience:

Professional organizer since 2000

Types of organizing jobs:

Filing systems, including for a community organizer

Estate

Moving and downsizing

General de-cluttering

Garage organizing

Closet, laundry room, utility room, Basement and all rooms

Home office

Business office

Garden shed

Organizing a car for a long road trip

Other Skills:

Efficiency/effectiveness consulting

Marketing

Project manager

Voice lessons: Using the natural approach as taught by Lara Henderson

Non-violent Communication coaching, specializing in parent-child relationships
Cleaning–using environmentally friendly products

Coaching/mentoring–helping people define their values, and setting and achieving goals which are in alignment with their highest priorities of life.

Secretarial work: Word processing, editing, letter writing, transcription, administrative assistance

My Experience, Education, and Employment

A talent for organizing: 1962-present From the age of 8 I have been involved in organizing activities, such as a neighborhood festival, a neighborhood club, and more. I always thought big even when I was little, and loved to organize play activities such as library, hospital, grocery store, and of course my birthday parties. Moving to different neighborhoods every 3 years forced me to learn how to get to know new people and help create the sense of community I loved to have.

Jr. High/High School 1968-1972: I was a class officer from 9th grade on. I loved working with the other officers to plan meeting agendas, dances, sign painting, and fund raisers. In high school I was voted most active (that was a compliment!); was editor of the feature page for the high school newspaper, and member of the pep band. I attended most sports events because I loved to cheer our team on even if they always lost! I was chairman of the Youth Council at the United Methodist Church. Even though I was on the college prep track, my counselor encouraged me to take office occupation classes, where I learned secretarial skills including typing and filing which have helped me immensely to this day!

College: 1972-74 I attended two years of college, but really after the first year I realized that I was not going to fit in with mainstream society—go out and get a good job with my wonderful college degree. I attended San Diego State University, where the radical economics class really turned me around, and helped me to realize that our government was not as it was supposed to be. I also took regular economics classes, and became thoroughly familiar with the benefits of the free enterprise system.

Travel education: 1974-75 At age 19 I left for Europe and ended up going overland from Turkey, through Iran, Afganistan, Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka. I learned a great deal about the value of family and community—and how fortunate I was to live in a free country. I came home with the revelation that I wanted to serve, yet do something that I enjoyed.

1977-1979: Coordinating Whole Foods Coop: When I was 21, when natural foods were just starting to take off, I co-coordinated a food coop in Chimes, Arkansas. We did all aspects of organizing, including taking orders, publishing a newsletter, fulfilling orders, taking care of the money, organizing volunteers for the monthly pickup.

1981-83 Managed and help start one of the first Mailbox Etc. like businesses. I enjoyed doing all aspects of the business practically single handedly, attending to a multitude of details and multi tasking, including: answering phone, distributing mail, sending UPS packages, and networking in general.

1964-until now: At ten years old I was organizing activities such as carnivals and luncheons for our teachers in our neighborhood, drama clubs, parties and such. I normally liked to play things like library, hospital, store–where I could organize both items and a group. I have loved to help organize groups and encourage people to get involved in activites that enrich life ever since then.

1968 Served on the refreshment committee in 8th grade. The President of the Associated Student Body tried to force me to put the coke cups in a certain pattern. I did not feel good about his demands, and got angry–was fired from the committee. From that point forward, I made two decisions: I did not want to work under demanding, controlling bosses. I did not want to be an angry, controlling boss.
1969-1972: Ran for Student body secretary, and won. Learned how to work with a team, inspire participation from others, get things done. School spirit was my big thing, along with raising funds.

1971 Methodist Youth Fellowship Council Chairman: learned a lot about leadership.

1972-1974–Attended San Diego State University During this time, I learned that school was not going to teach me what I wanted to learn, and that I was not going to just find out what I was passionate about by attending various classes. I was fascinated by sociology, psychology, and logic–but had no desire to study these topics in an academic setting. After the first year, I decided to travel. The second year was just marking time, mostly playing volleyball and barely getting by.

1974-75 At age 19 I traveled by myself first in Germany. After three weeks of wandering and having fun, I realized that Europe was not where I wanted to be. After consulting with my older sister, a veteran traveler, I decided to head for India, where it was “cheap and exotic.” I took directions from friends who said, “Take the Orient Express to Turkey, then take a freak bus to Afghanistan, and proceed from there.” So I followed the directions exactly, and spent a year traveling around Turkey, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Sri Lanka. I spent three months living and working in Meshad, Iran, after I got hepatitis and was told I needed to stay put for a while. I found jobs teaching English and transcribing medical notes for an English doctor. I had a revelation on the plane ride back: “Serve humanity, but do what you love to do.” I have been pursuing that mission ever since.

1975-1976 After returning from my long trip, I was in culture shock. I was trying to find meaning in a country (Southern California) that was so prosperous, after leaving countries that had so many obviously poor people. I lived very simply, and found a family (through a classified ad) that took me in and let me live there, helping as I was willing. I gardened, made meals, and just soaked in knowledge of how to live rightly. I met my husband at the Garden of Eden at San Diego State University, and learned organic gardening and about how the Federal Reserve bank was no more federal than Federal Express
1975-1977
1977-1980 Co-coordinated one of the first whole foods co-ops in Arkansas. My husband (now former husband, present friend) and I did everything except transport the food. Duties included: publishing a monthly newsletter; collating orders; making the order; coordinating volunteers; taking care of the money; coordinating re-packaging of the food. There were a lot of details, and it was a good learning experience. We also encouraged people to have gatherings, and were active in the community, including hosting various community gatherings ourselves.

1981-1983 Returned to Southern California because our dreams of founding an intentional community were not happening. I floundered for a while, doing many odd jobs including house painting, selling crystals, working for a few health food stores, trying out being commission only employment agency, and even one day worked for 7/11 Speedymart. I wanted to work at a job I loved, but just could not figure out how to do it. I did temporary secretarial work, where I learned much about typing, word processing, and details about running businesses. I also learned I never wanted to have a permanent job working for a big business that just saw me as a cog in the wheel.

I started my own business, “Meals on Moped”, where I made food to order for my customers, and delivered it on my moped plus custom made trailer.

I was passionate about getting people to sing together–first at Christmas, then wanting them to do so all year–why sing just at Christmas, especially going to convalescent hospitals where they were flooded with carolers during a small time of year, then no visitors the rest of the year. All of my spare time was spent making a song book with chords and a song book without chords–so people could easily have sing alongs.

1984-87 Worked at temporary jobs and health food stores.

1981-83 Managed and help start one of the first Mailbox Etc. like businesses. I enjoyed doing all aspects of the business practically single handedly, attending to a multitude of details and multi tasking, including: answering phone, distributing mail, sending UPS packages, and networking in general.

1983-84 Helped produce Jack Canfield’s new seminars, Self Esteem Seminars. Yes, I was there when he left Insight Seminars and started his own company—now he is known world-wide for his Chicken Soup for the Soul Series as well as a host of other accomplishments. I helped coordinate the volunteer “miracle workers” who performed various functions to produce the seminars.

I attended just about every seminar Jack facilitated that first year, which was about 2 a month, including Loving to Learn seminars for teachers. I helped with almost every detail of seminar promotion, including actual set up, logistics, and enrollment, I also learned a lot about myself by attending the seminars, and experienced tremendous personal growth. I also learned that having high self-esteem was not everything, and I decided to quit working for Jack.

1984-1992 Created and ran my own business, Music for Life. I used every creative means possible to make money being creative with music and fun, including: Entertaining children’s parties, School Assemblies, teaching voice and guitar to all ages and types of people including developmentally disabled: Christmas entertainment; Kristina the Elf, wandering minstrel, story teller, song leader, and games leader extraordinaire; performing at convalescent homes, choir leader, and performer at festivals. Produced and sang on 6 cassette tapes of uplifting, inspiring music for all ages, including coordinating instrumentalist, vocalists, and children’s choir.

1984-1992 Director of a choir which had as its main purpose to sing at convalescent hospitals and other places where people needed cheering up. I helped create sense of community within the choir, and our shared experience of service to others was bonding and uplifting. Even though I couldn’t read music very well, I was very successful because I figured out ways for the choir members to learn their parts without having to wait around and listen to everyone else make mistakes and finally get it right. I worked with others who had more musical knowledge than I in order to make practice tapes. I also appointed leaders of each part, and they would practice separately in different rooms, during the choir practice. Our very first practice of a season would result in singing beautiful three part harmonies.

People loved the way that I would take their feedback and incorporate it into the various workings of the choir. If someone was passionate about doing something, I encouraged them and supported them, which enriched our choir immensely. People made new friends, felt a sense of accomplishment and service, and learned how to sing better. People who thought they were poor singers became soloists, some of them performing on my tapes that I produced.

1984-1992 Hosted numerous Community Gatherings in our home. Every holiday was a chance to invite folks who didn’t have family—or who considered us family—to join us in uplifting, connecting potlucks. We would always have a circle to share meaningful feelings and thoughts. Time after time people would meet new friends and keep the connections going even after the event.

1992-2007 Mostly did cleaning and organizing, some waiting tables. After moving to Arkansas hoping for a better life for our family, I had a hard time getting my music career back in sync. This was an intensely humbling and learning filled time where I learned more about the hardships of the working class. I learned a lot about being short on money all the time because of taxes, credit card debt, and just never having the time to get back on track with being an entrepreneur in doing what I loved to do.

1992-2007 This time was an intense learning period for organizing people. I tried many times to get people together for various groups, including the Sustainable Living Network, Livable Future Project, Homeschooling groups, neighborhood groups and more. The times I was most successful was when people were totally on fire about something—like the tree issue and property rights issue described below.

I learned a lot about leadership—about empowering people to do what they love to do, not try to control them but encourage and provide information, resources and support. I discovered more and more that people wanted to make a difference, but they were so busy that they just didn’t have time because of two income families, single parents, rising costs of food and basics, inflation and taxes. I started researching ways that we could get out of this negative cycle, including alternative currencies, barter, and time banking.

2000 Helped to lead a passionate group of people who wanted to uphold the Fayetteville Tree ordinance. Department store wanted to cut down to accommodate their store. I had never been involved in politics before, but I got angry when I miraculously had first hand evidence that the City Council was trying to sneak this issue through without too much public scrutiny. I got really angry, and solicited advice and mentoring from people with more experience than I had. By using my own creativity, encouraging people to follow their passion in the issue, networking and communicating through the internet, and using creative techniques which got me on the front page at least 4 times, we rallied together and had 200 people attend the city council meeting—where they still decided to violate the tree ordinance. I instigated civil disobedience, where a 55 year old grandmother climbed a tree. Grassroots self-organizing resulted in huge amounts of publicity and a 33 day tree sit. We saved about 6 beautiful oaks. This was a lot of work for only six trees.

But people have told me that the Omni Center for Peace, Justice and Ecology would never had been started without the momentum which was generated by my efforts to save the trees. Omni is Fayetteville’s main group to help activists cooperate and generate interest in helping the world have a culture of peace.

2002 Saved an orchard from getting taken over by the state through emminent domain. Spearheaded a 10 day blitz which helped keep the Springdale School Board from using imminent domain to take away a 2 generation orchard owned and operated by the Eddie Gay family. Simply by strategic planning and getting publicity, empowering many people to get involved as they freely wanted to, we were able to inspire them to drop their threats and find somewhere else. I wanted to keep the organization I started, Neighbors Unite, going, but I found that with my need to work and attend to family I did not have time or energy.

2003-Present Purchased 27 acres of land which we want to make in to an eco village and exemplify the best ways that we can live in ways that nurture the land and our freedom. My dream continues to be to live in an intentional community where many people who want to help change the world in positive ways can live and work, being the change we want to see happen.

Personal details: Mother of two wonderful children, Mahriyanna 12, and Chris 19 Married to Robert Kersbergen, 16 years. Unschooled our children since their home births. Vegetarian for 35 years. I love Jesus, who inspires me so much, and I do my best to follow him. Lived in Fayetteville for 10 years and have many friends and connections because of my activities here. Still cooperate and share land with former husband, Cliff, to whom I was married for 15 years.

Talents:
Fast typist
Fast reader
Fast thinker
Skilled writer of articles, proposals, press releases, newsletters, scripts, blogs
Creative
Self-motivated
Music–good choir director, song leader, band facilitator
Excellent meeting facilitation
Can organize anything–space, groups, clutter, papers, projects, meetings
I have always had a gift for seeing the big picture and discerning trends
Sales and marketing

History:

I moved a lot as a child because my dad was in the navy, and he managed to move us to the mid west during some of my most important formative years because he was an ROTC instructor at Purdue University, and Navy Recruiter in Muncie, Indiana

1954 Born in Lafayette, Indiana
1957-62 Lived in California, mostly San Diego area
1962—65 Muncie, Indiana
1965-1974 National City California (San Diego)
1974-75 Various countries in the east
1975-76 San Diego area
1976-1979 Arkansas (Jerusalem area)
1979-1992 North San Diego County (Encinitas)
1992-Present I’ve lived in various places in the Ozarks, including Springfield, MO, Eureka Springs, Shirley, and East Wind Community. We have lived in Fayetteville for 9 years. My husband, former husband, and I own land in Kingston where I live part time.

My experience with sales and marketing:

Although I have not had any formal training in this field, I have always been a natural born sales and marketing whiz. I love to figure out how to angle things so that the majority of people; or a niche market; can get excited and motivated to buy something, whether it be an idea or a product. My biggest weakness is that I don’t want to sell anything where I make money because then people might think I just want to make money! However, selling meetup groups would be so rewarding because the cost is not very high, the rewards are great, and I am selling community, connection, social change, and personal growth. I am selling organizers a possibility of helping them to create a niche for themselves. I would like to help organizers figure out how they can make money as meetup organizers, because we need community leaders/organizers to be able to focus quality time and energy on this essential task which up until now has mainly been done by volunteers.

I still remember how I just could not “get” what marketing was. I felt so dumb and dense! But then when I really understood that it was about helping people to see what their need was, and then helping them see how the product fit their need, then I knew how to market. It is an intuitive thing that needs someone that loves to learn about everything and loves to understand the big picture–that’s me!