I recently went on a rafting trip with youth from my church. When all of the planning and preparation for the trip was happening, I never thought to ask about the boats we would be in. I had been rafting before. I knew what whitewater rafts were like. I had had other water and river…
As a young girl I became fascinated with the stars. One of my favorite things was to lie out on a blanket and watch the night sky. One year while attending a summer camp, an astronomer explained where the North Star was and that before we had all this great technology, people used the stars to navigate direction. The astronomer…
“We are free to choose and willingly accept responsibility for our choices.” At the outset of 2020, there seemed to be so much promise: a fresh start and the promise of new hope and enthusiasm as citizens the world over hoped to move forward with greater understanding, empathy and cooperation. Since I am writing this…
I love art. For me a painting or a photo can explain feelings and emotions better than any spoken language I know. In my home I have all kinds of paintings and photos. Each of them is displayed because they evoke a feeling or teach a lesson through their image. One piece, however, is…
Tenet 2: We recognize and follow our internal compass to speak and act with integrity We recognize that each person is given–yes, it’s a gift–the ability to discern whether something is true or false, good or evil, important or nonessential. This precious gift, our internal compass, can guide us as we navigate our way in…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a–eyb82jV4&feature=youtu.be
You know that feeling when your clothes are a bit snug or your love handle has expanded beyond reasonable bounds? Well, that’s the feeling I had about social media last month. I felt bloated with too much information, yet powerless to leave it alone and walk away. My internal compass persistently nudged me to take…
Prepare your area. For most this is the kitchen, but it can be done in backyards, cultural halls, church gyms, and parks—even gathered around temporary tables in a brightly lit corner of a conference center, as we found during the service portion of the U.N. Civil Society Conference in Salt Lake City, when over 4,000…
It Began with a Mother The Missouri Big Ocean cottage began with a mother who believed in the vision and mission of her daughter to change the world, one drop at a time. Vilma watched in wonder as her daughter, Carolina Allen, founded Big Ocean Women as a result of powerful inspiration. Sensing the value…
My first experience with Big Ocean Women was illuminating and memorable. I felt like I finally found my tribe. I discovered strong, courageous women who do so much to contribute to a better world, while also committing wholeheartedly to motherhood and family. The love and acceptance I felt was overwhelming. After experiencing the giant waves…