I’m No Superstar is a blog for people like me who want to make a difference in the world but know they aren’t activists. Each post contains a social action idea that most of us could do, a book that’s worth reading, or a link to a website that offers other ideas. Oh, and it’s all introduced by a sometimes quirky story from my life.
I didn’t call my brother Bob on Thanksgiving. I was on vacation, exploring Colonial Williamsburg, and he was in New Hampshire taking care of business at a Christian conference center. I didn’t know if he was spending the day with his wife’s extended family, or dealing with a maintenance issue on the camp property, but
OUCH. Mass evacuations in Afghanistan—and those left behind. Earthquake in Haiti. Hurricane in Louisiana. Fires and drought out west. Oil slicks in the Mediterranean. Delta overwhelming hospitals and exhausting healthcare workers. Flooding in Europe and Tennessee (and possibly my county, which is under a flood watch as the Ida remnant rains pour down today). It
I love to give to charity. It doesn’t matter if I support the food bank by rounding up my purchase at the grocery store or buy a cart full of groceries to donate, it all feels good. I am happy to support the homeless shelter with by mailing a check or serving a meal. It
This year has been exceptionally hard for everyone—individuals, families, businesses, organizations and nonprofits. It’s almost over. We’re collectively holding our breaths, hoping (but also scared to hope) that 2021 will ease up. Experts who study charitable giving have been surprised at how generous people were in the first nine months of 2020, even with all
We love to eat. (I’m referring to my husband, Les, and me, but maybe it’s true for you too.) We love to go out to restaurants, to try new dishes, new flavors, new ethnic dishes. And we have some old favorites, too, restaurants and dishes we return to again and again. Anyone who has gotten
I love Christmas lights. I’m thrilled when people want to decorate their homes like the Griswolds’ in Christmas Vacation. One of my favorite “dates” with Les at this time of year is scoping out well-lit neighborhoods. You know what it takes to run Christmas lights? Electricity. And Americans are facing a crisis over electricity. 17%—that’s
We’re fraying. “We” collectively, as in, all of us. I’ve had multiple conversations in the last weeks with individuals feeling uneasy. For many, it’s hard to concentrate—even for those who were ultra-productive when shutdowns occurred in the spring. For others, a sense of anxiety seems to pervade. We worry about the kids—are they learning anything,
A few weeks ago, my husband Les preached a sermon called “Seeking Man Up a Tree,” about the Bible character Zacchaeus (found in Luke 19 in the Bible). It was, of course, a good sermon (😄). It reminded me of the first magazine article I ever sold, called “The Zacchaeus Principle.” Published in the long-defunct Virtue magazine,
COVID-19 is causing more pain than canceled events, mask acne, and virtual school. (Please know I am not minimizing life for all of you with school-aged children; I imagine it’s incredibly difficult and frustrating. I truly feel sorry for you and your kids.) But it’s also causing hunger pains. For many of us, shopping for
An accomplished and flexible speaker, Carol tailors her topics to fit the theme and timeframes of your meeting, conference, seminar or retreat.