Help Texas Today

August 28, 2017

Houston flood evacuees and their pets

Help Texas Today!

No doubt you, along with the rest of our nation, are more than well aware of the devastation that hit Texas, particularly parts of the Gulf Coast and Houston, over this past weekend. When faced with the horrific images and narrative of disasters, we are instantly reminded of two things, regardless of our belief system.

The emotion that often then arises is a sense of helplessness or powerlessness and the question of, “What can I possibly do?” Well, I’m going to help you out here, because there is something you can do. In fact, there are two things you can do and by doing them you will not only shift your own energy and emotional state but also those whose lives your actions impact.

  1. Make a financial donation, whatever you can afford, share what you can, but do it now. Don’t wait! Texas Monthly suggests this excellent list of Donation Centers by topic. If that feels overwhelming, may I suggest one of these straightforward options? The Red Cross or Team Rubicom, a nonprofit who deploys volunteer vets trained in search and rescue.
  2. Commit to spending 5, 10, or 15 minutes a day practicing Tonglen meditation. Tonglen is the simple practice of sending and receiving. Learn how directly from Pema Chodron in less than 5 minutes. You and those whose lives you touch will benefit from your practice.

Like most of the families in south Texas, we took some time to prepare Friday for what promised to be a whopper of a storm. We stocked up the kitchen, bought our supply of Mary candles and flashlight batteries, filled a reserve water supply, and secured the house and outside garden for the high winds expected. And when early thunderstorms threatened, I closed up the office and saw that Aaron and Aubrey got out the door and home to their families. Then we all settled in for a weekend of watch and wait. Having had the past 10 years of experiences with Texas drama, I know it would be an all or nothing deal. Here, politics and weather all always extreme.

The steady downpour began about 3am Saturday and, with only intermittent pauses continued, until just this morning. We had high winds and heavy rains with the downing of whole trees and limbs, but, unlike Houston, Austin sits on rolling hills. We have our problems with low water crossings and in populated areas south of the city along the river, but there is no way the entire city could ever flood. What the towns along the coast and Houston have experienced is devastating and will be for weeks and months to come. So, I ask you each today as you sit in your dry comfortable setting, to take action. Share what you have in the form of a financial donation and set aside time for meditative moments throughout your day.

Generosity is the most natural outward expression of an inner attitude of compassion and loving-kindness.
Dalai Lama XIV

image_pdfimage_print

Immunity matters!
Learn to support your health naturally with weekly tips
delivered straight to your inbox.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

You may also be interested in:

Soy Sauce Noodles with Cabbage

By Lauren | March 17, 2023

Thank you, Hetty McKinnon, once again, for your inspiration. This is certainly one of those recipes that just writing it out prompts the desire to make it. So while you are reading, I will be serving myself.  Ingredients 12 ounces dried or fresh thin noodles ( I subbed in Jovial GF Spaghetti which worked well)…

Heidelberren Streuselkuchen

By Lauren | March 10, 2023

There was a chapter of my life when a freshly baked cake came out of my oven several times a week. We lived those days in Germany, I taught high school and often the first thing I did after arriving home was to gather ingredients and bake. At the time, our house was full, and…

Leek and Pea Pilaf

By Lauren | March 3, 2023

Ingredients 2 young tender leeks, washed and chopped fine, omitting the tougher green ends 8 ounces of frozen or fresh-shelled peas  2 TBL olive oil 1 TBL vegan butter 8 threads of good quality saffron allowed to “bloom” for 10 minutes in a few tablespoons of boiling water (this saffron by Kiva) is exceptional. 3-4 …

Frozen Mint Slices

By Lauren | February 24, 2023

So yummy.  This dessert will certainly have you sneaking back into the freezer for just one more bite.  We can thank Oh She Glows for this marvelous recipe and Tanya Renner for turning me on to it.  Ingredients THE FILLING: 3/4 cup (225 g) raw cashew butter* 1/2 cup (125 mL) pure maple syrup, room…

Spicy Samosa Wraps

By Lauren | February 10, 2023

A quick and easy weeknight meal prep ahead packed lunch.  Ingredients Samosa Potatoes: 1 tsp oil 1/4 tsp cumin seeds 1/4 tsp coriander seeds 1/2 serrano pepper, chopped or other hot or mild green chili pepper (optional) 1 tsp ground turmeric 1/2 to 1 tsp ground cumin, preferably roasted 1 tsp ground coriander 1/3 tsp…

Polenta Soup

By Lauren | January 27, 2023

Ingredients 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more to serve 2 large shallots peeled and minced 1-2 tablespoon herbs de Provence 1⁄2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper or pinch of red chili flakes. 4 quarts veggie broth Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste 1 cup coarse stone ground yellow cornmeal 1 can rinsed and drained…

Roasted Spiced Cauliflower & Chickpeas

By Lauren | January 13, 2023

Here’s my take on another Melissa Clark recipe that will warm your heart and fill your tummy. There are a few steps to get these veggies to the oven, but then it’s pleasantly hands-off until dinner. I discovered that there is just enough baking time to get a short walk in before the winter sun…

White Bean, Kale and Tomato Soup

By Lauren | December 16, 2022

Just home from shopping at the local co-op, I needed a comforting soup that would come together quickly. This tomato-based beauty worked like a charm. The ingredients are all pantry staples, and a package of frozen spinach could easily sub in for the kale. Ingredients Olive oil 2 large shallots peeled and finely chopped 1…

On Demand Sourdough Flatbread

By Lauren | November 28, 2022

This final week of meal prep before our cross-country move was made all the easier with a large batch of this Sourdough Flatbread in the fridge.  If you’ve missed my sharing Aran Goyoaga’s sourdough starter,  here it is again. Start it on a Friday morning, and by Wednesday, you will be making bread.  Several things…

Mushroom and Walnut Bolognese

By Lauren | November 11, 2022

Adapted from Alexa Weibel’s Vegan Bolognese  Trust me on this, double this recipe because you will surely want more later in the week ahead.  Ingredients 1 cup (100 grams)  shelled gently chopped toasted walnuts  Kosher salt and black pepper 1.5 lbs fresh mushrooms (use a combination of shiitake and baby bella)  olive oil, plus more…

Gluten Free Sourdough Bread

By Lauren | November 4, 2022

There was something incredibly comforting about baking this in the midst of packing and listing our home for sale. In a week that felt like a tangle of loose ends, this loaf was solid and real. My wish is that this is the recipe that convinces you to keep a jar of sourdough starter in…

Minestrone Soup

By Lauren | October 28, 2022

Direct from Lauren’s kitchen to yours.   Ingredients Olive Oil 1 large late summer squash or zucchini- chopped in bite-sized pieces and oven roasted or sautéed in a pan until just tender but holding their shape well 1 onion peeled and chopped  1 large or four small sweet peppers seeded and chopped 2 heaping TBL…

Posted in

Leave a Comment





This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.