Sheala Vast-Binder's Blog, page 3

A Driving License Is a MUST in the U.S.!

Recently, I helped an international friend study for her U.S. driving license. She passed both the written and driving portions her first time! I was so proud of her. But do you know what scared the dickens out of me? The fact that this friend had been driving here for over 10 years on her original country’s license because she was so afraid of the test! That is a HUGE no-no in the U.S. and can result in large penalties if caught. If you’re going to drive in the U.S., you MUST get your license!

For my friend, much of her fear was based on a language barrier. She didn’t feel comfortable taking the test in English and was afraid of trying. However, with one call to the licensing office, we found out that she could take the test in her native language. Problem solved!

For another friend who struggled with the test, the questions themselves were a problem. Thankfully, free, online testing tools (sometimes in your own language) can help if you need assistance reviewing the information for the test.

Before you feel like the licensing office is “out to get you,” you need to know that even those of us who are native-born must get a new license if we move from one state to another. When we move, we normally have 30 days to register and license our vehicle in the new state. If we do not do this in a timely manner, we are fined. (Yes, I speak from personal experience here. We paid $250 for not immediately doing this when we moved to a different state.) Then we still have to cover the cost of car inspections, registration, and licensing in that state! This fine doesn’t cover these costs.

As you can see, owning a motor vehicle in the U.S., carries a lot of responsibility. And, in case you don’t know, the U.S. takes its paperwork very seriously. So, please make sure that you get a driving license and file all of the necessary paperwork when you own and drive a car. You’ll save yourself a lot of time, expense, and hassle by taking care of these requirements right away!

P.S. As a side note, police officers in the U.S. CANNOT be bribed. In fact, you will be put in jail for trying to bribe an officer. Please don’t try to bribe your way out of a fine!

Photo by Loren Javier

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How Do You Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

As you may know, people around the world celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day on March 17. What you may not know is that Ireland’s Roman Catholics have observed the saint’s day for over 1,000 years, although in a very different form than it is celebrated now. Traditionally, the Irish believers spent the morning in prayer and celebrated with a feast in the afternoon.

These days, the holiday is observed by far more people than just the Irish, and wacky traditions abound! From green drinks to green food to green-lit buildings, green is the color of the day (even though blue was the original color associated with Saint Patrick). Here are some other crazy traditions that have been added over the years:

via KnowledgeSeeker

The city of Chicago started dyeing its river green in honor of Saint Patrick’s Day over 50 years ago. The first time it was done, way too much dye was used and the river stayed green for a week! (http://www.irishcentral.com/culture/travel/top-ten-weird-and-wonderful-facts-about-st-patricks-day-and-the-patron-saint-196474441-237570551.html#)

 

via IrishNetworkJapan

Japan offers a unique combination of Japanese and Irish cultures with its Saint Patrick’s Day parades and festivities. The parade in Ise is particularly unique since it starts at the Ise Shrines, the most sacred of the Shinto shrines. (https://www.pinterest.com/eiregems/all-japan-paddys-day/)

 

via ValoreBooks

If you want to see the world’s largest shamrock, head for O’Neill, Nebraska. And, if you really like to wear green, this is the place to live since they wear green on the 17th of every month. (http://news.discovery.com/adventure/travel/st-patricks-traditions-slideshow.htm)

 

via Meg Pickard

Celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day for a whole week in Montserrat with steel drums and creole food. Montserrat recognizes Saint Patrick’s Day as a national holiday because it also marks the date of a slave uprising which eventually led to the abolishment of slavery on the island. (http://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/unusual-st-patricks-day-celebrations-58807069/?no-ist=&page=1)

 

via Cphpost.dk

Get your exercise and help raise money for local charities by participating in Copenhagen’s (Denmark) three-legged race. Just be careful that your green is green enough; the green police closely patrol the event! (http://cphpost.dk/news/leg-tied-leg-tired-and-legless-the-stuff-of-legends.4635.html)

However you decide to celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day this year, may this old Irish blessing be yours:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind always be at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

and rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

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Holi: In Legend and Pictures

Holi, also known as The Festival of Colors, is an ancient Hindu holiday that celebrates the victory of good over evil and the coming of Spring. It is marked by general merrymaking, especially the splashing of color all over anyone who comes close! One of the primary legends behind the holiday involves an evil king named Hiranyakashipu:

Hiranyakashyap considered himself ruler of the Universe, and higher than all the gods. Prahalad was the king’s son. His father hated him because Prahalad was a faithful devotee of the god Vishnu.

One day the king asked him “Who is the greatest, God or I?”

“God is,” said the son, “you are only a king.”

The king was furious and decided to murder his son. But the king’s attempts at murder didn’t work too well. Prahalad survived being thrown over a cliff, being trampled by elephants, bitten by snakes, and attacked by soldiers. So the king asked his sister, Holika, to kill the boy.

Holika seized Prahalad and sat in the middle of a fire with the boy on her lap. Holika had been given a magic power by the gods that made her immune to fire, so she thought this was a pretty good plan, and Prahalad would burn to death while she remained cool.

But it’s never wise to take gods’ gifts for granted! Because Holika was using her gift to do something evil, her power vanished and she was burned to ashes. Prahalad stayed true to his God, Vishnu, and sat praying in the lap of his demon aunt. Vishnu protected him, and Prahalad survived.

Shortly afterwards, Vishnu killed King Hiranyakashyap and Prahad ruled as a wise king in his father’s place.(1)

Another key story behind the Holi festivities involves Krishna, one of the incarnations of the Hindu god Vishnu:

The story goes that as a child, Krishna was extremely jealous of Radha’s fair complexion since he himself was very dark.

One day, Krishna complained to his mother Yashoda about the injustice of nature which made Radha so fair and he so dark. To pacify the crying young Krishna, the doting mother asked him to go and colour Radha’s face in whichever colour he wanted.

In a mischievous mood, naughty Krishna heeded the advice of mother Yashoda and applied colour on her beloved Radha’s face; Making her one like himself. (2)

Because of these two stories, Holi is an extremely festive holiday with a large bonfire occurring the night before and the widespread use of colored powder and water throughout the day. As people dance, sing, and throw color, you’ll often see all distinctions of caste, gender, age, and class disappear. It is a holiday that celebrates life and is much loved by many. Check out the video below to see why!

 

Photo by Alessandro Baffa

 

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Lenten Season Is Coming!

Have you participated in the Lenten tradition but would like to know more about its history? OR, have you heard about it but don’t know what the fuss is about? OR,  are you reading this and thinking, “What in the world is the Lenten season?”

Whichever one fits you, I’m here to give you a quick overview on the history of this tradition. Additionally, I want to share some great Lenten blogs for your viewing pleasure. Hopefully, by the time you’re done, you’ll be able to have an intelligent discussion about the tradition and appreciate why many Christians throughout the world honor Lent.

First of all, it is one of the oldest traditions in the Christian Church. We first hear about it from Irenaeus, a Christian writer who lived during the second century. During Irenaeus’ time, the observance of fasting and prayer lasted 2-3 days and was used to prepare new believers for baptism (or their admittance into the Church).

Lent eventually developed into a 40 day, church-wide tradition as the whole community prayed and fasted for the new believers. At the same time, Christians who were already baptized prepared to renew their promises to God at Easter. (In case you don’t know, Easter is the Christian celebration of Jesus Christ’s resurrection after his death on the cross). The Lenten season covers the 40 days before Easter, plus or minus Sundays depending on which Christian tradition a person follows.

The early Lenten practices were strict and serious. Only one meal was eaten a day, near the evening. No meat, fish, or animal products were eaten. Gradually, Lenten practices relaxed in the Roman Catholic Church. First, congregants were allowed to eat after 3 p.m. By the 1400s, people could eat after noon. Eventually, various foods (like fish) were allowed to be eaten at any time. In 1966, the Roman Catholic Church restricted fast days to Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. However, Lenten practices in the Orthodox Church are still quite strict. Protestant denominations vary a great deal on how they practice Lent. Some, like the Episcopalian Church, closely observe Lenten practices while others hardly recognize it at all.

So, that’s my quick “scoop” on Lent! If you want to learn more or read great material from people who observe Lent, please check out these favorite blogs of mine:

The Outpatient Monk: Doug’s writing is absolutely beautiful and thought provoking, and his posts on Lent aren’t any different.

Rachel Held Evans’ post, 40 Ideas for Lent 2015.

Annie F. Downs’ post, I love Lent.

OnFaith Voices’ post, How Lent Can Help You Reconcile Faith and Doubt.

V3 Movement’s post, Stations of the Cross–A Practice During Lent

Photo by Mike Kline

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Do YOU Understand Tipping?

Tipping in the U.S. can be confusing! This is especially true if you come from a country where tipping is discouraged or where a set service charge is normal. Oh, who am I kidding? Tipping in the U.S. confuses us all!

Here are just a few examples of how crazy it is! I go to a restaurant that is buffet style (meaning that I get my own food from a counter). However, a waitress brings my drinks and cleans my table when I leave. Do I tip her?

Or, I go to a restaurant and receive mediocre service. When I was growing up, poor service meant no tip! Now, tips are almost mandated so I think to myself, “Do I tip the waiter 15% because that’s the standard? Do I tip 10% to let him know that the service wasn’t good? Or do I tip 20% because I know he’s dependent upon this income and I want to be generous?” Decisions, decisions.

Or, what about the tip jar that has shown up almost everywhere! You find them at coffeehouses, pet groomers, ice cream shops, and even fast food joints (although they’re often used as charitable donations there). Our tipping frenzy has gotten out of control!

I don’t know about you, but I walk away from many of these instances feeling: 1) guilty (because I “should” have given more); 2) self-righteous (because I gave more than “deserved”); or 3) downright cheated (because, after all, what am I paying the company for if it isn’t for the service?). No matter what I do, the whole tipping thing never feels right! So, why do I do it? Why do Americans leave tips?!

Sadly, tipping is currently an integral part of our economic system. In fact, over 3% of our workforce is dependent (yes, dependent) on tips. Service workers often make less than minimum wage because their employers expect them to receive tips. Legally, an employer can pay a worker just $2.13/hour if the worker accepts tips. Although many consider this unethical, tipping will remain an expected part of receiving certain services as long as the law allows employers to underpay their employees.

So, to answer the question, Americans tip because we know that many of the people providing services NEED us to tip. The confusion comes in the wide variety of services we now receive plus our ignorance about who is underpaid and who isn’t. For instance, does the employer of the person scooping my ice cream REALLY expect me to tip them for doing their job?! I truly hope not because I haven’t succumbed to the social pressure to tip this person yet.

Now that you know why to tip, here’s an infographic from MintLife that tells you what to tip for specific services. Welcome to the wacky world of tipping in the U.S.! See you in the coffee line.

Photo by He Who Would Be Lost.

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What Does “Love” Mean?

Valentine’s Day is all about love, right? People sing about it, give cards and gifts in its name, and generally work themselves up over the day. However, do you ever think about what it means to truly “love?” Did you know that while some people think it is a feeling, the Bible actually teaches that it is a VERB?

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.”

1 Corinthians 13:4-7, NIV

I spend hours each week welcoming the foreigner among us. I want immigrants to feel at home in St. Louis and in the U.S. I want them to feel appreciated and supported. I want them to know they are welcomed and LOVED—by me, by you and by our redeeming Creator.

On this Valentine’s Day, would you consider coming alongside me in showing LOVE to the immigrants God has brought to our country? Make your secure, tax-deductible gift online HERE. Click “Missouri, “Quick Give” and then select “Vast-Binder” when making your donation.

Thank you for joining me in LOVING OUR NEIGHBOR. Happy Valentine’s Day!

(Photo by Johntex, CC copyright)

#lovingourneighborcampaign

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Social Media Marketing for Authors

This is a blog that I wrote about social media marketing when I first wrote my books. Although an oldie, I hope you enjoy it!

I’m amazed at how much I’ve learned since I joined the author & blogger world! I thought I knew a lot about social media before, but using it for personal reasons is a LOT different than using it for business. My learning curve has been huge and  overwhelming at times. Although I’m far from an expert, I offer these lessons with the hope that they’ll save you time and let you focus more on what you love, writing!

 

1. Although this first one isn’t a social media marketing website, you need to know that Fiverr is worth its weight in gold! You can hire almost anything done on this fabulous site without it costing a fortune.

2. Create a separate FB account if you want to have a personal life on FB. I tried creating an author group under my personal FB account, but friend invitations from readers don’t go to the group but to my personal page. I’m not sure that I like that.

3. Only follow 2-3 groups on LinkedIn if you want to be a true contributor (and you do). More groups than that will either eat up too much time or prevent you from bringing value to the group.

4. Create Twitter lists! The regular news feed becomes overwhelming if you follow more than 20-30 people without putting them into groups (lists). I can barely stand to look at my regular news feed because I can’t stand the clutter.

5. Google+ is a growing phenomenon so create a page, not just a profile. (This will be particularly important when we get to number 9.)

6. Connecting with authors and bloggers who have similar interests is vital to building an audience. You can follow 10-20 blogs through HootSuite’s RSS Feed or another RSS feed (like Blogger’s).

7. Give your fellow author/blogger friends a chance to write for your blog. As you build a relationship, they might even invite you to write for them. Although I’m not comfortable guest blogging yet, I really enjoy inviting others to write for my blog. It’s fun to hear other people’s stories!

7. Curated e-news is amazing. These newsletters are so informative and save a lot of research time. I’m even thinking about creating my own curated e-newsletter; I like them that much.

8. Blog like crazy if you want people to find your site. One person that I’ve read said that he blogs 4-5 times a week. I don’t know if I can pull that off, but it’s good to know that the more you blog, the more readers you’ll draw.

9. HootSuite Pro is SO worth the money! By connecting HootSuite to your LinkedIn groups, Twitter lists, Google+ page, and FB groups you save hours of posting time. (Hint: HootSuite can only post to Google+ pages; that’s the reason for number 5).

10. Use HootSuite’s automated scheduler to set up your posts for the whole week. I started doing this recently and it makes a world of difference. Now I can spend the bulk of my social media time participating in conversations and catching up on what’s happening in the intercultural world.

11. Use Google alerts or the Talkwalker app in HootSuite to track news that you can use. I’m trying to track alerts through HootSuite so everything is in one place, but I don’t know yet if it’s as good as Google alerts.

12. It’s ok to repost your blogs over and over again. The way news feeds work, many people won’t see your posts if you only schedule them one time, or at the same time every day.

13. Last but not least, set a limit on how much time you devote to social media or you’ll never get any writing done. Granted, it’ll take a while to set up all of the stuff that I mentioned above but, hopefully, social media will become less consuming after you finish. (I’m still working on this!)

Now, what social media marketing tips would you offer new indie authors or bloggers?

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What Is Hanukkah?

Christmas is far from being the only amazing holiday that occurs at this time of year! While Christians are celebrating Christmas, our Jewish friends are preparing for Hanukkah (or Chanukah), an 8-day festival of lights that began today (December 24) at sundown.

I love the story of Hanukkah! Rather than telling it myself (and probably messing up the story), I’ve included the History channel’s video instead. However, the part that captures my imagination is the Story of the Miracle.

According to tradition, after the Maccabees recaptured the Jewish temple from the Greeks, they needed to purify the temple by burning holy oil for 8 days. However, they only had enough oil for one day. After they lit the menorah, God performed a miracle by causing the oil to last all 8 days! To this day, Jews celebrate Hanukkah by lighting candles of the menorah until all 8 candles are lit at the end of the holiday.

Hanukkah reminds us that God is a God of miracles. When our resources fall short, God is able to do what we cannot do. God brings light to our darkness and victory in the face of overwhelming odds. These are lessons that all of us, Jewish and non-Jewish, can embrace during this wonderful holiday!

 

Photo by Scazon

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Advent 101: What Is Advent?

For all of us Advent novices, it’s helpful to know that this season marks the start of the Christian year; basically, it is the Church’s New Year’s Day! It starts four weeks before Christmas, around November 30 or the nearest Sunday to it.

The term “Advent” comes from the Latin word for ‘arrival.’ As early as the 6th century of the Christian era, Christians fasted and meditated throughout this period in preparation for Christmas. Many took this fast just as seriously as they did the Lenten fast at Easter.

However, Advent is more than just a preparatory season for Christmas Day:

“Christ is knocking. It’s still not Christmas, but it’s also still not the great last Advent, the last coming of Christ. Through all the Advents of our life that we celebrate runs the longing for the last Advent, when the word will be: ‘See, I am making all things new’ (Rev. 21:5)” (God Is in the Manger, pg 2).

When we celebrate Advent, we also anticipate Christ’s Second Advent (or ‘arrival’). Indeed, we can celebrate Jesus’ first coming at Christmas because we believe He is coming again. Without Jesus’ second coming, Christmas would just be another memorial holiday. Instead, each Advent and Christmas let us celebrate the past while offering hope for the future!

Deitrich Bonhoeffer understand the importance of both. In case you don’t recognize his name, Bonhoeffer was a German pastor during WWII who stood up against Nazism. He died in prison just 10 days before the Germans surrendered. Although he longed for another Advent season with his family, friends, and fiancée, he trusted even more in the One who had promised a Second Arrival and the Renewal of all things.

 

Photo by Adam Russell (Flickr)

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Have Americans Always Celebrated Thanksgiving?

(Hint: Not really.)

The first Thanksgiving, although not called that at the time, was a 3-day harvest festival celebrated by the original English colonists in 1621. After enduring a horrific sea voyage, brutal winter, and multiple deadly diseases, the remaining colonists were undoubtedly thankful that they had survived at all! Indeed, they wouldn’t have survived a second year if the Wampanoag Indians, whom they invited to the festivities, hadn’t taught them how to grow corn, extract maple syrup, and, basically, survive in this “new world.” Sadly, the peaceful co-existence between the colonists and Native Americans only lasted one generation (which is a long story for another day).

Over time, various states held festivities and a few of the early presidents, including George Washington, proclaimed national thanksgivings. However, the national holiday we know as Thanksgiving didn’t exist until 200 years after the original one. And it probably wouldn’t have come into existence if it hadn’t been for a very determined woman who campaigned 36 years to make it happen!

In 1827 Sarah Josepha Hale, a well-known magazine editor, began petitioning politicians and writing articles to encourage the addition of Thanksgiving as a national holiday. In 1863, during the middle of the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln finally declared two holidays, one in August as a memorial to the Gettysburg Battle and one in November as a general giving of thanks.

Nevertheless, until 1941 the President of the U.S. would determine the day to be honored as Thanksgiving each year. Customarily, the fourth Thursday of November was chosen, in keeping with Lincoln’s original November celebration. However, in 1939 F.D. Roosevelt moved the holiday up a week to encourage more shopping (obviously, shopping and Thanksgiving were already closely linked). The American public had a fit over the change! Two years later, Congress passed a bill setting the fourth Thursday of November as the official day of American Thanksgiving.

Nowadays, Thanksgiving evolves around food, family and friends, football…and shopping! Although the foods and activities have greatly changed (watch the video below to see what I didn’t mention), it is still a time to give God thanks for all of our blessings and to enjoy the people that are dear to us. For those reasons, Thanksgiving is one of my favorite American holidays!

 

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