Longevity & Lasting Impact Through Giving: Santa Monic Philamathean Charity Club, Inc.

I attended a scholarship luncheon today for my 'sister-cousin' who won a $2,000 award. The luncheon was put on by a group who claims to be the oldest black woman's charity club in California. The group, The Philamathean Charity Club, Inc. was started in 1941 and today they gave away nearly $60,000 in scholarships to college students from the Los Angeles area. I was deeply impressed by this. One of it's members who is now 82 was the school lunch lady at my elementary school. She was at the luncheon and remembers when my Dad was in knickers! Other members include a "once-removed" cousin (80 years old) and a childhood friend's mother( who says she's been in the club for 41 years.) Nineteen active members are listed in on the roster.

I thought about how this small group of women has been making a lasting impact on the future by encouraging students to stay in school for decades! I wondered, how do they do this? They don't hold fundraisers or sell raffle tickets, or chicken dinners. Then it dawned on me, this is a group of givers who understand the impact they can make when they give and pool their resources together. I would not classify them as a group of wealthy people, but I would classify them as 'women of resources' who put their resources where their values lie. I am so grateful for the legacy that they are expanding and the example they have set for me...

I appreciate their longevity --as a club and as women. They were dressed up, looking good, speaking well and enjoying the day. I did too!

This is a lesson in black philanthropy that I won't soon forget. I have attended plenty of scholarship luncheons (and chaired one too,) where it was a struggle to give away $15,000! Today's luncheon listed no 'corporate' sponsors nor foundation grants. The scholarships were the result of this group and the generosity, forward thinking and stewardship of it's active member participants. Wow!

I know that it is not easy to do this in a club of women. I am certain that internally the group has struggles, but the results are beautiful and most certainly must outweigh the small hurdles they must overcome to give away these scholarships.

I know their are other clubs in the black community that give, I am just struck by this piece of tradition that is planted in my own backyard. I am struck that my view of the work of the Philamathean Charity Club, Inc. reassures me that all around me people are standing together and working together to accomplish meaningful things. Some people are even willing to get personal with it and give from their own pockets. I don't know what the club's mission is or if they have ever been recognized for their work. Today I want to honor what they are doing and post about it to share with others and pitch that we are really designed to make an impact on this world that is greater than the sum of our individual credentials, goals and possessions... and that with longevity we can do great things.

Just a few thoughts from a metropolitan mom on the move mostly reminding herself to press on toward the higher calling......

Is a white or latina nanny good enough for my children?

I got a job offer and I am taking it! I will become a full-time working outside of the home mom for the first time in almost 9 years! Although I just wrote the rejection message last week, I have really been scrapping with it over the last year. Now that I have my acceptance --- I plan to move to the lessons that this phase of life offers and to soar with it! I am excited about the new work and making changes at home to accommodate.

For starters we are hiring a sitter/nanny for the girls. In fact, we interviewed several today. What a doozie of a duty that is! Selecting a person to care for your children, someone you will let into your home and personal life at such a close level. There is a lot of judging that goes on in the interview process --- as a parent I am judging the character, responsibility, reliability, sanity and compatibility of a potential sitter/nanny. What I really didn't realize is that the nannies are also judging me --They judge what type of employer I will be, am I nice, crazy, fair, reasonable, are my kids crazy? They also judge my house, car, friends --and from one of the applicants today I learned that the nannies talk to each other about their employers and if you are a bad, mean or crazy employer then all the other neighborhood nannies know. (Well, I'm no whozit and I really don't care what the other neighborhood nannies think of me what I do care is that whoever I hire needs to have a genuine respect for me and my privacy and a deep affection towards my kids!)

I don't like bringing this up either but the racial issue comes up for me in all of this. I would be most comfortable with a black sitter/nanny who shares my values. But I haven't come across many, so I am resolved that I must open up to the possibility that there may be a white or latina nanny who can do excellent at this job. This takes me back to my childhood babysitters.....I had a few and some made lasting positive impressions on me and poured great life lessons into my mind and heart. If I can at least provide that for my children and keep them safe --then it will be a job well done. Maybe the race doesn't matter? Maybe what matters most is the heart of the person and what they care to offer and learn in our exchange. This is a new adventure for me and I will certainly let you know where and how it all ends...for now I am going to continue looking --when the right person comes I know I will know.....

What do I know about figuring that out? I will follow my heart and be honest...I will also ask for some divine intervention too---

Overcoming Rejection

I am job hunting now and rejection is part and parcel of the 'get-a-job' game. I am learning to harness rejection and claim it as a victory in faith.....It's a lesson to learn and to share with my girls too. I do believe it is wonderful to be a mother who is learning and seeking opportunities to pour into the lives of my children the richness from real life issues. Job hunting is a great challenge for most people these days and it certainly is for me too! But, I am willing to grow and get the rejection lesson that is on deck now.

I start from the top with these lessons --I go to the creator upstairs for guidance and focus on surrendering and responding to what God has already provided. This lesson on overcoming rejection starts with my being firmly established in who God says I am and what God has provided and His word about my past, present and future. That's difficult to remember at times when rejection smacks you down. It's easy to second guess, retreat or strike back at the rejection.....I am learning instead to take the rejection straight-up and speak back an encouraging word regarding my life that has greater authority than the rejection in front of me. As a mother this lesson has focused me on making sure that my girls know who God says they are; children of God, seated in heavenly places with Christ, heirs with Christ, more than conquerors and that we have the Holy Spirit, the Kingdom of God, the mind of Christ and that we will always triumph in Christ. Did you know? Now you know.....

Next I must continuously be consumed with my destiny and purpose in life. When I set my face to God's highest calling on my life, the rejections shrink, fall into perspective and give me peace and grace to press on knowing that God has plans to prosper me....Teaching my girls this is ongoing, as it is for me to live it. I pay attention to them, learn their strengths and try to see them and nurture the gifts that God has given. In time I know these things will be revealed to them as life unfolds...

Hey...just my weekly thoughts on being the Metropolitan Mom that I am! Continuously striving, pressing forward to finish this race with style, peace, grace in faith.

Peace