From our Day of Gratitude

by Tina Roth

There isn't one woman I'd like to thank at Elizabeth's House, there are many. All of the women who currently uphold the spirit of Elizabeth's House and those who are still connected, but no longer visit. Like so many who have come before me, Elizabeth's House has been the oasis in my desert of self doubt. The much longed for place where women love and support each other. A safe place to rediscover who I really am-who I have always been- buried under the expectations of others and myself. A place where women simply honor other women. A place where women ask, "What if nothing's wrong?" Countering the constant drumbeat of "Everything about me is wrong." A touchstone of peace to go to during the chaos of life. So to all the women who are here today, physically and spiritually, Thank you from my heart, For honoring me, and holding space for me, For encouraging me to re-emerge as I truly am. Tina

Elizabeth's House Chapter of Dining for Women Featured in Toledo City Paper

Sharing meals and hope

Dining for Women is not your average potluck meal highlighting a plethora of side dishes and desserts. Instead the event is a thoroughly themed lunch that supports a socially significant cause. Each month, a group of Toledo women gather at Elizabeth’s House on Notre Dame Academy’s campus to share a meal and learn about a charity that is working to improve the life conditions of women and girls around the world. Termed a “giving circle,” the attendees donate the money they would have spent going out to lunch, which is usually around $10. The culinary prowess on display is impressive, which may leave you wondering why anyone would rather eat out than dine with the group. And in addition, the proceeds go to those in great need.  Continue Reading Article

Roasted Beet Salad

Another great recipe from Holistic Lifestyle Coach Sandy Earl

5 – 6 fresh beets, peeled and chopped

1 sweet onion

1 seedless cucumber, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

1 avocado, chopped

Dried Italian seasoning blend

Olive oil, 1 – 2 T.?

Splash of balsamic vinegar

Garlic Expressions

Feta cheese

Roast onion and beets in olive oil, and vinegar with dried spices at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce to 350 for another 30 or until tender.  Combine pepper, avocado, and cucumber in bowl, add warmed beets and top with Garlic Expressions and feta.

Wilted Spinach with Pear and Goat cheese

From Holistic Lifestyle Coach Sandy Earl

1 pound spinach (baby)

½ sweet onion, chopped

Pad thai sauce

Fresh pear thinly sliced

Goat cheese, crumbled

Olive oil

Dried Italian seasoning

Salt/pepper

In sauté’ pan cook onion till carmelized in olive oil with the dried spices.  Add the spinach and if needed more olive oil, drizzle a few drops of pad thai sauce over spinach and cook till just wilted.  Plate with pear over spinach, topped with goat cheese.

Welcoming Holistic Lifestyle Coach Sandy Earl

Last Thursday Holistic Lifestyle Coach Sandy Earl wowed us with her kitchen skills, encyclopedic knowledge of healthy food, and her amazing soup.  For all of you who missed it, and for those who insisted on getting it, here's the recipe:

Roasted Winter Squash and Apple Soup

1 large winter squash or 2 small acorn, butternut, or sweet dumpling, cut in half and seeded

1 large sweet onion, peeled and quartered

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

3-4 apples, cored and chopped, (peel if you wish or not)

2 T. olive oil

Salt/pepper and red chili powder to taste, and dried or fresh  rosemary, thyme, basil and parsley sprinkled over veggies

3-4 cups chicken broth with ½ cup milk

In large roasting pan, toss the squash, onion, garlic and apples with oil, adding the seasonings.  Roast at 350 degrees, stirring every 15 minutes, till they are fork tender and lightly browned, about 45 – 60  minutes.  Once cool enough to handle scoop out squash and discard shell. Put veggies in a pot and add the broth and milk, using a hand blender to puree the mixture.  If soup is too thick add more broth.  Adjust seasonings to your taste and heat to simmer.  Serve.

This is the basic recipe above.  If you would like to add more flavors add:

To the roasted veggies a couple of carrots, and celery;  proceed to sauté in coconut oil:

1T curry powder

½  t. turmeric

1T fresh grated ginger or a squirt from tube (in refrigerated produce section at Kroger)

More garlic if you like too, once flavors blend add some broth to deglaze pan then proceed to add roasted veggies and rest of broth.  Finish with heavy cream or raw milk to desired consistency

Garnish with chopped tomato and fresh cilantro. 

Recipe by:  Sandy Earl, Holistic Lifestyle Coach, sandyearl_rower@hotmail.com or 419.351.7409

Maybe, Just Maybe You Can Trust Your Dreams

November 2, 2011, by Beth Collins

Have you ever had a moment when you realize how all the pieces of a puzzle fit together?  I mean that moment after endless attempts at trying to fit each piece together, you finally see the whole puzzle come together.  I had such a moment on Tuesday at Elizabeth’s House.  It was such a profound thing I just had to share it, because it has changed me in ways I don’t even know yet, but I know it has, and I’m going to allow it - change that is, I’m going to allow the change.  What happened on Tuesday affirmed every thought and belief I have around women in community.  Maybe it affirmed me as a woman.  Maybe it affirmed that a woman who supports everyone else’s dreams in every imaginable way can trust her own.  Yes, that’s it.  I can trust my dreams. 

This particular dream of Elizabeth’s House has been held in my heart for a very long time.  It has been persistent and has always seemed really important.  It was and is, and for the last four years I have been collecting the pieces of this puzzle; a building, spiritual tools, women who understood the mission and would support me personally and professionally, and finally – the women Elizabeth’s House would serve. 

On Tuesday, 11/1/11, they came.  It started at 9:00 am with the women in the current Vision Incubator.   It was to be their eighth and final week together.  Over those eight weeks these women, like other incubator groups, have bonded in powerful ways.  As a closing ceremony the group shared an indoor labyrinth walk.  The labyrinth was borrowed from longtime supporter and friend Linda Schlachter, who was also the very first person to purchase an Elizabeth’s House membership.  The very first person to say yes, this is a good idea, “one membership, please”…  Thank you Linda.  I put the music of another EH member, Michele Addino-Colchin, into the cd player.  If you haven’t heard the beautiful healing voice of Michele, look her up at http://www.visionsong.org/.  There is no better music for a labyrinth walk than Michele’s. 

At 10:00 am an EH member arrived with a new guest.  An hour early for You Time, they settled in the kitchen to enjoy conversation while the Incubator group finished up.  By the time You Time began, other women had arrived to share a labyrinth experience.  At noon, a handful of women from a prior Incubator group had gathered to explore a shared vision of their own.  I’m not exactly sure what they are aspiring to create, but I assure you it is going to be something powerful. 

Then, all the women in Elizabeth’s House gathered in the main room and decided to walk the labyrinth together.  One after one they began their journey, while those who had walked earlier stood at the perimeter, holding them up in prayer, and holding the sacred space for possibilities.  And that’s when I understood that my dream had come true.  All the pieces of the puzzle appeared in an instant.  It was joy, grace, God. 

To the most important piece of the puzzle – the women, I want to say Thank you.  Thank you for being part of a dream.  Thank you specifically for being part of my dream.  You move me, inspire me, and affirm me.  Keep going, keep moving forward, and most of all keep dreaming.

In gratitude,

Beth Collins

Tiga Dege Na (West African Peanut Butter Stew)

One of my favorite things about You Time at Elizabeth's House is what my friend Toni calls the "flow."  You just never know who or what will show up so you need to come prepared to "flow."  Last Thursday EH member Amy-Marie showed up and announced she would be testing a soup recipe in the "kitchen."  In no time at all the house filled with amazing aromas and we were treated to a delicious meal.  As requested, here is the recipe.

First, notes from Amy-Marie:
I substituted crunchy for creamy PB, chunky spaghetti sauce for  tomatoes and paste (out of necessity), chicken broth for vegetable, and an eggplant for the acorn squash.  Other than that, I followed the recipe exactly :)  I served it over long grain brown rice with raisins, and Red Hot Blues tortilla chips.And my E-House sisters gave it a thumbs up.

Tiga Dege Na (West African Peanut Butter Stew)

Ingredients
    1 tablespoon oil
    3 small onions, chopped
    6 cloves garlic, minced
    1 large (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
    1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
    1-1/2 cups vegetable broth
    1/3 cup smooth peanut butter (sometimes I add extra peanut butter)
    1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
    1 teaspoon salt (may reduce if broth is very salty)
    1 teaspoon black pepper
    2 bay leaves
    1 acorn squash, peeled and cubed
    1/2 medium cabbage, cut into thin strips (or a 10-14 oz. bag of cole
slaw)

Directions:
1. In a large pot, heat oil.  Add and saute onions and garlic until translucent.
2. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, vegetable broth, peanut butter, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, bay leaves, and squash.
3. Bring to a boil. Add the cabbage.
4. Cook until the squash is tender, about 30 minutes. Stir frequently to prevent peanut butter from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Serve over rice.
You can add meat, eggplant or other veggies to your liking for a variation.
Makes: 5-6 servings, Preparation time: 45 min., Cooking time: 45 min.

The Women of Elizabeth's House Cater a Wedding

Beth Collins
October 5, 2011
Why would we do that you ask?  Because we love each other is the answer.  And because one of our members needed to believe she could have what she wanted, even though there were a hundred realistic reasons why she couldn’t.  Because at the end of the day we want to be among people who will do something or help someone because it’s a good idea, period.  And you know what?  When women decide to do that, their men, their children, their friends, and total strangers will help them, just because it’s a good idea.  God that’s beautiful.  But back to the wedding:

When Amy-Marie received a quote of $16,000 to have her wedding reception of 150 people catered, we all agreed it was obscene.  We’re good cooks I thought, why don’t we do it?  And in true Elizabeth’s House fashion, as soon as the idea was shared, a team of eager women began plotting and planning a most delightful event.  We listened politely while the bride-to-be shared all her ideas for a dream wedding and then, we went into action.  The following is the result of approximately six weeks of creative thinking:

Food stations were planned that would represent the passion of the cooks.  A southern soul station featuring fried chicken, salmon cakes, deviled eggs, dilly beans, jalapeno cornbread, and tater tot casserole was washed down with Lynchburg lemonade.  A Toledo S.O.U.L. station (sustainable, organic, unrefined and local) gathered the very best offerings from local farms.  In the end that turned out to be ham and egg frittatas (eggs from Schlatter’s Farm and ham from Liz of Sage Organics) that was topped with homemade tomato jam, and served with grilled peaches (Witt Orchards) and zucchini.  video of making tomato jam for the weddingAn Italian station came together beautifully with the best Italian foods purchased from Sofo’s.  Meatballs and pasta salad were lovingly prepared and served with a variety of cheeses, breads and crackers, with chianti as the beverage of choice.  A middle-eastern station featured meat and veggie grape leaves, pita and hummus, and spinach feta pies.  And finally, a dessert station whose centerpiece was a beautiful carrot cake with maple/cream cheese filling and butter cream frosting (also made from 100% organic and farm-fresh ingredients) was surrounded by a variety of homemade pies (made by the groom’s mother) and the best homemade ice cream (or was it gelato?) ever! 

Sounds fabulous right?  It was.  And upon reflection I have to say as good as the food tasted, gathering with a group of women to plan it, prepare it, and present it was even better.  Shopping the farmer’s markets together, canning beans, preserving jam, teaching what we know, and learning what we don’t.  And on the big day I was blessed to be among women who, when the plans change, do what needs to be done.  The women of Elizabeth’s House (and some spouses and children J are nothing short of amazing.  It is an honor to be among you. 

Are You Having Any Fun?

Well, are you?  And if not, why not?  Too busy?  Too overwhelmed?  Does having fun sound like a waste of time?  Maybe having fun sounds silly or unproductive?  Here’s another question:  How do you have fun?  Creative projects, cooking, sports, dancing, travel?  Something I’ve learned for sure is that when I realize I’m not having fun I probably need to make a change.  At work, at home, in my relationships – it doesn’t matter.  Fun is passion.  Fun is my connection to my Self, it’s a nice reminder of who I am.  When I’m not connected to that part of myself, it shows.  So leaving fun out of my day, my week, or my life to be “productive” means I’m not showing up at my best, in fact I’m probably leaving out the best part of me. 

So where did we get the idea we had to be so serious?  Where did we get the idea that everything has to be so hard?  What if it isn’t true?  What if my path to feeling happy and fulfilled requires me to have fun?  Now that’s a conversation I want to be a part of.  Of course, I already know it is the truth, which is why I ask the question “are you having fun?”  If the answer is no, then I have an invitation.  During the whole month of July Elizabeth’s House is asking women to surrender to the fun of summer and to help you do that, we are hosting Summer Camp each Tuesday and Thursday.  We’re going to dance, sing, act, scrapbook, have tea parties, make jewelry, and more.  In other words, we’re going to play.  And while we’re “playing,” perhaps we’ll be reminded of what it feels like to be authentically us.  Smiling, joyful, laughing, sparkly us. 

This month I invite you to surrender to fun.  Make a point of it and observe the difference it makes in your life.  Take pictures and create an album of yourself having fun.  Start a fun journal and make a list of things you intend to do that are fun, and check them off when you do them.  By the end of the month I promise you one thing, your perspective is going to change, and that’s all we need to create more.

Peace,

Beth Collins, Founder and Director

Elizabeth's House, 419-356-5544 / elizabethshouse@bex.net

Letting Go by Jan Menzie

The older I get, the more I want to play with toys. I will be 61 late June, and no, I have not lost my mind…at least that I am aware of. And these toys have led me on a spiritual journey, one that I share indirectly with my students. I teach middle school which speaks to my sanity or lack thereof. I let my students know how much fun I have, how I love to play and how this is all part of life. I love to “go outside and play.”

Adult toys are a recent development in my life. I met my first exciting toy –a mountain bike- in my 40’s. When I was 46, my husband sent me to camp.  I had never been to camp. This was a women’s fitness camp held in Winter Park Colorado, a location that we love. He suggested that I might need to play. How right he was. There, my inner child came out that had been hidden for years. At camp, I learned to run mountain trails, and become part of a team of women.

There, I also met God on a personal level. Not where you might expect to have a spiritual awakening. All week, we had been learning to do something that I had not done since I was a kid. We learned to ride a bike. This was not your mother’s heavier than the lawn tractor bike. This was a lightweight mountain bike with multiple gears, and a front suspension and fancy brakes. And each team was expected to stay with the leaders on single-track mountain bike trails starting at 9200 ft. altitude and climbing to 12,000+ and then back down again. Twists and turns, up and down, and lungs heaving. Scary, and steep, rocky, and loose, mountain biking testing every sense. This I know does not sound like fun, and at first it was nothing but struggle. It was so much like my everyday life, pushing against a mountain. One of my teammates said something that changed my life and how I felt about the sport. She said, “ I have done this many times, and I have never seen a stronger biker than you. The problem is you ride that bike as though you are trying to control the mountain. You cannot control the mountain.  You look down and worry about every bump and root and think that you can control them. You are miserable on the ride. You are tense and tired in the end. You cannot control the mountain. What you need to do is look about ten to twenty feet ahead and trust the bike and your eyes. Let the bike take you.” She was right. I learned to surrender. I surrendered to the trail, the mountain, the bike, and to God. I let go. And as I let go, I loved it more and more, and got better at everything including biking. My entire life began to settle into the rhythms of ups and downs of everyday life, looking ahead and trusting God to help me pedal the bumps and holes and come out with a smile on my face wanting more. If I become distracted, I will crash. It is truly a religious experience.

I pray as I ride, or have imaginary conversations with God and with my students as I pedal, pedal, pedal around the trails. As time passes, I find more and more trails and have more and more fun. So are the paths of my faith.  It is one of the most fun things I do. And the older I get, the more of a kid I become. I remember that Jesus once said that our faith should be like that of a little child. Play a little.  Surrender and trust. Smile a lot. Laugh out loud.  Hoot and holler when you conquer the next hill. Anyone wanna come out and play? Let me know.

Hey Toledo, are Your Dreams Too Small?

I just saw a local television commercial that began like this - “Hey Toledo, city of dreams!” and I listened as the announcer wanted to congratulate Toledo for being the “chosen” city to test a new menu item from Taco Bell.  And while I want to believe that Toledo is dreaming bigger than how to make taco shells out of Doritos, this commercial supports what I have found to be true most of the time - our dreams are too small.  Our dreams are too small because we don’t trust ourselves to dream big.  Regardless of whether you are dreaming for yourself, a business, a city or beyond, if you are settling for less than your heart’s desires I would like to offer the following for your consideration:

Small Dreams

Here are examples of how we dream small:  We get downsized or lose our jobs otherwise, and rather than take the opportunity to reevaluate what we really want moving forward, the dream is to simply replace income and we start scrambling to get any job we can.  If we trusted in something bigger we might recognize the job loss as a gift of time to reevaluate and gain clarity about what we really want.  What if “I need a job” became “I want to make great money doing something I love?”

Another example of dreaming small was evidenced at Elizabeth’s House last week.  A woman with vague ideas about her “dream wedding” is planning a small “family affair” in a dress she doesn’t love on a date that doesn’t suit her.  Why?  She’s making the mistake we’re all prone to make.  She’s trying to figure out how to have what she really wants and because she thinks she has to do it all herself, including paying for it, the celebration (the dream) gets smaller and smaller. 

Trusting in More

I could write a book with countless stories of people I’ve met who changed their lives profoundly by deciding to trust in something more.  But the truth is it’s not really that simple and reading one more inspirational/self-help book isn’t going to create the experience you need in your life.  Over and over when presented with ideas for trusting in more from life people have said to me “I don’t know how to think it.”  Now that is the simple truth.  And here is the message I want to share – If you can’t think it, you can’t have it, and if you have decided it’s all up to you then I know you are probably isolating yourself and limiting your possibilities even more.  In other words, your dreams are probably too small.  So how do we expand our perspective?  Where do we find people who will help us trust in more? 

Create a Vision Incubator

If you’re reading this you are already aware of Elizabeth’s House in Toledo, OH, a long-held dream of mine that would support women in rethinking and reinventing their lives.  Elizabeth’s House is itself an incubator for women’s dreams as they gather to discover or uncover what those dreams are.  The time women give themselves to do that, as well as the support of others on the same path have been critical components in the reinvention process.  Obviously not everyone has access to an Elizabeth’s House, whether they live in a “city of dreams” or not.  So consider creating a “vision incubator” of your own.  Ask a small group of people you trust to meet on a regular basis for the purpose of expanding possibilities.  You might be surprised how easily the ideas come for other people.  If you’re in Toledo I will be facilitating a vision incubator this summer at Elizabeth’s House, as well as the Scarlett Secor Mansion Business Incubator.  But don’t wait for a formal opportunity to dream bigger.  Start now.  What is it your heart truly desires?  I’m willing to bet it’s bigger than a taco shell.  Don’t settle for small dreams, dream it big, and do it.

Ukrainian Egg Decorating

Get Connected

Last Saturday a group of women completed my four-week Get Connected Program.   The participants shared their genuine appreciation for a simple approach that connected them to a clear awareness of who they are in the world and the gifts they bring.  As they pondered all the possibilities this newfound awareness brings to their lives and expressed excitement for living purposefully, I had to giggle when one of the women asked “can it really be this easy?”  Well, yes is the simple answer but I understand asking the question.  When we’re surrounded with negativity it can be a challenge to be the “happy” one in the group.  When we recognize that life is supposed to be fun and all we have to do is remember what that means to us life takes on new meaning.   Okay it may not change the whole world but I promise you it will change yours.  Sound too easy?  So what if it is?  Aren’t you about ready for something to be?  The next Get Connected Program starts Tuesday April 26 (9:00 am – 10:30 am) and it would be my privilege to share something simple and profound with you.  Register for the four weeks by calling or emailing Beth Collins, 419-356-5544 or elizabethshouse@bex.net. 

Soul Service

Caroline Myss talking about “soul service” is a great description of the work we do at Elizabeth’s House.

Are You Ready for a Fresh Start?

Are you ready for a fresh start?  Most of the women I talk with would say YES!  But the idea of “reinventing” some area of their lives sounds like work and that leaves them uninspired to begin.  I look at a fresh start as an opportunity to begin again, not from the beginning- but from where I am right now, knowing what I know and able to make different choices and perhaps this time, get the desired result.  Thanks to a newspaper article published in The Blade this week,  click here to read article I have had many conversations with women who have expressed their desire for change.  When asked what part of the article inspired them to call or stop by Elizabeth’s House, the majority answer was the idea that they didn’t have to be in a full-blown crisis to get the support they needed.  The women’s response also supported a growing trend that has my attention.  Women over 60 who have left their careers or jobs to semi or fully retire are realizing they want a lot more from their lives.  While they aren’t exactly sure what that looks like, they’re pretty darn sure of what it doesn’t.  Would it surprise anyone to know that they aren’t fulfilled by taking care of grandchildren, dealing with their own children returning home, or their volunteer work?  If so, you might also be surprised at what these women are thinking or are actually doing instead.  Some are finally writing their book and publishing J, some are returning to school just because, some are picking up the paint brush again, while others are climbing mountains, or going on amazing adventures.  The point is that age is not a factor when we’re talking about reinventing our lives.  We’re never too old for a fresh start.   The process is the same and it is that process that I am passionate about.  April is a fresh start for me and Elizabeth’s House and I am excited to share it with others.  During my much-needed sabbatical this winter I refined my personal vision that led me to more clearly define my professional mission.  I will be sharing that in the coming months at Elizabeth’s House among other places, but for now I ask you to consider an area of your life that is calling you for your own fresh start.  No matter what your circumstances, social, marital or economic status, regardless of your age, race, or any other title you can think of, call or stop by Elizabeth’s House to begin again.  I’ll be there inviting you to create space, explore G.R.A.I.S., get connected, get clear, and get going.  Others will be there to provide endless support, enthusiasm, and resources for your fresh start.

Peace,

Beth 

This is for Mary, if that's your real name :)

One of the things I enjoy about my work is receiving seemingly random phone calls from women exploring endless topics of interest.  Recently I got one of those calls from a woman who is considering changing her name.  Up to that point in our conversation she had not identified herself and so I had to ask “what is your name?”  After a slight hesitation she replied “my name is Mary.”  Since I’m especially fond of the name Mary I’m curious as to why she wants to change it and of course, I ask.  I found her answer intriguing.  Mary is divorced and doesn’t want to keep the name of her ex-husband.  Mary also believes you shouldn’t have to keep a name someone else gave you, especially if you feel those people could have done a better job of not only naming you, but raising you, so she’s not interested in taking back her maiden name.  Just the idea of the legal hoops she would have to jump through has her looking for other options.   According to Mary one of her possibilities is to choose a nickname she loves and leave the last name alone.  OK, that would work.  Especially if you shift your perspective to focus on who you are on the inside, regardless of what you’re called on the outside.    But Mary has me thinking.  What is really in a name?  Do I “like” my name?  Does my last name bring me pride or something else?  Do I feel I have to offer an explanation if my last name differs from one or more of my children?  How do women who keep their maiden names after marriage handle questions?  If I decided to change my name what would I choose?  Oh the possibilities! 

Meanwhile, I have to thank Mary for inspiring me to return to blogging.  I’m a woman who’s made a career out of helping others reinvent themselves and last November I got really tired.  I stopped blogging among other things.  After giving myself the sabbatical I needed I’m renewed and ready for more.  I’m also reminded of how much women need to have these kinds of conversations.  Too often we isolate ourselves when we’re in a transition or wanting one.  Women need a safe space to explore their ideas and figure out what’s next.  I created Elizabeth’s House for that very reason.  But if you don’t have an Elizabeth’s House nearby, use this blog for conversation or start your own.  I don’t know if I will ever meet Mary in person, but thank you for reminding me that it’s time to share conversations Mary, if that’s your “real” name J