Families are messy.  They ask too much of us, or too little.  Our family members may see us as we were when we were sixteen years old, or assume that we're too old to be considered.  When many of us spend time in the summer with our extended families, we may come back wondering why we ever considered family time as a "vacation".  It's often more like work.
 
And yet, families for many, are our roots.  They provide us with a kind of love that we don't receive anywhere else.  Now that might not be the healthiest kind of love, but it's unique. 
 
I'm very lucky that in my big, noisy, and exuberant family we try very hard to love each other and respect each other.  It's not an easy process.  There are times when one of us tries to remind the other that one of us is being "too controlling".  Luckily, there's an agreement in my family that being controlling is something we inherited like thick curly hair.  We own it.  And like the unruly hair that many of us inherited, we have days when we can control our given controlling natures, and days like "bad hair days" when we don't.
 
So, during those times when being in a family seems like too much work, I try to remember what it would be like not to have a family.  I remind myself that these relationships are life long.  That we can keep working on it, keep trying to make it work.  For me, it's worth the effort.  Having a sister or a brother is unlike any other relationship.  So, I keep trying to straighten out my relationships with them, just like I keep trying to straighten my hair.  Some tell me it's hopeless and to give up.  But I'm somewhat of an optimist.   I may give up on my hair, though.

 

 

 

Community Discussion Group Topics*

July 4 - "Government Secrecy - How Much is Necessary?"  Moderator:  Sam Kramer
July 11 - "Birthday Memories - Best and/or Worst."  Moderator:  Diane Bohlander
July 18 - " The Sports Fan Phenomenon - National and International."  Moderator:  Open Forum
July 25 - "How Do We Change People's Minds?"  Moderator:  Gordon Taylor
*This adult group meets every Sunday at 9:30 a.m. in the Founders' Room for fellowship and thought-provoking discussions led by member volunteers.  For a more detailed listing of topics, please see the Sunday bulletin.

Daytime Book Club Title*
July 21 - The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down - A Hmong Child, Her American Doctors, and the Collision of Two Cultures, by Anne Fadiman
August 25 - Fallout, by Trudy Krisher (who will be joining us in our discussion!)
*We meet one Wednesday a month, at 10:30 a.m., in the Fellowship Library.  We then go out for lunch together.  All are welcome!

Evening Book Club
Please join us at 7 p.m. on the second Tuesday of the month in the Fellowship library.  Our July 13 title is Half Broke Horses, by Jeanette Walls.  New participants are welcome.  Contact Ann Snively if you'd like more information. 

Food Fanciers
We will meet Fri., July 16 at 2 p.m. to watch Janice Beers demonstrate how to make Pennsylvania Dutch corn pie.  Join us for fun, conversation and lots of sampling our finished products!

Smart Choices
On July 20, we'll be meeting at Laurel Herminghausen's home at 6 p.m. for a pool party and potluck.  Please join us for all our summer fun!

Rev. Amy on Summer Leave
Rev. Amy will be on summer leave July 9 - August 6.  She'll be available for emergencies.  Lunch with Amy on Thursdays at Panera by the Dayton Mall is on hiatus during that time as well.  Enjoy your summer!
 
St. Vincent de Paul 2nd Saturday Lunch*
July 10 Menu: Hearty sandwiches (ham or turkey with cheese), potato or pasta salad, fruit salad, 2 % milk or 100% juice
*All items must be delivered heated and ready to serve 15-20 people.  Donations should be taken to 120 W. Apple St. by 10:30 a.m.  Contact theotherplace@mvuuf.org or sign up in the Gathering Space.

Easy Money for MVUUF
You probably know about MVUUF's Amazon affiliate program* - now you can contribute to the Fellowship by shopping at over 1500 other online merchants!  With GoodShop, every time you make a purchase from a participating merchant, MVUUF gets a donation.  Plus, every time you search the web (called GoodSearch), MVUUF gets a donation!  All you need to do is download and install the GoodSearch toolbar or add a plug-in.  The toolbar can be hidden if desired and your purchases still count toward a donation.  The plug-in adds a GoodSearch search box to your browser.  Go to the link below to get started: 
http://www.goodsearch.com/toolbar/miami-valley-unitarian-universalist-fellowship-mvuuf
If you're going to search the web or buy online anyway, why not let MVUUF benefit?!
*Amazon is a GoodShop store, but MVUUF gets a larger donation when you go to our web page and click on Activities, Affiliates, and then click on the Amazon banner.

Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream Symposium
Recently, an Environmental Action group has been organized as a task force of the Social Concerns Committee.  On Sat., Aug. 21, 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., the group will sponsor a symposium entitled "Awakening the Dreamer, Changing the Dream".  Two presenters affiliated with the international Awakening the Dreamer Initiative will facilitate this event.  The initiative's mission is to bring forth an environmentally sustainable, spiritually fulfilling, and socially just presence on planet Earth.  The symposium will explore four questions:  1.  Where are we?  2.  How did we get here?  3.  What's possible for the future?      4.  Where do we go from here? 
The registration fee is $15 for adults and $5 for students under age 18.  Registration forms will be available after Sunday services and in the Gathering Space.  Checks should be made payable to MVUUF and marked Awakening the Dreamer in the memo line.  For more information, go to www.awakeningthedreamer.org.