359 and counting....

As I am about to pack up my Christmas decorations, put away my gifts, clean out my cupboards of the excessive goodies that landed in my kitchen, freshen up my home to usher in 2014, I am reflective once again.

Bounty is what I have just experienced.  Blessings beyond comprehension to most of the world has been bestowed upon me and my family.  My effort to scale back this year still produced more than I could imagine and I am humbled.  I am also aware that the blessings that God has given to me are not mine to hoard but to pay forward and to bless others. 

As I am allowed to experience 3rd world cultures and then return to our 1st world culture, my senses always go into over load and I ask questions about what difference do I make.   Months have past since my last trip but I remain burdened with these questions and thoughts,
as I am acutely aware of what having 'nothing' looks like.

What must one meal a day of ground corn be like?  What does a mother do when her kids are hungry and she cannot feed them? 

 What happens when the ragged t-shirt, the only t-shirt owned, has too many holes and you can't buy another one? 

What happens when your family is sick and they need water to hydrate themselves, clean themselves and the closest source is miles away? 

What, what, what?

As I am preparing to pack up my 'stuff' I ask this of me and of you.

(Not my house! :) )

**Why do we have storage bins? 
**When were they last opened?  Do you even know what is in them?
**Why do we in this country rent storage units for our excesses?  **If we are functioning on a day to day basis with ease why are we holding on to more 'stuff'?
**If I cleared out my closet of clothes not worn in the last year, how much space would I find?  How much clutter would disappear.  Who could benefit from my abundance?
**If I cleared out my basement, garage, spare room, would I miss anything? Do I really need 'it' or do I just cling to an illusion that all of my 'stuff' makes me significant, important or ??????
**If I gave to charity the 'bangles and baubles' that collect dust and cause me to stress over storing or dusting how much easier would my life be?

When I leave this earth nothing goes with me.  When I leave this earth, my 'stuff'  will be sifted through by those who are not emotionally attached and quite possibly have no clue as to its value emotionally or perhaps monetarily and they will discard, try to sell or give it all away. So I beg the question, why do we hang on to our 'stuff'?  

Our excesses can help everyone.   As you begin your new year and as I write there are 359 more days until Christmas if you are reading this the day I post this blog.  Between now and then stop, reflect on what you have stashed, stored, stuffed and never use.  Could you sell it or give to another who really could use your excess?  You would not miss it.  You would be helping another and you will be unencumbered with stuff.  Think about it. 

359 days and counting until Christmas, make this year one of, less focus on you. Focus your thoughts and actions on how to bless others who cannot repay you for their need is so great.   Is the purchase you are about to make really necessary?   Could you do 'with out'  with the intention of helping someone stay alive?  Or perhaps you could match gift.  A purchase for you and you send an similar amount of money to help one who cannot help them self? 

I tell you from the bottom of my heart you will never be happier.  Open your hands, clean out your closets, cupboards, garages, storage units and provide for those who cannot provide for them selves.   Trust me your hearts will be full of joy, your life will become less cluttered and cleaning out is wonderful therapy!

PS: If you want to unload 'stuff' to Hands of  Hope (www.handsofhopeonline.org/ ) we collect your extras to provide money for the essentials of life, if you are in the Chicago area.  If you are in another part of the world, find a worthwhile organization give to them!  Make a difference in your life and in the life of one who cannot even fathom even a closet in your home.   

From the Bible I leave you with this admonition.  Mathew 6:19   “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal,  but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

When is it enough?

 

“He who is not contented with what he has, would not be contented with what he would like to have.” Socrates


Is your shopping done?  Are you 'over doing it' again this year?  Are the gifts you are choosing going to satisfy beyond the opening?  What would happen if you decided to cut back and think outside the box to help someone who could never gift you?   As you choose to read this blog...think about doing Christmas just a bit different this year.  You might just like it!

Christmas is coming too fast. I am making myself mentally slow down.  I am going to minimize the things that used to be a 'high' priority for me during this season.  I am blaming no one for what I have made Christmas into.  I love gifting those of I love and take mental notes during the year of things that might be a delight to those I buy or give too.  Giving truly makes me happy.

So why am I putting on the brakes?  Why am I taking this season at a slower and easier pace?  Why am writing to unknown readers about my choices to rethink my way of doing Christmas giving?

When I take stock of all the blessings that have been bestowed upon me as a human being and those I love, then I compare my life with those who truly are without blessings, hope and a chance to ever change; I must step back to ask what can I do to help those who need it?  How can one person make a difference?  Can one person make a difference?  Why should one person try to make a difference?

Have you ever thought about what if you were that 'other' person?  You wake up tomorrow morning living in a grass hut. Sand is your floor, ground corn is your meal choice quite likely once a day, your beverage is dirty water if it has not been used up from the day before.  Your clothing choice is what you are wearing, it is dirty, tattered and ill fitting but it is yours until you can scrounge and get it replaced.

Christmas? A bath? A meal? A change of clothing?  A toy?  An education?   You are trapped by the cycle of poverty, you did not choose to be born into this life but you were.  Is there hope?  Does anyone care?

A village board game made of bottle caps and wood.

Look closely to see a wire push toy.

I say, yes!  Yes!  Yes!  If I can help just one person break the cycle of poverty then the blessings I have had bestowed on me have meaning!

Why were born into the culture we are experiencing?  Why? I do not know but I know I am to help others. The movie/play/story Christmas Story is a moral that is spot on!  We may not be quite as bad as Mr. Scrooge but how we allocate our funds could probably do some reevaluating.  How much is too much?  When do we ever 'feel' we have enough?

While you are rearranging your large closets to fit in the 'new' duds, shuffling toys to make room for the new, cleaning out your refrigerator of left over food that now must be tossed,  pause and think about another person thousands of miles away.  That person would be happy with one gently used piece of clothing.  That person could not fathom food being tossed.  A toy, just one new ball or small doll would be an extravagant treasure.  Begin to think of spending less on things that do not truly satisfy your soul and share the savings on blessing someone whose life would be changed forever.

Why are you blessed?  To bless others!  If giving is not part of your life choices you are losing out on so many levels.  Give it a try, and your joy will abound.

Blogs of the past have focused on water and I won't let that go but there are so many other places you can help.  Check out HANDS OF HOPE. www.handsofhope.org   All money donated goes to help those I have described above.  We are making changes!  Profound changes!

I leave you with this thought.

All you have shall someday be given; therefore give now that the season of giving be yours and not your inheritors. Kahill Gibran

Think about....

Think about your worst bathroom day.  What would you have done with out water?  Think about your worst stomach flu day.  What would you have done without water?  Think about the hottest day you can remember.  What would you have done with out water?  (Soft drinks, lemon aid, iced tea all need water.)  Think about the dirtiest day of your life, perspiration, mud, dust, just lots of dirt on your body.  What would do at the end of that day without water. 

Today, tomorrow and many more days with out water in Zambia and the scenarios listed above are a common fact of life.

My quote for today (that is posted in a couple of places because I think it speaks to the heart of giving) is, "Gratitude turns what we have into enough."

 Christmas buying is in full bloom here in the US.  I ask this simple question, to you my reader.  "When do we have enough?"  The next simple question is, "When am I willing to give a gift that cannot be reciprocated?"  The last question, "Will you help to make a well happen in the Western Provence of Zambia this year?" 

Your gift on behalf of a family member, a friend, a co-worker or someone you wish to remember through Hands of Hope's www.handsofhopeonline.org/ will enable those who live each day, with  your worst waterless day to have water.  This gift of water changes their lives forever.

The  giving process is simple, you give up one or two gifts that you don't even need, buy a well card for someone you love, like or need to purchase a gift for and a life is changed forever.  A well gives a village fresh, clean water to clean up the messes of life. 

Now that is a gift!