A Solution to Crime

I came by this during my reading of "Habits of the Heart" for one of seminary classes.  I thought that it raised a very good idea.  It certainly is not actually the solution to all crime, but perhaps some . . .

John "Winthrop saw justice as a matter more of substance than of procedure.  . . when it was reported to him during an expecially long and hard winter that a poor man in his neighborhood was stealing from his woodpile, Winthrop called the man into his prescence and told him that because of the severity of the winter and his need, he had permission to supply himself from Winthrop's woodpile for the rest of the cold season.  Thus, he said to his friends, die he effectively cure the man from stealing."

I thought that this was a wonderfully inspirational story and leads me to think about how I might embody the same idea.  I don't have anyone stealing from my woodpile, but what could I do to lighten someone else's load?  What could you do.

Life is Good celebrates volunteers

Life is Good.  Isn't this the truth?  I have now been working on and off at the tornado relief center since June 1st.  The experience has been devastating, uplifting, challenging, life changing, loving, and unforgettable.

Yesterday, the volunteers were gifted with t-shirts or hats from Life is Good.  Certainly none of us did this work for a reward, but the thank you was much appreciated.

It is still unbelievable how much work is left.  The clean up will not be marked in days or months, but years.  It will also be marked in the countless miracles we have all witnessed, and the friendships that have been formed.

Maybe a new design for Life is good is hands in hands.  When many hands make light work, Life is Good.

Tornadoes in Massachusetts

There are many things that you think about when you choose where to live.  Certainly there are considerations about jobs, family, education, etc, but often there is part of you that is searching for safety.  When you live in the northeast, you figure that you are fairly safe: major hurricanes only come by every ten years or so, earthquakes are generally minor, forest fires are usually contained, and tornadoes are usually small and rarely affect the population.  We do have winter storms, but they eventually melt.  All and all comparatively, it seems to be a fairly safe place to be until June 1st of this year, when a tornado swept through Western Massachusetts extending from Westfield to Charlton (almost 50 miles).  It was like the tornadoes that you see on the news in the Midwest except the Midwest doesn't have trees like we do.  The devastation was extreme.

Fortunately, this is not my home.  We were very lucky, but the area near our church not so much.  The impact was unbelievable in width, length, and general impact.  Trees look like toothpicks sticking from the ground.  Areas that couldn't see the sky due to a canopy of trees are now bathed in sunlight and blanketed in the night sky.  Houses are covered in blue tarps, split in half, or town completely from their foundations. The cleanup will not be measured in days but more likely months and probably years.

The one amazing portion that I have been blessed to witness is the coming together of a community to help those in need.  I have worked all of last month at the tornado aide center.  The outpouring of support not just from locals but from those that came miles and miles just to help has been incredible.  One night, one of the people asked, "Do you make all this food?  It is delicious."  While I may have wanted to take credit, I was able to say that no, all the food was donated.  We had not had to make anything.

When people wonder if there are still good people on this earth, I know without a doubt that the answer to this question is a resounding, "Yes."  It is a shame sometimes that it takes devastating emergencies to bring us all together, but you can surely know that in a time of need, we can and will come together.  This is one of the great things about people in general and specifically about the USA.  As different as we all are, we truly are all United.

God Bless the USA!  Happy Independence Day!

Doing Good = Feeling Good

Do you have those friends that seem like depression is their friend?  They just don't seem happy unless they are complaining?  I swear Facebook has made this even worse.  Some people have turned complaining into an art form.  I think that they are bolstered by the people that post supportive comments, but the positive comments don't actually seem to encourage the people to change:  it just encourages them to complain even more. 

My husband is fascinated by one of our friends who begs for Friday every Monday.  Not once in a while, but every single week.  We've decided that if life is really that bad then maybe it is time to move on and change your life so that Monday is a good day.  Hating 1/7th of your life is not the way to live.

Then there is a certain family member that tells us how awful life is: how tired, uncomfortable, and out of shape he is.  At least once a day, among the many, many posts we are reminded how bad his life is.  We started by trying to be supportive, but clearly he doesn't want or just can't accept help.

So, I'm not sure if my post the other day was in response to this negativity, but my post was "Doing good = Feeling Good". This is a sentiment that I not only espouse but live.  This weekend for example, DD and I worked a blood drive on Friday.  Saturday, we visited our former foster child. Sunday, we wrapped Operation Christmas Child boxes in the morning and then returned to church to hand out Halloween Fair Trade Candy.  All and all it was an amazing weekend.

I think that doing good and helping others is better than any anti-depressant out there.  The power of one making a difference is almost intoxicating.  And I'm always reminded that one + one = even more good work getting done. The only thing better than doing good work yourself is doing good work with others.

I hope that you will find a way to help others and then you can post about it so that we can all be uplifted to do more.

Helping others during the holiday season

Do you feel like you could have done more today to help others? Here is a way to feed 10 people without even leaving your seat and make someone's day at the same time. Kraft Foods is donating 10 meals to Feeding America for each mailing of a holiday e-card. It is that simple. So stop reading and start acting. Send your e-card now.

Foster Care Children Need Suitcases

Do you know that most foster children carry their children in just a garbage bag? I cannot even imagine being removed from my family, let alone having to carry my things in a garbage bag. What does such an action say about who you are? If you have an extra suitcase or duffle bag, why not find a foster care agency in your area or your state's department of child services and see if they will accept a donation. Most will be happy for your donation.

Sometimes making a difference in the world isn't changing the course of a river, but making it possible for someone else to navigate it.

Join My Village

Today I had a few minutes to peruse magazines at the library. It is a rare treat that I enjoy because you are introduced to ideas, places, and concepts you may not already know. Today, I was introduced to Join My Village, a program run by General Mills which is educating people about the plight of this third world country while also making a difference through donations.

You are encouraged to learn about the Malawian villages and then choose one to join. Through participation in quizes and inviting friends, you can grow General Mills donation to "your" village. Also, if you choose to donate, Generals Mills will match your donation up to $50 per person (see their website for a full explination and limitations). This is certainly a wonderful way to change the world and, for those of you that homeschool like we do, this is a great way to learn about a different part of the world.

Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein Preview

Sometimes, I am awed by how God works in this world. Yesterday, I was blogging about using your time to help others and today I find a book that speaks just to that point. In fact, it takes it one step farther: It not only encourages you to use your time to help others, but shows the power that one life has to change the world.



Recently, I had seen Thomas Nelson Book Review and had applied to review books for them. I was intrigued because while you agree to review books, you are not required or even encouraged to make the review positive. They want an honest opinion of the book. Today, I received my acceptance to review and got to choose the book that I wished to review. I poked around the options, but then this book, Take Your Best Shot by Austin Gutwein, caught my eye. The website allowed me to preview a few pages and I was hooked. I even went to far as to follow up and check out the YouTube video, Maggie's Story, that sent Austin on his Journey.




Now I just have to wait for the book in the mail so that I can finish reading it and give you a clear run down on its worthiness, but judging by its first chapter, you'll be hearing some positive praise.