Support what you believe in!

Unemployment is the worst it has been in my lifetime. August, 2010 data reported this last week shows it to be about 10.4% in these parts. A lot of people, businesses, churches, and other charities are really hurting.

I remember a coworker telling me more than 20 years ago about how poor he grew up. Paul said, “I was 16 years old before I knew there was an edible part of a chicken besides the back and feet.” Look around you. What is in your refrigerator, your pantry, your closet? Is it really that bad? Probably not. As Americans, we are a very blessed group of people, even in these hard times.

Mother used to tell me about the starving kinds in Africa and China to get me to eat my vegetables. I told her one time that she could send them my squash; I wasn’t hungry enough to eat squash. (I don’t recall ever saying that but once.)

I have recently written about good intentions. How many times in the last year have we said, “I should send something to that cemetery where grandpa is buried,” or “I should send something to that missionary that I heard a few months ago.” Did you mean that? Have you done it?

At the end of 2009, there were 58,000 storage units worldwide, 50,000 of which are in the US. We have more than 2.35 Billion square feet of stuff in storage (more than three times the size of Manhattan,) much of which is “climate controlled.” If this is usable stuff, why not give it to someone who can use it. (Of course, if it is junk, why are we paying to store it?)

An article last December says that Americans are the most charitable people in the world, giving about $300 Billion to charities each year. But we can give in other ways. We can donate unused items, our time, and even words of encouragement

Every year at this time, one of the blogs I read encourages people to celebrate “ten days of giving” in early October. http://christianpf.com/10daygive/ It won’t be long before we are caught up in the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years whirlwind. I’d say right about now would be a great time to give a little something that you have been meaning to give, but just haven’t. Of course, I am not advocating taking anything away from your normal giving. They need your support too. Why not take some time now to give in a new way.

Support what you believe in!

ps: Here is 101 ways to give http://www.moneyhelpforchristians.com/101-ways-to-give/