As I was driving to work this AM, the station that I was listening to features a town of the week that the two DJ's go to and record their adventures. Today's town was Eastgate. The main focus was the Yellow Ribbon Support Center, which was started five years ago when Army Staff Sgt. Matt Maupin went missing. Did you know that in that time they have sent 15,000 boxes to soldiers? I found that to be amazing. They even interviewed Matt Maupin's dad, who was working there packing boxes. You can find more about the center at www.yellowribbonsupportcenter.com.
Lending a helping hand to those in need is an important part of Christianity. I try to teach my kids to do some community service projects. I try a do a few things myself. But it is always to find time for that. You have to plan, just like with anything else. I have a schedule that I keep to make sure I know what I am doing when. I put everything from choir practice, band rehearsal's, football games, appointments, etc. in my smartphone and it keeps me straight. If it every dies, I may be in trouble!
As busy as my life gets, this time of day when I am writing this devotion for me and you gives me time to think about things other than what the world is doing. I try and focus on what God wants me to do. Helping the needy and less fortunate is important to God, but I do not let it make me feel important. It should be something that you want to do because a) God wants you to do it and b) you want to obey God. It doesn't have to be some elaborate thing like packing boxes, it could be just giving away clothes, giving money or canned goods to a free store. Just do something for your community.
Matthew 25:35 - 46
'For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You something to drink? 'And when did we see You a stranger, and invite You in, or naked, and clothe You?
'When did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
"The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels;
for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.'
"Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?' "Then He will answer them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' "These will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Showing posts with label charity. Show all posts
Friday, April 16, 2010
Friday, February 26, 2010
Charity and Experience
Yesterday was what I deemed "Charity Day". It seems like everything I did centered around helping out organizations. I don't mind that, as long as the causes are good.
My company helps out the Freestore Food bank. Actually, we do a lot of small charities throughout the year. We doe the Children's Walk for Cincinnati Children's Hospital. We raise over $8,000 for that. We support St. Jude's, MS, whatever our workers suggest and is worthy. The Freestore Food Bank gets a big boost every March and April from businesses around the city with a competition called Canstruction. It is a competition where businesses dream up a statute to build and use cans of food to build it. Go to www.canstruction.com to see some of the amazing things that have been done. The city website is http://cincinnaticanstruction.org. This is just not a city wide competition. It is an international thing. It is amazing what can be built. Anyway, yesterday we had a Cheese Coney in Paradise luncheon and the proceeds went toward our company's canstruction objective.
Then last night, the Monroe Local Schools Bands had a spaghetti dinner and concert. All proceeds went toward the band boosters and all that is needed. It was good food and the kids did great. We heard the a few amazing soloists and the high school is going to the Ohio Music Education Association competition in a couple of weeks, so we heard their songs. I remember going to Solo and Ensemble competitions and choir OMEA competitions, and has so much fun. The first year was a total learning curve. I went in, sang my song, forgot some of the words, came out of the room, and cried. It was such a pressure and I had never done anything like it before. But I learned a lot and the judge was very nice to me.
The band has not gone to competition in over six years. So this will definitely be a learning curve for them. But the experience they will have and share will prepare them for so much more. Like all things in life, we don't always realize that what is happening to us now will benefit us later. It's a part of growing up and growing as a person. The experiences we share hopefully benefits others.
When my father had his heart attack and subsequently his quad bypass, he had hardly ever been sick. He felt, and still feels today that he went through that to helps others who come after him. He can share and sympathize better than I can with those who have to heal and learn to do things a little different. The same with his cancer. He is doing so well, but to get to this place in his life, he has had to go through some deep, dark valleys. He told me that during the middle of his chemo, he asked God to take him. But God is good and Dad is doing so good. He is still trying to see and relearn a lot of things, like eating, but he is still here and I appreciate all he does and teaches me and my family.
So remember that the next experience you go through may not be only for you. So go through it, come out of it with the attitude that you were there for a reason. Look around and see what you can give to others. Have a great weekend!
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
My company helps out the Freestore Food bank. Actually, we do a lot of small charities throughout the year. We doe the Children's Walk for Cincinnati Children's Hospital. We raise over $8,000 for that. We support St. Jude's, MS, whatever our workers suggest and is worthy. The Freestore Food Bank gets a big boost every March and April from businesses around the city with a competition called Canstruction. It is a competition where businesses dream up a statute to build and use cans of food to build it. Go to www.canstruction.com to see some of the amazing things that have been done. The city website is http://cincinnaticanstruction.org. This is just not a city wide competition. It is an international thing. It is amazing what can be built. Anyway, yesterday we had a Cheese Coney in Paradise luncheon and the proceeds went toward our company's canstruction objective.
Then last night, the Monroe Local Schools Bands had a spaghetti dinner and concert. All proceeds went toward the band boosters and all that is needed. It was good food and the kids did great. We heard the a few amazing soloists and the high school is going to the Ohio Music Education Association competition in a couple of weeks, so we heard their songs. I remember going to Solo and Ensemble competitions and choir OMEA competitions, and has so much fun. The first year was a total learning curve. I went in, sang my song, forgot some of the words, came out of the room, and cried. It was such a pressure and I had never done anything like it before. But I learned a lot and the judge was very nice to me.
The band has not gone to competition in over six years. So this will definitely be a learning curve for them. But the experience they will have and share will prepare them for so much more. Like all things in life, we don't always realize that what is happening to us now will benefit us later. It's a part of growing up and growing as a person. The experiences we share hopefully benefits others.
When my father had his heart attack and subsequently his quad bypass, he had hardly ever been sick. He felt, and still feels today that he went through that to helps others who come after him. He can share and sympathize better than I can with those who have to heal and learn to do things a little different. The same with his cancer. He is doing so well, but to get to this place in his life, he has had to go through some deep, dark valleys. He told me that during the middle of his chemo, he asked God to take him. But God is good and Dad is doing so good. He is still trying to see and relearn a lot of things, like eating, but he is still here and I appreciate all he does and teaches me and my family.
So remember that the next experience you go through may not be only for you. So go through it, come out of it with the attitude that you were there for a reason. Look around and see what you can give to others. Have a great weekend!
Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.
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