There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it. – BuddhaHostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger. With confidence in our armed forces – with the unbounding determination of our people – we will gain the inevitable triumph – so help us God. – President Franklin D. Roosevelt, December 7, 1941
Category: Inspiration
Giving Made Easy
Imaging you are driving the road ways of Jacksonville, FL and you come upon a homeless man or some other experience which triggers thankfulness of your condition along with a desire to help. Emotions can be tricky wolves as once they pass the power to react diminishes or the sentiment itself may be forgotten.
A benefit of our technological achievements is the ability to manage our finances remotely. With the aid of our mobile devices we can check account balances, transfer funds and donate to causes. I received a tweet this morning from The Sulzbacher Center (@thewayhome). If you are not familiar with this organization, here is who they are as stated on their website.
We are Northeast Florida’s only provider of comprehensive services for homeless men, women and children.We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.We serve nutritious meals and offer safe shelter. But that is just the beginning. We provide outstanding health care and high-quality children’s programs. Our job placement assistance and life skills programs equip men and women for employment and for success. We offer something simple, but important—hope.
The contents of the tweet were simple and straight forward.
Text “wayhome” to 20222 to make a quick and easy $5 donation to the Sulzbacher Center via your wireless provider. It’s fun.
This is something you are surely familiar with as it is what groups such as the Red Cross have utilized to obtain donations for catastrophic events such as the earthquake in Japan. Yet it is something that had slipped my mind and a thing which seems so basic. Such a great use of Twitter, to send out daily, weekly or monthly requests. The financial benefit to Sulzbacher is further spelled out on their site: $1 is the cost of one meal. Through a text while in your car, out to dinner or walking the local mall you can feed five people.
I would encourage you to follow Sulzbacher or another local/global group which you would like to help. Contact them to ask if they have such a feature. Please share any giving opportunities you have come across.
People You Should Know
I had an interesting discussion on Twitter with @JWWalls a week ago regarding this tweet:
I have never been comfortable taking pictures with or getting autographs of “celebrities”. For proof, ask Chris Gandy how awkward I behaved when meeting all the guys from Toad the Wet Sprocket. For lack of a better term I am socially retarded when it comes to knowing what to say or simply how to behave. The burden of “knowing” them collides with them not “knowing” me and it is all down hill from there.
This sentiment comes from a place through which the person is seen not by what they do but who they are at ground level: another pilgrim.
For years I have preached that everyone has a story that deserves to be told. Over the past few months I have spoken with three people who I feel have lives which are inspirational and deserving of recognition. They are not soldiers returning from battle, civil servants risking their lives on a daily basis nor are they performing on a stage both grand and bright. Rather they are people who fail to allow fear to impose its will upon them. My hope is that through you will see a simple strength to Be.
I have complete faith there will be more stories to tell beyond these three, but until then look for pieces on Philip Hughes, Chris Gandy and Neil Griffin.
I AM BWF 