Spiritual Sisters
Spiritual Healing Serene Salad
Spiritual Voices Creativity Bakery
The Giving that Endures
Charities are having their massive annual campaigns to raise funding for people who need a boost up. With this money, they have great programs designed to help people who are down. I applaud their efforts; I encourage people to take advantage of the opportunities.
I am living and working among the people the charities are assisting. I now have a somewhat different perspective of what is most needed. I have always believed love is the greatest gift, but now I am developing opinions on how love can be given. It is not always given through money, for as long as there are humans, they will find a way to misuse material gifts even though they have been given in love.
What I have come to believe is the gift of love that endures is the gift of your time--of yourself. If I was knocked about as a kid by parents, grandparents, institutions, I would have no clue how to go about living. I would understand existing from day to day, never looking ahead except through delusional daydreams, but I would have no idea how to go about living. I would have gotten my education off the street: stealing and street selling, working with drug pushers, cheating on welfare.
I would see the way you are living through the shows I watch on the big screen TV someone bought off the street. Even though I am cynical about the reality of people actually living that way, I want it, but I have no clue how to get there. If you can spend time with me, letting me see how you live, maybe I can absorb some pointers on how to change my ways.
Most necessary is the time spent with the children who still have hope in their hearts. They are the ones who need the gift of love the most.
Mark 9:37 (NIV)
"Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."
Luke 4:18-19 (NIV)
18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."
Jane Mullikin
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