Happy Thanksgiving 2010!!!

It is that time of year again when we get some time off to gather with friends and family to reflect on everything we have and not what we don't have. The simple fact that I am in the United States and able to write a blog means that I am better off than most of the world. Sure there are times when I want more and might feel bad because I don't have more but then I realize that I need to continue to show gratitude that my needs are being met.
There are people out there that are having extreme difficulties meeting their basic needs. Some people do not have family or friends to have Thanksgiving dinner with and these holidays become very difficult to handle. Please remember the impact and influence that you can have on many. I know times have been tough and we are not always in the position to give monetarily but it doesn't always have to be a monetary gift. Share a smile, greet someone, or pick up an extra 99 cent sandwich and hand it over to that guy or girl you see standing at the freeway exit. We can all do a little bit to make a difference in some one's life.
We have more entertainment options available to us today than we ever have had, yet we still hear kids say they are bored. I have noticed that my kids do not say that as much after we have volunteered somewhere to help the less fortunate. I believe the reason why is that it is very fulfilling when we help others.  That kind of service really fills the soul. A person I consider my mentor, Zig Ziglar, always says "you can have everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want out of life." It might sound a little selfish but if you are helping others than does it really matter that it is selfish? Even Mother Theresa once said that she considered herself selfish because everything she did was to get closer to God.
I apologize for going on and on but I am very thankful for all of my old and new relationships. I am very happy to have surrounded myself with generous people that keep me inspired. I wish you all a wonderful Thanksgiving and for those of you traveling please come home safely.

Make the World a Better Place

Jesus gave us one commandment and that was to love one another. We refer to this as the golden rule. I constantly tell my children and remind myself to treat others the way I would want to be treated. We're witnessing a time in our lives full of greed, lies, stealing, and murders. Most of us watch and think to ourselves how can we act like animals. I say this is an insult to animals cause animals seem to understand the circle of life and how survival depends on everything in nature being in balance.

We have handicapped many from being willful participants in society. We have allowed envy to get the best of us and therefore allow people to feel entitled. At one point we believed and were taught that you give a man a fish and you feed him for a day but if you teach him how to fish you feed him for a lifetime. I blame government programs for this phenomenon.

I am not in any way saying that we do not have a duty to help one another out but I am saying that it should not be left up to the government. Our charitable organizations are more efficient than our government and so I strongly believe that it should be there responsibility. Don't be afraid that some people will not give because we as Americans are some of the most charitable people. We all take into consideration that the person having a hardship is our brother or sister in Christ and so we do what we can. The problem is that when it's government some people take advantage of it and in the long run hurt themselves by becoming dependent on assistance.

Love one another and our world will be a better place. Let's take the responsibility of taking care of ourselves and our brothers and sisters back from the government. Allow the government to focus on our nation's security.