Not my favorite Jonny Lang song (that title goes to “Thankful” and “Turn Around”), but it’s still a great song nonetheless.
On my birthday, I made a conscious effort to give things and not receive. I wanted that to be a stepping stone into how I approach this year, and the rest of my life. I have always considered myself a giving person, but I just wanted to take it to the next level. So on by birthday, I did the following things:
I sponsored this adorable child from World Vision. If I did nothing else, I would feel pretty awesome about myself. Every time I look at her picture or think about her, my heart just swells and I get teary. There is no reason why I can’t give $35 a month to help her and her family work towards a better life. Something on my 30 before 30 list: visit her in Mali.
I bought this awesome Celtics green watch from Hello Somebody. Not only did I get a big awesome watch that I can coordinate with all my Celtics gear (which I am doing right now, woot!), but the majority of the proceeds are going to help a boys’ school in Rwanda. $29 is such a small price to pay to do so much good. If I could, I would buy all of my friends one.
I got my hair did! How was that giving? Firstly, I was giving my fro a much needed break lol. But seriously, my Godmom was only going to charge me $30 because it was my birthday. I didn’t find this out until the next day after I had already paid her. I gave her $200. Why? Because she’s my Godmom and I love her. And beyond that, she deserved it, not just for doing my hair, but for everything that’s she’s done for me. Actually $200 isn’t enough, but it was a start and seeing her appreciation afterwards was more than enough.
For so long, I always gave but with an ulterior motive. Either that or just a poor attitude afterwards.But now I’m trying to give for two reasons: 1) because I have the money to give and 2) because I truly want to. Not to seek out something in return, or to wait for God to open the windows of Heaven and drop a few hundred stacks on me (which, for the record, I’m not opposed to at all). But there is nothing better to give just for giving’s sake and to show people how much they mean to me. Words are nice and are indeed necessary sometimes, but from now on, I want my actions to really reinforce how I’m feeling.
This feels like the start of something wonderful.
