Daily Archives: 2011/12/18

The joy of self-reliance…

The holidays are threatening to pass me by yet again. It seems our efforts to shape Christmas into what we believe will make us happy sometimes, actually end up diluting the true meaning of the holiday. Thankfully I am always able to extract something that I may relate to commemorating the momentous birth of my Lord and Savior.

I have always been one to frown upon the superficiality many often apply to this time of year with the “Black Friday” stuff and all. But it is truly heartwarming to see some folks step up and bring about the change I know is in line with the life and teachings of the Man whose birth we are about to celebrate. This includes those of different faiths whose hearts are appropriately positioned, large and squarely in the middle of their chests. Performer Dan Zanes is just such a person.

Zanes champions a cause which appears to be directly in line with the greatest charity we may bestow upon the less fortunate, that being the means by which they may be self-supporting. Sadly, the number of hungry in this world is once again on the rise and has been for the past few years. Political symptoms of this travesty aside, the fact that over 1 billion people, many of them children, will go to bed hungry this day is something Jesus would certainly have been addressing.

This brings me to (Heifer International), an organization which promotes the food source not just the food. They accept donations in order to purchase and provide life giving farm animals, which in turn provide sustainability and a transferable means of food provisions to the impoverished around the world. Now it remains admirable that we support charity(s) which give immediate and necessary food, medicine and clothing to those in need, but what could be better than giving the gift of a consistent food source that in turn would facilitate better health and a platform to produce those very same necessities of life. Moreover, one could then pass that gift on to others in need by way of the offspring of their betterment.

I do not have many “collective” thoughts about the world. This is a political distinction on my part and has to do with my ideological belief that much of the suffering in this world may be attributed to the Socialist, Communist and/or Theocratic application of government, which negates individual freedom and allows absolute and unchecked power. That discussion aside, and from a purely humanistic point of view, it is simply unconscionable that any person should go hungry in a 21st century world.

Please take a moment this Christmas and check out this web site. https://secure1.heifer.org/gift-catalog/joy-to-the-world-collection.html

It just makes sense…