What More Can I Do?

One of the most profound questions I was asked to ask myself, along with thousands of people, was "what more can I do?".  Well, isn't that quite the loaded question?!  What more can I do?  And to be honest, the answer would depend on what area we are talking about...  though, I am feeling extremely led to do more for the homeless and others that do not have the things we are able to afford.

I was recently in a situation that I could have helped someone, and I am ashamed to say that I just walked away.  I did so with a heavy heart and continue to feel guilty over it.  I still feel guilty over it, especially since I happened to throw away the food that could have possibly been his only meal that day, or even in days.  

Though, out of that came the desire to do more.  To not let another opportunity pass by to help someone who doesn't have the luxuries that I do.  To feed someone who might have to skip a few meals when I don't know what that is like.

There are times I've felt like we were struggling.  Wondering how we were going to keep up with our bills and still get to do the fun things we like doing.  I worried that we would have to eat at home every night instead of getting to go out as often as normal.  I worried that I couldn't get that hot item I'd been wanting for a while.  I worried that we were "struggling".

What is sad, though, is that I was worried about not having MORE than what we needed.  I was worried that I had to give up things that I didn't NEED to have.  I worried about the wrong things.  So what if I couldn't buy soda or go out to dinner?  Did I REALLY NEED those things?  

The recent situation that I feel guilt over has opened my eyes to just how incredibly selfish we can be.  There are so many people struggling to find their next meal while I struggle with not buying a new t-shirt or getting to go out to eat.  How incredibly selfish that sounds when I think about it!

So... I have decided to see if I can do a few things differently.  Once we are moved into the new house, we are making some changes to how we do things.  I am putting myself on a 30 challenge...

No sodas or junk food
No eating or ordering out at all
No buying food that isn't required for a determined meal plan

Those things in themselves will be a HUGE challenge for us.  We are so used to just getting the things we want, when we want them, it's basically second nature to us now.  We don't know any different.  So, the fact that I am adding more challenge to that is really going to make this 30 day challenge an interesting task!  But, I will be praying and using this as a fasting to help me build closer to him as well!

The added challenge is going to be:

Any time we feel the urge to do any of the three things listed above, we put the money we would have spent on it into a jar.  At the end of the 30 days, we either donate the money to a soup kitchen or use it to feed/help the homeless in some way.  And based on how often we go out to eat, and how much I guess we spend on those things in a month, I bet we could help a great amount in just those 30 days.  And once we cut out the unnecessary spending, I bet we will realize just how much extra we DO have, even though it doesn't feel like it most of the time.

I don't look at our struggles the same way anymore.  Our bills are always paid, our children are always fed, and we have the necessities required for us to survive.  Heck, we have more than is really required.  We are truly blessed and I want to do more to share our blessings with others who need a good blessing.  Why shouldn't we share?  Now I just want to share even more!!!

So, what more can I do?  Well, the funny thing is I think I am answering the question by asking what can I do less?  I can do more to help others by being less selfish!

What more can YOU do???