I donate another $50 to Safe the Children. Not bad for 2 weeks worth of saving-not great, but I have to believe that every little bit helps.
Today we left for a much needed 7 day family vacation in New Hampshire. Do you know, I got to sit outside today and not sweat–I had forgotten what that felt like. It’s awesome. 79 degrees is a temperature sweet spot in my book.
Here is my view for the next seven days.
I know that many in my circle are just as moved to help the Horn of Africa as I am. Ethiopia is part of this East African trouble zone–dealing with famine due to drought. I think often of my children and how this might be affecting others like them, perhaps their birth families and or relatives we will more than likely never know.
This week has been a bad week for donating–only because we just got hit with a repair bill for our washing machine. But I have still been able to squirrel away another $30 that I would have spent on little things I didn’t need–a soda here, a lunch there. I am saving this $30 to combine with what I don’t spend next week to donate to a couple of organizations that are helping in the Horn of Africa. I can’t and won’t turn my back on my children’s birth county in this time of need.
How things change. I remember growing up in the 80’s and the famine in Ethiopia and how the “jokes” about Ethiopians were so rampant. It makes me sick to think about how little I knew or understood about the world then. This beautiful country full of giving people–people who give anything they can to those who have less. Wow, if only in we could be half as giving as those I saw in Ethiopia. How we as a nation/society ever thought or think it is okay to denigrate a people amazes me and not a good kind of amazing.
If you want to give what you can–please check out agencies working to help the Horn of Africa.
Ah…where does the time and days go. I am still donating money in place of spending things, but my computer doesn’t let me online at work (I upgraded to Lion and well–my work network isn’t ready for Lion so, I’m limited in my internet access at work and therefore, my time to blog has disappeared).
I have donated another 20 dollars to a great cause Tenth Life. I have decided to save up the money I would donate on a daily basis and make one to two donations per week to worthy causes. This will allow me to maximize donations and takes the pressure off of posting each and every day. Part of that is because it has become apparent that there are some days that I just don’t spend any money.
So this brings the total for the first week up to $45 dollars donated this week. It makes me feel good to be doing little things. And to be honest I haven’t really missed anything I would have bought. This has certainly made me much more aware of what I am spending and what is really important.
The giving up of little things continue (Day 1 and Day 2). Today I am giving up two things I would spend money on. Breakfast and snacks at the pool. My husband is out of town on business this week and has been since Sunday. This means I am tired and there is never enough time in the morning to get everything done I should–like make my morning smoothie. But today I will manage my time as best I can to make my shake so I am not tempted to stop and just buy breakfast when I get my coffee.
It’s going to be 100 today and we are hitting the pool this afternoon for a little bit to be able to play outside without melting. The kids always want snack in the afternoon when I pick them up for school and head to the pool. So, today I will make sure I pack a snack so as to not waste money buying snacks at the pool when I have a cupboard full of snacks.
So, by my calculations that will free up about $10 I might normally spend on something frivolous today. Today’s charity is Help the Children. They do work locally and around the world. With the economic situation in our own country there are many children who go without food and things they need here at home. Help the Children has been working in Joplin, which is really close to home here.
Please consider leaving a comment about a charity you would like to see receive one of my donations. Giving any little bit helps. In 3 days, I have been able to donate $25 to three charities by just not buying something I would. It only takes a little bit to make a difference.
So, today is Day 2 in my 45 day countdown to turning forty. Day 1 and and explanation of what I am doing and why can be found here. Today’s donation is $10 to Free the Children and their clean water projects. This $10 is donated instead of buying lunch out. I made a sandwich at home instead. I will not go hungry and that money that would have bought me a sandwich and iced tea can now be used to help bring clean water, one of the most basic necessities to a village and help save lives. It seems so simple.
I choose Free the Children, not just because they do good work, but because part of their mission is to get youth to do good work for others in need. I believe in raising activists and children who become adults who give back. I want my children to have good values and to believe in helping others who have less.
Please consider making a donation today instead of purchasing something you don’t really need. Also, if you have a charity you would like me to donate to please leave a comment. I need 43 more charities. If I donate to your charity, I will do so in your name.
Embracing Imperfection 