Girl Scouts

Once upon a time, I was a girl scout. It didn't last long- my mother was my troop leader and we're pretty different, so I quit going (which was hard because the meetings were at my house!). Every time I see girl scouts selling cookies, I buy some. I currently have a CASE of Samoas (they're now reduced to 'Caramel DeLites!') and I made two little girls (and my dad, who got some cookies) really happy. 

Once upon a time, I led a group called PB&J. A group of girls From 7th grade to 12th grade, though we had a few 5th and 6th graders in there. I inherited the group from an older woman who didn't click with 'the girls', and since I was the oldest girl, I led. PB&J had always been at Starbucks, eventually, we moved to my house where we made cookies and had koolaide. Many of the girls tell me this was their favorite part, and the reason they opened up at all- it made them feel at home and like part of the group. And when they opened up, some of the stories they had were amazing. One time one of the girls suggested a mini-mission. We all like mission trips- going somewhere far away and doing something like building a school- but... a mini mission... just a day trip to somewhere nearby (usually in our city) to do some good for our own community. I knew of a nursing home for low-income elderly people. We painted many nails some wacky colors and heard many a story (and many, many horrible christmas carols banged out on the out-of-tune piano by a tiny lady who only sorta knew christmas carols...).  We painted houses for people who couldn't paint their own house. 

I challenge you: Do some random nice thing for someone. I don't mean hold a door for someone with their arms full- I know your momma taught you to do this anyways. It doesn't have to be painting a house, just go out of your way, out of your comfort zone, and DO SOMETHING. Anything. Bake cookies and meet your neighbors, volunteer at an animal shelter, buy the homeless guy on the corner a .99 cent hamburger, anything! The only thing you should get from it is good karma... no CAS hours!! Remember- if you make someone feel loved, and at home, and as part of the group, they will open up and it can benefit you BOTH in many ways.

If you guys want to do or know someone who needs a mini-mission, let me know and we'll see if we can't come up with something. 

"Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you can." -- John Wesley

Pastor Kes

If you live in Austin and are on Facebook, then you are probably already "friends" with Kester Smith. He works at BookPeople and is a local pastor for a church called Immanuel. My point? He's got a great blog with really good insights: http://PastorKes.blogspot.com

Microloans

Yes, Micro-Loans. Not Micro-Brews!

A year ago or so, I watched a program on PBS about the concept of microloans. The idea is really very simple. For people who cannot afford to borrow money from traditional banks, which are typically the poor in developing countries, but have a good idea for a business and eager to implement it, a private lender loans them money to implement their idea. The "micro" part is 2 fold: the amount is fairly small, and the interest is very low. This idea has been not only been advocated but also personally tested by Mahammad Yunus, the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize recipient. Now, a fairly new corporation (Fall, 2005) has been started called Kiva. This lets you be personally involved. Check out the site for details, but it sounds really exciting!

The Bible's addresses the topic of money more than any other topic! Just a few points that stand out (or perhaps have been more emphasized) to me:

• "The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is servant to the lender." (Prov. 22:7)
• "If you lend to one who is needy, charge him no interest." (Ex. 22:25-27)
• "'If one of your countrymen becomes poor and is unable to support himself among you, help him as you would an alien or a temporary resident, so he can continue to live among you. Do not take interest of any kind from him, but fear your God, so that your countryman may continue to live among you." (Lev. 25:35-36, but view the whole chapter.)
• "He who increases his wealth by exorbitant interest amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor." (Prov. 28:8)
• Extortion through excessive interest is condemned beside other vile crimes (Ez. 18)
• "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money." (Matt. 6:24, but pay close attention to the context, the surrounding verses! POWERFUL!)
  

The pattern within this tapestry that I see woven is one of compassion and a high regard for life. It screams of how justice and mercy must work together, and how it strengthens each other. My first brusque glance of Kiva seems good to me. I will look further at it and be in prayer.
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Credit to Mark Elrod's Lame-O Weblog (aka, M.E.) for "Kiva: Loans That Change Lives" and "Muhammad Yunus".

unChristian

I strongly encourage you to check out today's Breakpoint commentary by Chuck Colson: unChristian, What People Really Think of Us.

A constant re-examination of how we live and what we do must be part of who we are. I can think of probably a dozen ways to live in closer step with Christ right now without even trying hard. But the question to myself becomes, what am I going to do about it.

Jesus told a parable about 2 sons. The first rejected his father's request to do something, but then did it. The second agreeably accepted the request, but then failed to fulfill his promise. Though the first was brash, he is the one who loved his father. (Matt 12:28ff)

Full commentary: unChristian

Brave...Called

On Rio's mean streets, a rare credibility

Pentecostals' message of transformation is helping Brazil's drug dealers give up their guns for Jesus.

Rio de Janeiro - He felt weak physically. But spiritually, he had never felt stronger.

Alexandre dos Santos, a converted Pentecostal, fasted for two days in the favela, or slum, where he grew up, before getting on his knees to lead 18 others in prayer.

"God protect us," they chanted, before going to persuade a gang of drug traffickers in a violent struggle with the police to put down their arms and accept Jesus.

The group, named "Fishermen of the Night," had no idea what to expect that evening two years ago, Mr. dos Santos recalls. Since then, they have seen men killed. They have been threatened with death. But God has sent them as emissaries, they say, to stop the violence that is suffocating many of Brazil's poor communities....

(http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1218/p01s02-woam.html)