My friend Sugar, has the most awesome opportunity over at her blog. She and HP are giving away $6,000 worth of HP Products. That's right, just giving it away as part of HP's Magic Giveaway. This post is my entry.
Ok, since I don't have a lot of time to get this post done, I'm gonna cut right to the chase, people. What would I do with $6,000 worth of HP Products!
1) The Crisis Pregnancy Center in my husband's home town just sent out an SOS requesting the donation of a laptop. Since Crisis Pregnancy Centers are near and dear to my heart, I would love, love, love to be able to hand them over a brand spankin' new laptop. They help so many ladies and rarely get any recognition whatsoever. To those who give so much, I want to give to them in return.
2) Another cause near and dear to my heart is the Salvation Army. Back in 2004, my husband and I experienced first hand, Hurricane Ivan. My husband owned a condo located on Pensacola Beach. After the fierce category 3 winds and flooding, this is what the his home looked like:
Just a few days, in the aftermath of the destruction, we were allowed onto the property. The roads were so caked with debris that we had to park our car several hundred feet away and climb through a wooded area. After the initial shock, we immediately went into "clean up" mode and knew that in order to salvage anything left in the condo, we needed to tarp the roof. So, my husband, the brave, strong manly man he is, climbed a ladder (that we dug from the debris) and tarped the roof. Keep in mind - it was hot -- very hot. There was no running water out there. Nothing to eat. No groceries stores were open. FEMA parked trailers in the parking lot of the local schools and started handing out bottled water and MRE's (Meals Ready to Eat). We had limited supplies out there at the condo - and we were getting pretty dehydrated in that hot Florida sun. Just when I was ready to throw in the towel, I looked over towards the wooded area and there came a gentleman. He was lugging a huge cooler on his shoulders and maneuvering his way through the woods. When he finally arrived on our end, he took one look at us and began pulling bottled water out of the cooler. When I looked up at his shirt, the text read "Salvation Army". Y'all, I could have kissed him. Seriously - I'm not sure that man knew what a blessing he was. We were hot, we were tired, and we were discouraged. We were picking through the debris, trying to find treasured items. This one little gesture of kindness has been burnt in my mind. To this day, I can't walk past a Salvation Army kettle without giving something. Those people were our lifesavers that day. He even brought a hot dinner for us - something we hadn't had in days.
So, I'd like to donate something to the local Salvation Army. Who's gonna turn down an HP computer? No one, I say!
3) Just 2 miles from my house, there is a Ronald McDonald House. Each day, I pass by that place and my heart aches each time. Seriously. I'm not sure what is drawing me there, but something is. They're constantly advertising a tour each week. And I've put off going in there - 1) Because I'm partly afraid. The people there are so strong and so brave and they're going through some pretty tough times - I wonder what I have to offer them. 2) I make excuses, like "I'm not trained. What if I tell someone the wrong advice. Or what if I get too close to a family and they lose a child?" I know - stupid reasons not to go. But, if I win, this can be another reason for me to overcome my fear and enter through those doors. I know God can use me, I just have to let him have the control.
I guess in conclusion, I'd like to say that I'm a giver. I love giving to other people. And I mostly love to give anonymously. I don't want credit. I receive the joy and blessing just by watching the joy in someone else. I'm at a place in my life where I know I am blessed. I can honestly say that I don't "need" anything more right now. This is my season and I'm embracing it. But I sure would love to receive a small little blessing from giving to others. I hope you'll considering giving me this blessing.
Oh and this one is just as good . . .
