Wednesday, October 19, 2011

My Story and I am Sticking To It

The following story from 10/19/11 is where God began to change my heart.
My Story and I am Sticking To It
(Make sure you read the links and watch the video.)

I started this morning like a lot of mornings half awake in bed but praying to God. I asked selfishly that I could have as good a day as yesterday. Yesterday was fun. Programming was very engaging and prepared. Staff devotion time was great to hear the wins and hear from Scott's personal walk with God. I was then surprised by a gift from staff and the encouraging words! I went and stuffed my face with a delicious heart stopping, blood clotting burger! On the way back to work I stopped to speak with a guy on the street with a sign asking for a job!

Came back to the office to meet with the Strategic Leadership Team and what I thought was going to be a 30 minute meeting went for two hours and was extremely productive and moving us forward in areas I hadn't thought of. I then got on the phone with Jeff for an an hour and was encouraged by our talk. I then spent 45 minutes with Mike W. and it was a great time.
I came home in the evening and went to the mailbox to get the mail. Let me stop there for a moment and give some background information.
Several weeks ago if not months now, God has pressed upon me, the need to grow in the area of generosity. Through a TV show called "Rob and Big" which my son happened to be watching. I sat down with him to share some time together. God has a great sense of humor! I have been inspired by God to give clothes away to the homeless. The stars of the show went down and gave away their clothes that they no longer used. I committed to God not to travel in my car without having a bag of clothes available to give away, when ever I saw a homeless person! I also committed that if I was feeling sorry for myself I would go give some clothes away to the homeless to better appreciate what God has done for me.
While all of this was going on I started to read a blog from Seth Godin, weird dude!  on 9/7/11

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/09/that-buzzing-in-my-ear-didnt-mean-i-was-about-to-die.html

I was inspired by God through Seth to consider how to help stop malaria in Africa. Whats that all about! It was a great concept that he was working on. Buy this leadership book online and all the proceeds will go to buy two mosquito nets for kids in Africa. The book was awesome and had nothing to do with Malaria, but was a very good read about leadership.

 A few weeks later another daily blog from Seth and this one was different? on 10/8/11

 http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2011/10/eliminating-the-impulse-to-stall.html

 It was a challenge to consider being a Bone marrow donor. Seth actually has a friend dying of cancer who badly needs a donor. Seth even offered to make a game of it of sorts by offering $10,000 to your local charity of choice for the one who is a match. God again touched my heart and said to me why not YOU! I have always been afraid to give blood much less be a bone marrow donor! I spoke with my wife as I was reminded of the scripture John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. I began to tell her hey I don't have to have money to be generous. Money is not the ONLY way to be generous. How much money is a life worth? $1 million dollars couldn't save this persons life, but life giving blood could! My wife and I decided that I should do it! I signed up online and the kit they send you to send in your DNA would be sent to my house in two weeks. Guess what I forgot all about it in a matter of two days!

Lets pick up where I left off. I went out to get the mail and in it was my DNA kit to send in to be a donor. I was excited to see it and decided that I would bring it in to work and mail it from there the next day. So my evening ended with a good night of TV and a good nights rest.

I got up this morning praying for a better day or as exciting a day as yesterday! I came into work as usual and went to my mailbox and saw a postcard. The post card had been sitting there for a day and I had not paid any attention to it. It said I am second on it. I felt led to read it and pulled it up on the web to view what it was all about. This is what I viewed.

http://www.iamsecond.com/seconds/jim-munroe/

Today is BETTER than yesterday. Gods blessings come in all different ways. He has a GREAT sense of humor! For me I need to be obedient in my giving, so that God will transform my life more like him. I need to look for him in ALL that I do and I need to ask of him which I don't do enough of.

PS In the letter from "Be the Match" it ended by saying "Thank you for your commitment to saving a life! Through your generosity you give every waiting patient more hope for a cure.