Do you ever watch "My Name is Earl" on TV? If not, I highly recommend it - I think it's one of the funniest, cleverest shows on television. If you DO watch it, then you know the basic premise - that Earl believes in "Karma" (with a capital "K") - if he does good things, then good things will happen to him. Simple enough - but how true, don't you think?
I went to Guatemala in 2004...had a horrible trip. Everything that could go wrong, did. It was a scene right out of that old Jack Lemmon movie, "The Out-of-Towners"....(can you tell I watch a lot of movies and TV??!!) I came back from that mission trip and said to DH, "I never want to go back there again - don't even say Guatemala to me!"
Now fast forward a few months...and I begin to have thoughts, dreams, 'pushes', etc - telling me that I have to return to Guatemala. No way, Jose - I say. But the thoughts and 'pushes' continue - to the point where I resign myself to the idea of returning to Guatemala in the summer of 2005. However, that 2nd trip, my focus changed - instead of focusing on how the trip was affecting ME and how I was feeling and how miserable I was - I looked outward - and began to focus on the people of Guatemala - and how they were living, how they were feeling.... Wow. Totally life-changing. Came back and realized I needed to make a difference - somewhere, somehow.
Since 2004, I've been to Guatemala a total of six times. If my kids were old enough and out of the house, I'd be living near Lake Atitlan, in the western highlands of Guatemala, teaching English and working the land. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Guatemala. Did I mention that I love Guatemala? I do - I love it. I think Guatemalan, I dream Guatemalan - I think in a previous life, I must have been Guatemalan, as I feel so at home there...very close to God.
I've now taken countless other mission trips - to the Gulf Coast, New Orleans, Hawaii, Mississippi - and next month, Jamaica - all the while, trying to make a small difference in the world. Each trip brings new experiences, new people, and new opportunities to save the world - one day at a time.
I signed up with the American Red Cross - which has taken me to floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires - everything but an earthquake - all the while, trying to make a small difference in the world. I've hugged people who have lost everything but the shirts on their back; I've cried with people who feel they've got nothing - and I remind them all that they still have ONE thing that truly matters - and that is HOPE - and don't ever let a natural disaster take that away. Trying to save the world - one day at a time.
In this spirit of the Christmas season - think about what YOU can do to save the world - one day at a time.... Volunteer somewhere.... Perform a random act of kindness.... Make a donation to a food bank or charity clothing store.... Pay for the guy behind you's coffee.... Do something!
Remember - "Karma" is watching!
Be sure to do your part today to save the world - one act at a time, one day at a time.
Drama Queen
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