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My basic needs were met.  Having those needs met makes life fairly stable and easier to weather even with a few hiccups.  It made it easy to get excited about a rock on a hike.  But what if I lost my job?  What if a family member got sick and I couldn’t pay for expenses?  What if I was evicted or couldn’t put food on the table for my family?  What if I sunk into depression due to a loss?  My patience made me an easy person to live and work with during this past year, but would I still have that easy going nature and sense of calm if my world was crumbling around me?  Would I still see a heart-shaped rock on a hike and discover a spark of joy or hope?  

Recently, we interviewed Board Member Dayne and his wife Pam Carlson about why they give. They’ve always been generous, but during Amplify they participated in our Board Match. Dayne shared with us that he grew up in the Methodist church and he remembered something John Wesley said about giving, "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 ever you can.” Dayne said that quote stuck with him through his life and is one of the many reasons he and Pam give today. 

...As I continued walking, I realized I couldn’t see the sidewalk.  I was weaving over the area where I thought it might be.  There was no beginning or end in sight.  By day 8 of this wintry mess, that was how I was feeling about our Texas winter weather.  Will it have an end? ...Having temporarily gone without electricity and water over the last week has made me realize how important and basic those things truly are.