Spare Change?

I love this phrase - it reminds me of being in England. I wanted to give all our travel money to the homeless. They were so polite and proper in their, "Spare Change, Sir?" requests. Before our trip, I was informed by a friend not to give change to these people. I wast told the UK government provides a lot to them, so I should not feel guilty not contributing my own finances. It's a bittersweet blend of memories... and fyi, I didn't always take my friend's advice. My heart won, over my head, at times.

So - how does one decide where to put "spare change?" Of course, you can always horde it all yourself. Bulk up for that big, fat savings and hope that by the time you retire (people still do that, right?), you'll not have a care in the world.

But is that rewarding? Does that ultimately make you feel good? Is that "what Jesus would do?" I don't think so.

I wish I had far more money - not only because it would be nice to drive a car that I actually like, but because I feel there are so many good causes that need financial help. And even more seem in need in this economy.

Admittedly, I am a bit stressed by the requests for donations that Hope brings home from her school. It seems each week we are being asked to support something. We can't do it all.

I have to pick the causes that I believe in. Whole-heartedly. And I give as much as we can. A challenge is when I am giving to a cause that others don't support - and they say so. That's tough. Granted, we are all human and we obviously aren't going to all agree. But I take offense to someone responding with "I don't 'do' that" when it regards breast cancer... as much as "We ain't doing that" when it comes to supporting the not-for-profit local ballet company in Peoria.

You are welcome to disagree - but don't be snobby about it... and for the Lord's sake, use proper grammar! As, it WILL affect where else I spend my spare change. Like the above treatment from Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory: I will now go directly to Fannie May Candies or pick up more Ghirardelli bars at the grocery store when in a pinch for chocolate. Chad and I have already begun planning how to create our own caramel apples this Fall, too!

What do you believe in? And what do you do to show for it? Money is the obvious way, but for those with restricted funds, go DO something. Collect others' change and donate it physically. Take extra food to a shelter when something you buy is on sale at the store. Donate items to Goodwill - don't just pitch the shoes in the trash if they are still wearable.

By actions, you inflict CHANGE. Good or bad. By donating, you encourage CHANGE... so do it for a good cause. Every coin counts as much as the way that you present it.

Change Your Mind?

I hate that phrase. Physically, you cannot alter your mind. You can try. You can tell yourself to be different, read daily affirmations, use medications... and those things may or may not work. But what really happens is that your opinions can alter.

In my own experience, the more I attempt to change my own thoughts, feelings, beliefs, the more I am reminded as to why I had the original opinion in the first place. (For example, someone you really try to like - but their bitter personality continues to push you away.) Conversely, I have been somewhat shocked to know that after holding judgment against something for a long time, I didn't feel strongly about any longer. In some instances, I realized that I even began to agree. (I could use several big, big examples here, but I will just go with food. As a kid, I just couldn't eat salad - now I put extra lettuce, slaw, etc on everything!)

Politicians get reamed for changing their opinions... they get accused of flip-flopping, being deceitful, labeled a fraud. Friends can change in a moment because one situation can bring out something in them that you had not seen before. Think about how many people are in your life because your opinions differ on every topic. I'm guessing there are not many - if you are living your life truly. (We all know there are those who ride coattails and may go along with someone else for fear of rejection. I'm also pretty confident that those people aren't reading this... and if they are, they wouldn't admit it anyway.)

The challenge arises if you are forced to make a choice - one that you felt one way about at first, one that when you are forced to make it again, you feel differently. Think of that one dominant friend in middle school who basically said, "If you are friends with HER, than you are not my friend!"

At the times when I have realized that my opinion has changed, I feel bittersweet. I am proud that I have grown as a person and that my experiences have opened me up to know that there are other ways to feel about something. Yet, I do feel a little sad for the naive part of me that is gone.

It's also important to realize that situations you have endured, others have not faced. The word "ignorance" plays a part again here. Not to be insulting, but the word actually means "a lack of knowledge." The person who has never been in a car accident cannot relate to what it is like. They can imagine it, but they are unaware of the feelings, the thoughts, the results.

Judging others is pretty simple. Anyone can say that "If I were him..." But the truth is we are each made up of our own opinions and feelings based upon our experiences. We don't control what alters them, but we can control how we act based upon those changes. We can choose to open our minds to what someone else has endured - or we can lock ourselves into our own lives and refuse to see others' points of view. Before refusing to "change your mind" about something, give it some thought to see if your opinions are still so solid. You might be surprised.