generosity

Volunteering is good for everyone, especially those of us living in the U.S. where even the most poverty-striken are rather well-taken care of compared to a great deal of the rest of the world. For one it makes one realize how well-blessed he or she is. Secondly, it gives one a good perspective on being generous versus just giving away what one doesn't want.

Mark, Anneka and I took four of our youth kids to Minneapolis for a Friday evening prayer retreat and a Saturday of doing random jobs around the Marie Sandvik Center. I guess it's most like the Salvation Army because they serve food, give clothes away and offer chapel to get the most important things in life settled.

While the boys did manly repairing jobs like fixing the doorbell that lets staff know somebody needs help at the door and waterproofing the outside of the building, we girls unpacked nearly an entire room of clothing donations. Bless those dear sweet little ladies from several Lutheran churches in rural Minnesota for doing some serious spring cleaning in their closets this year. After undoing at least a couple dozen neatly packed banana boxes of what I would call "grandma" clothes, our pile of "winter womens clothes" stretched up no less than five feet. For the right person, the plethora of coordinates would be exciting and I'm sure there will be several "right" people.

Then there were some other donations. Hmmm. Here's a tip for donaters: if it didn't work for you because it was stained around the collar and the zipper was busted, chances are even less that clothing item will work for a homeless person or somebody who's having a hard time making ends meet. I understand. I used to think there was something wrong about throwing a piece of clothing in the burn pile too. But if you think about it, a winter coat that doesn't zip up is really more of a hindrance than a help. And to the generous folks who donated an entire box of sagged out swimwear and yellowed undergarments, some things are just better taken out of commission. Kind of like stray cats, the world is already full of old rags and there will be more where those came from. THROW THEM AWAY. Let the garbage man have the satisfaction of carrying away three or four bags from your curb instead of the usual one or two. Watch the flames lick those old worn out duds. They served you well, let them go.

By the end of the day, my youth girls were probably dreaming of floating in the pool or even thinking about cleaning their own rooms just to be done there. Anneka passed her day sitting and mostly standing in empty banana donation boxes and avoiding taking a nap.