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Mistletoe Angel
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since 2000-12-17
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0 posted 2005-11-12 02:54 AM




In Proverbs 19:17, it reads, "He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done."

I truly believe this with all my heart, for if I alone get that warm smile after seeing an orphaned child get that gift he had been dreaming of so long or when an elderly citizen feels comforted during the otherwise lonesome times at a community center when a high school student or girl scout comes to visit, imagine just what God must be thinking.



Within the last four years, I have begged my loved ones to limit their spending on me and give much of my Christmas money instead to contribute to charities to help the needy worldwide. One of my favorite charities I love contributing to is Heifer International.

  • Heifer International


  • It is a non-profit 501 organization which every tax-deductible purchase of a gift animal or tree seedling helps families around the world in third-world countries become self-reliant, and ensues also the plants and animals are healthy and are treated with respect under their mooto, "Ending Hunger, Caring For The Earth". And I believe by contributing to this wonderful organization, I am lifting someone or a family out of hunger, poverty and environmental degradation. After all, Christmas is the happiest time of year, and I want to see it I make those in less fortunate communities have something to cheer about this year.

    You can also contribute to these other great alternative gift charities:

    *******************************

  • My Two Front Teeth
  • (MyTwoFrontTeeth.org's vision is to reduce the pain of poverty and help strengthen the bonds of society by bringing simplicity, efficiency, and personalization to the charitable gift-giving process, thereby encouraging all to experience the incredible power and joy of giving)

    *

  • World Vision
  • (Another great alternative gift catalog)

    *

  • Charity Commission
  • (U.K based regulator of a wide list of trusted, efficient charities)

    *

  • Great Gifts
  • (Another great source for alternative, goodwill gift giving)

    *

  • Charity Gifts
  • (A charity Christmas card/gift shopping mall)

    *

  • Vetaid
  • (Non-profit, international development organization working for reduction in poverty and increase in food security of people dependent on livestock.)

    ********************************



    Generously chip in a few bucks for a box hive so children in Zimbabwe could have honey, or a dowry for orphans in Rwanda, or saris and warm shawls from weavers in Gujurat to protect widows and poor women in north India during the cold winter and to get closer to earning a living wage, anything. Have fun and give a hand.


    *********************************************



    Finally, try and find some time between now and Christmas to volunteer an hour or two at your local rescue mission. It is the gift of the heart, through involvement and community-building, that helps feed and care for the hundreds of homeless and needy men, women and children. Unconditional acts of kindness is great stewardship. Give generously to make a difference into their lives, become a friend to the homeless! I’ve volunteered myself numerous times before when working at the Denver Rescue Mission, serving french onion soup and warm rolls to a diverse group of residents, helping store away the bread in the storage room, and then, yep, I also was happy to help out with cleaning dirty dishes smothered with macaroni and cheese and ranch dressing. I even got a break time and got to talk to some local residents, who would tell me their own anecdotes and life experiences, and they truly made me feel welcome and all toasty inside each holiday season. It’s an enlightening experience.

    So, take some time and help prepare and serve some meals to hometown residents, assist with the stuffing and distrbution of Christmas stockings for the children before Christmas, help out with the Adopt-A-Family program and provide impoverished families presents and a dinner to make their Christmas day special, help pack and distribute food boxes to needy individuals and families, volunteer at the Santa Shop, meet up with two to five friends of yours, call your local Family Rescue Ministry hotline, and set up a mentor session, anything of these sorts is wonderful. Or, you could also always give a monetary gift to help provide hot meals, safe shelter, clean clothes and Christian counseling to hungry, hurting, and homeless people. It’s these simple acts of kindness that bring out the Christmas cheer not only to others, but in ourselves.

    I leave you with these words I also find immesnely meaningful:



    "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers, your relatives or your rich neighbors;if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind and you will be blessed. Although they can not repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." (Luke 14:12-14)

    Why does Scrooge love Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer? It’s not because every dollar is dear to him, but because every buck is dear to him! (giggles)

    Love,
    Noah Eaton
    (Mistletoe Angel)
    (Emmanuel Endorphin)


    "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other"

    Mother Teresa

    © Copyright 2005 Nadia Lockheart - All Rights Reserved
    latearrival
    Member Ascendant
    since 2003-03-21
    Posts 5499
    Florida
    1 posted 2005-11-12 06:52 PM


    I am so with you on this Noah. I decided this year to pack the shoeboxes for 13 of our uniformed members in Iraq. I will  enclose a card from the grand child who will thusly forgo their Christmas gift. We have a list of 40 uniformed men and women at work to send to. They are so appreciative and most send back letters. best to you, martyjo
    sandgrain
    Member Elite
    since 1999-09-21
    Posts 3662
    Sycamore, IL, USA
    2 posted 2005-11-12 07:49 PM


    Oh Noah, you warm my heart with your loving ways. This is a great idea, asking others to join you in these efforts.  You're absolutely right that the givers are blessed as much as the receivers.  

    I see some children with hundreds of toys and feel sorry for them. Seems they often have misguided adult relatives as it doesn't teach appreciation nor occupy children for long.

    God bless.

       Rae

    Nightshade
    Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
    Member Patricius
    since 2001-08-31
    Posts 13962
    just out of reach
    3 posted 2005-11-12 11:36 PM



    iliana
    Member Patricius
    since 2003-12-05
    Posts 13434
    USA
    4 posted 2005-11-13 02:06 AM


    Noah, now this is the true holiday spirit!  Thanks for all the information and for your very caring heart!   ....jo
    PhaerieChild
    Senior Member
    since 1999-08-30
    Posts 1787
    Aloha, Oregon
    5 posted 2005-11-13 02:43 AM


    Noah, I am so glad to hear that others are helping too. My sister-in-law and I are not doing any cooking for relatives this year. We are volunteering time to serve at the homeless shelter in Portland and the soup kitchen in Cornelius this year. We are also helping to make quilts for the homeless. There is a woman who makes approximately 30 quilts a year from donated blankets and fabrics and we decided to help her as her fingers are getting stiff from arthritis. We are hoping to get enough materials to make 50 quilts for next year. She also makes small quilts for homeless children throughout the rest of the year. We want to help this lady in any way we can. By getting donated blankets and fabric to thread and needles and some times some yarn bits for tied quilts.
    Bless your heart Noah!!!

    Mistletoe Angel
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    6 posted 2005-11-16 06:26 PM




    (smiles) Awwwwwwww, thank you all sooooooo much for expressing your thoughts gleaming with holiday spirit, you all are making this holiday season special!



    I've long been one who doesn't ask for much in life. There are few things I really want in life, and they also happen to be the things that money can't buy; true love, a dream lifestyle, things like that. (sigh) I just want to see to it as many people as possible can have happy holidays this season, and want to help see to it someone, whether in Zimbabwe or Bangladesh or Bolivia, can find that smile this season.



    God Bless You All!



    Love,
    Noah Eaton

    "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other"

    Mother Teresa

    Mistletoe Angel
    Deputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 5 Tours
    Member Empyrean
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    Portland, Oregon
    7 posted 2005-12-05 07:39 PM




    http://nwanews.com/nwat/News/35075/

    Here's an enlightening, fell-good article about how alternative gift-giving can bring together communtities!


    http://www.beloitdailynews.com/articles/2005/11/18/news/news06.txt

    Here's another article on the enlightening, fell-good effects of alternative gift-giving and how it can truly change lives, yay!



    This week, just finishing finals in school, I'll be doing a little bit of touring around Portland to promote alternative gift-giving, beginning with my new news story in promoting Oregon-based MercyCorp's "Mercy Kits" to benefit families affected by the Asian tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. You can listen to it here:

    My KBOO Report On "Mercy Kits"


  • Then, this Saturday, I'll be reporting from the Bridgeport United Church of Christ in their annual The Mindful Gifts Bazaar, a non-profit bazaar where shoppers can buy meaningful and affordable gifts representing non-profit services or projects and to support the work of dozens of local organizations like Friends of Trees and Listen to Kids.



    Love y'all, and God Bless!

    Love,
    Noah Eaton


  • "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other"

    Mother Teresa

    latearrival
    Member Ascendant
    since 2003-03-21
    Posts 5499
    Florida
    8 posted 2005-12-06 04:25 PM


    Noah Eaton,  You have a wonderful voice. You need to update your photo. Me thinks you are now older looking  and it is time to match your face to your voice. Please please...martyjo....

    [This message has been edited by latearrival (12-07-2005 03:14 AM).]

    Mistletoe Angel
    Deputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 10 ToursDeputy Moderator 5 Tours
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    Posts 32816
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    9 posted 2005-12-06 05:47 PM




    (smiles) Awwwwwww, I'm sorry I  haven't been able to get a picture update for a while, dearest friend. I have no digital camera, and my scanner has been acting up so I haven't had an opportunity to get my picture onto the computer and beyond!



    (hugs) As soon as I can, I'll have one comin' everyone's way. I look almost exactly the same from my current picture, except my hair is longer and my smile is brighter, yay! (smiles) I want to get a picture of me in my tie-dye smiley-face shirt for y'all, blowing a kiss or striking a pose, yay!



    Love,
    Noah Eaton


    "If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other"

    Mother Teresa

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