Give it back.

Okay.  So I know some people really believe the bailouts were/are necessary.  I know that lots of folks are all gung-ho for it because this politician or that politician said it needs to happen.

I, on the other hand, do not hold politicians above the citizen–and I definitely do not automatically acquiesce to their proclaimed intelligence.  It is, after all, a vary rare PUBLIC SERVANT that takes a political office to serve.  This, then, means the vast majority of PUBLIC SERVANTS seek only to serve themselves and their personal agendas. 

But then, I’m not telling anyone anything they don’t already know.

I digress.  This post was supposed to be straight and to the point.

Give it back.  None of my stuff was invested or handled by these guys, but they have my tax dollars.  I want it back.

I don’t care if they get sued for not paying out bonuses.  Seems to me it’s our money, and as such they should be asking our permission.  I don’t give it.  I want it back.

Give it back.

Global Food Crisis

11:43 AM

Working from home has many drawbacks.  It also has some surprising, if painful, benefits: like coming to terms with oneself, identifying shortcomings, and exposing areas of one’s life that need work both big and small. 

This morning I’ve been struggling with such issues.

I’m on break right now–eating lunch.  My food is bland, and utterly dissatisfying.  My mind is still stuck on my drive this morning, when I took my two oldest boys to school.  On the radio they discussed the Global Food Crisis.

The what?  What Global Food Crisis?  I mean, I know people are hungry.  My family is already supporting two great kids in Sierra Leone.  We are doing our part.  What is this, then, about a Global Food Crisis?

With skyrocketing global gas prices, and a worsening economy, and a myriad of other issues affecting countries and families across the globe, food has become twice as expensive as what it was–or more.  That means, as reported on the radio this morning:

When families all over the world have historically spent 80% of their income on food, and then food prices double–there is not enough food to go around.

I put myself in that situation.  Clearly, I instantly think: I would go without food myself to feed my kids.  But then, that can’t go on very long, either–without me, it becomes even worse for my family.  So then what?  Can anyone ‘choose’ which family member eats, and which one(s) don’t?

Unfathomable.

So what do you do?  Do you do what mother’s are doing in Haiti?  Do you make dirt cookies for the kids?  Literally–to put ’something’ in the kid’s belly so they don’t ‘feel’ hungry, families are being forced to make cookies from a bit of shortening, some salt, and dirt.  Curbs the hunger, but offers little to no nutrition. 

The weight of it is nearly unbearable.

I put my food down.  I’ve been terrified for months.  No work.  Spiraling economy.  Will I make my mortgage?  Can I cover my credit card bill?  Can I put food on the table?  And here I stand, looking at my pantry.  I have plenty of food.  I study my kitchen, my house, my car.  Seriously. 

I am ashamed.  In spite of how bad things are, and how bad they might get–I have no clue what suffering is.

How do you choose between your family members?  Who will you feed?

The numbers are staggering.  Not ‘numbers’ mind you–people.

Every 7 seconds, a mother or a father collapses to their knees.  Some will shout with anger.  Some will lash out in hate.  Most will simply fold in on themselves and shudder to their core in pain and sadness.  Trembling hands will reach out to take up a child–their child–and pull them to their breast.  They will sob.  They will sob at their loss.  They will weep with a sense of failure.  They will weep, and nothing will change.

Their child will still be dead.

Every 7 seconds.

Whether through faith based groups or not–I implore you to find a way to give.  It doesn’t take much, truly, to make a difference–as little as $13 through some organizations, like Compassion International, will literally feed a child for a month.

Thirteen dollars.  I don’t care how tight things are, and how bad our economy is–you can afford $13.

It is now 12:13. 

Since starting this post 257 children world-wide have died from hunger.