Rescue Mission Blog

Things to do before Thanksgiving

You've got few precious days & hours before Thanksgiving.  You could wait until Thursday to enjoy Thanksgiving, or you could start right now.  Why wait?!?!

Here is a short list of things you could do before Thanksgiving to make this week great:

1.  Plan a blessing for your Thursday dinner guests.  Chances are that you will be sitting around the table with people you know well, but do they know what/why/how much you appreciate them?  Why not write some small notes to each person you are expecting to see this week with a simple statement:  I'm thankful for you because....

2.  Make a list of things for which you are thankful .  Every year you're stumped when it comes time to say something you are thankful for.  Make a list today of things, big and small, that you should and do appreciate.

3.  Do three nice things between Thursday and Monday.  Is it possible that Thanksgiving weekend could be more than just a turkey coma? How about doing one thing each day for someone else.  Could you visit a sick friend?  Could you make a long-overdue phone call?  Could you serve others?  Could you invite a friend over for a meal?  Could you meet an old friend for coffee?

4.  Back to the future.  Write some notes to people who have helped you along the way, someone you have lost track of over the years and would be blessed to hear from you.

5.  Determine to bless, not be blessed, this year.  Are you expecting that grumpy family member to make you feel good this year?  Not going to happen.  How about you making a plan to bless them?  This may be tough, depending on how difficult they are, but it can be done pretty simply.  Just find small ways to pay attention.  If you ask questions, look directly at people, listen to their stories, and show an interest, you will be a blessing to that difficult person.  Trust me, if they really are difficult, most people have turned them off, and your care will be noticed.

David Curry

Does charitable giving matter?

What difference does it make if you give a dollar or two to feed the hungry or care for the weak and infirmed?  How important is charitable giving?

Some time ago I did a funeral for a man named John who had been a prisoner of war during WWII.  At the time he was a young boy, from Poland, and was separated from his family and sent to a camp by himself.  Afraid and alone, winter set in and many in the concentration camp began to die of exposure.  He survived due to the kindness of one man, a man he didn't know and who didn't know him.  In the concentration camp there was only one barrel that had fire burning in it to keep the prisoners warm, and those that were young, weak and infirmed didn't' have the strength to push through the crowd to warm themselves for the precious few moments necessary to stay alive.  It was a matter of life of death for everyone.  

John, then only 9 years old, survived because each day an unnamed man would come to the back of the crowd, and help him come to the front to stand by the fire for a few moments.  

John credited that man with saving his life.

In much the same way, when you are giving to feed the poor, or any act of service to someone you never know and will never see, you are providing a way for them to survive - so that one day they might thrive. 

Never underestimate the importance of one small act of kindness.

David Curry

The proper care and feeding of donors

Imagine for a moment that your charity, non-profit, church or business was not going to acquire any new donors for two years.  In my imaginary world, there is a national moritorium on donor acquistion. In this scenario, all you know that all you have to work with is the current supporters you have.  

How would your approach to your current volunteers and donors change if you knew that you were not able to expand?  Would you take better care of them? Get to know them? Would you make sure you had their contact information? Would you try hard to get them plugged into meaningful roles in your organizations, and listen to their concerns? Would you take the time to greet them, to spend time with them, and know them on a personal level?

Whatever those things might be, those actions you might take to ensure that the current supporters were well cared for, because you're not going to get any more: do those things.

David Curry