Eyes to see

I turned the T.V. on this morning while I walked/jogged, and it didn't take long for me to see it.

Store after store, company after company boasting of their "Sale of the Year," or "Best Prices EVER," or "MEGA sale."

I was almost tempted to watch Dinosaur Train on IPTV, just so I didn't have to endure the commercials of network television anymore.  Almost tempted.

When we think ahead to next week, there are many people who will be looking forward to seeing one thing, and one thing only next Thursday.  And it isn't Aunt Bertha who smoothers you with musty old-lady kisses and leaves traces of bright cheap evidence on your cheek.  It will be that ginormous paper that will greet you early Thanksgiving morning, the one that holds all the information about all of the "SALES OF THE YEAR" in one neat stack.

I am talking about the Black Friday Specials Paper, also known as the Special Thanksgiving Edition.

For those of you that look forward to Black Friday more than the birth of you child, don't click on that little 'x' in the corner of your screen yet, please hear me out.

As you know, I love to shop.  And believe me, I love a good deal.  In fact my mom and I braved Wal-Mart last year late on Thanksgiving Day, just to save $4.37 on a book and some plastic storage containers.  Never Again.

Anywho, to each his own. And if you want to leave your Thanksgiving Dinner before the turkey is served, just to go stand in line for a great deal on some electronic that is only available for 31 minutes at a drastically reduced price and is obsolete the minute you walk out the door, knock yourself out.

I don't want to.

Instead this year I want my eyes to be searching for other kinds of "deals."  Not the kind you will find at 10PM Thanksgiving night, and certainly not the kind that start at 3AM on Black Friday (I have discovered that I love sleep and my own sanity more than a bargain).  The deals I am going to be looking for this year are the kind that allow me to consume for the sake of others.

For example, Crossroads of Pella offers 2 different ways to help others in the community, Toys for Tots and through their Adopt a Family for Christmas program.  Both of which impact the community in a positive way.

Operation Christmas Child is a fun way to get your children involved by packing a shoebox full of goodies for a child or children who may not get another gift this year.  Drop-off locations for that are available in lots of different towns or you can just pay to have the company pack a box for you.

Our church participates in Angel Tree which is a program designed to provide gifts for children whose parents are in prison.

World Vision has a great catalog available for ways to make an impact in third world countries.  And if it's a deal you are looking for, you can buy 5 ducks for $35.  I don't think Theisen's even has that good of prices.

And that annoying little bell that rings when you are walking into Wal-Mart, the money that you pay to make it stop ringing goes to the Salvation Army and helps feed needy boys and girls.

Finally, one last place that our family is proud to support this year is Many Hands for Haiti.  We basically love everything about this organization.  It is run locally, so you know that when you send a check in, the money is going directly to the program.  They also offer a little pamphlet full of gifts for the people in Haiti, including a Bible for $10, a soccer ball for $20, rice, homes, goats, healthcare and more.  You can also sponsor a child through their Thrive for 5 program or their 180 for Haiti program.  I double dog dare you not to fall in love with the faces of the sweet children you will see on their website.  But they are not for sale, I already checked.

Maybe you don't have a lot of extra cash this year to give, but I would like to challenge you to turn what little or lots that you do have into something that will impact another human, rather than our friend Consumerism.  Whether is with one of the above mentioned organizations or another great one.

And the best part about all the bargains I listed above is that quantities are not limited, you won't have to wait in line for hours to purchase them, and you can shop at your convenience...Black Friday cannot compete with that deal.


Please note that if you didn't like this post, you pry won't like the one I have brewing in my head based on the book "Christmas is Not Your Birthday".  You may want to jump ship now while we are still friends.