Still pluggin away one step at a time towards my goal

So the year is half over, Gee time flies when you are having fun. I am still on my quest and while I am far from my final goal I am plodding away one step at a time. I am still training for the guinness record though it has been put off due to paperwork and logistics. I am jogging about 50 miles a week and have added bike riding about 10 to 20 miles as well as my usual yoga, aerobics and sit ups. I have stepped it up a bit to make sure I am ready when everything else is set. I think I have found a fitness club that will let me do the record attempt in their gym and have secured some radio and tv announcements on morning shows for publicity. I am excited about this.

My card and letters of appreciation are continuing though I need to be more diligent at times. I do make sure that I send at least ten to twenty a month, whether hand delivered or mailed. I think I gain  more joy from giving the cards then they do from recieving them. It is good for the soul to show gratitude for others.

The tree I planted last year is thriving which I am so glad to see. I hope to plant another one this fall for one of the charities I have recently become involved with.

My quest to find charities to be involved with in some small way  is doing great. I am on the public relations board for the local habitat for humanity chapter. It is only a few hours a month, or more if I have the time. It is a wonderful organization and I am glad to have the opportunity to know the others involved. I am really looking forward to participating more and plan to help in the building of the next house as well as find a way to provide lunch for the volunteers on a build one day this year. It may take some creative fundraising but well worth the effort. My brother used to have the men’s group he advised at church barbque for them once a year and always found it to be a rewarding experience. My charity work for Habitat for Humanity is in honour of him. He spent a great deal of his time giving to others…he was a great example to me.

I am also involved with a local soup kitchen called Knights Table and am volunteering to help in the kitchen and with administrative support once or twice a month. This is something that I used to do in the last city I lived in and have always found it to be an uplifting and edifying experience for me.

There is an animal shelter near me that needs help with walking dogs, helping care for cats, rabbits and other four legged critters that I stop in once in a while and help. I love animals so this is more an act of love than doing charity. These animals are in need of love and willingly give it back.

I am still a member of One.org and Amnesty International and write letters on their behalf to help stop violence against women and others who are being unfairly treated. I also make sure that I visit www.care2.com and click to donate for the ten wonderful causes they have there. This is a great way to help in a small way without leaving home or having to set aside more than a few minutes.  If I have a few extra minutes then I play a couple games at the other sites I mentioned like www.freeflour.com or www.freerice.com or any of the others listed in my post last year.

I have been given the opportunity to help with a new charity dedicated to community development in India. I am really excited about being able to donate some time to them and helping with web content, and any way they need me. I believe that this opportunity is the answer to several prayers for me as I think it may be helpful in teaching me some of the things I need to know for my final goal of going to India and helping build a youth center. I hope to absorb the knowledge from the incredible people who have created this charity. A woman from my church whom I have the greatest admiration for approached me on Sunday and asked if I would look at the website…I am sure my excitement probably startled her because I almost could not contain myself. As I said I have been praying for guidance in how to proceed with my goal and I know that her thinking of me was to give me at least hope that I can get there eventually.

Next month I want to find something to do with youth or children. Maybe a sing along at the Sick kids hospital or improv workshop at the local Boys and Girls club. Whatever it is I know that my life will be better for it and pray that maybe, just maybe I can make someone else’s life better for at least a day too. By the end of the year I will have twelve different groups of people that I have learned, gained experience from and hopefully helped in someway, and the start of my documentary on my journey to build a youth center in my brothers honour.

Well that is all that is happening in my corner of this crazy world. I hope that you have found a way to brighten yours.  Don’t forget to check out the links I have added to the various charities I have found along the way and other interesting sites I think might uplift your crazy world in some way 🙂