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the irony of our cultures benevolence & results of our non-stop giving, by sandra mickanen

the manufacturer donates some of the profits, the designer..  and then the store that is selling it..

I imagine God is very pleased to see all this generosity!  all this cheerful giving..  [2 Corinthians 9:7].

    /no one giving reluctantly, or under compulsion..        no one with ulterior motives..   

   -remember the greatest generation?  do we now have the most altruistic one?

***

anyway, i worked in retail for several decades..  worked for a few different 'family owned' businesses, and i came to re-appreciate just how generous, how valuable paying customers are..

period.

for any small business to stay in business, you need...   customers.  paying customers.

so, when you visit ANY LOCAL BUSINESS and shop..  even if you just buy one small thing; you are already giving in enormous ways!!  you are helping that business stay in business; you are helping their employees remain employed..

ENORMOUSLY HELPFUL!  that is great giving!

and these days..

if it is the only giving you do:  shop locally here and there..   eat at a restaurant here and there..     buy a book at a book shop, buy a candle at a gift shop, buy some food at the local grocery..

and you click no, or skip, when being asked to give even more and more and more and more and more

..  don't feel bad for even one half of one second!  because your regular over-priced purchases are already giving to even more causes..  built-in benevolence, let's call it.. 

you can be more generous than you've ever been before without even trying!

    but i do wonder; like, what would the price of items return to if we eliminated all the attached donations, for charities determined by someone else, and each customer returned to doing their own choosing about when and how much to give to who for what reasons.. 

  -you know. 

the irony is, while our giving is greater than ever!  we lack tangible, experiential results.

i'm really..  i don't know..  i guess i'm just waiting for something like.. 

Thank You, our needs have been met; we are now self-sufficient   -couldn't have done it without your help!

Thank You, we found the cure.       Thank You, we met our goal.    Thank You, our dream of purchasing [variable] to accomplish [variable] came true!

guess i'd just like to see..  some entity graduate from needing to no longer asking..  

i have a wild imagination.

but, i have been in the company of people.. and watched them kind of struggle internally..  

so many people living pay check to pay check, (or, as i did in my past..  cash advance to cash advance), and you stare at the register which is asking you to donate to a different cause..

and you purchase an over priced item with a price tag/profit margin that includes giving to 3 other causes..

fascinating system.

so, i just like to remind people..   just your mandatory, everyday, barely get by shopping...

is giving A LOT; is keeping businesses open; is keeping people employed.

It is already more than enough. 

"THANK YOU!"

****

repeating here, that my husband and i, we regard every dollar we spend at a restaurant, a gift store, the grocery store..  it is all tithing; not just what we give at church.

i believe that whole heartedly:  all shopping, all local spending is tithing to your community..

and we also regard everything we do, as a thank you prayer..   when we host a gathering, we are saying "thank you" for the people, their company, friendship;   -when we take a walk, or hike, or bike ride, it is a thank you we are mobile, thank you for the landscape, the trail, the wildlife..  the fresh air..

when we clean our house, our car..   all thank you fors..

on and on etc.   everything is tithing and gratitude..   this is our practice. 

hallelujah & amen. 

posted by SANDRA MICKANEN @ 9:48 AM