Stand Bold » John 8:32

Although the Thanksgiving/Christmas season is a time when love and charity are paid special attention, we can’t afford to cease helping others simply because there are no more holidays to justify ‘peace’ and ‘goodwill’.  An attitude of selflessness is essential throughout the year to provide hope for the weak and guidance to the lost.  It’s easy to fall right back into our self-focused routine, reverting to business, school, or activities to apply our talents. Not to say that these are at all bad, the world has to keep moving, but our devotion to them shouldn’t overshadow our service to God or His children. Imagine what 2010 could be if each of us headed into the new year with a sense of responsibility that reached farther than our immediate lifestyle. Who can you impact in the next month, in the next year, or even decade?  A lifetime of service can easily make a “world of difference”.

To round out the ‘Tis the Season series we’d like to highlight an organization that began in 2009, and is heading for a lasting impact in 2010.  Just as the last post focused on a deed that benefited elderly citizens, this is an organization that aids children in their pursuit of a better life.  Our World in Pictures (OWIP) is a photography mentoring program for at-risk and underprivileged kids who are given a chance to speak to the world through photography rather than through violence, vandalism, or abuse.  Armed with a camera, participants are given a chance to help change the world by creating peace through perspective.  OWIP was the brainchild of photographers Jeff and Christina Gora who combined their love for photography with their passion to teach, help, and serve others in need.  It stands as a perfect example of using one’s gifts for purposes beyond business or pleasure, nurturing and teaching.

“The students complete month-long workshops, and display their work in Lexington gallery-hops at art galleries.  The organization just received a five-thousand dollar grant to write a children’s book about helping their community, and they’re achieving official non-profit status this month. Once they become a non-profit, they will combine OWIP groups from the U.S. with international groups, utilizing satellite technology and photo pen pal programs. The kids of OWIP are today’s movers and shakers spreading peace throughout the world. Positive encouragement from their photography mentors has enabled these kids to see their true potential in life and the results of this program are incredible. The kids are totally changing their lives around for the better and even changing other people’s lives.”

Below is a short promo containing footage from the workshops and some samples of the kid’s artwork.  OWIP is always open for resources and aid, if you’d like to find out more visit: http://www.ourworldinpictures.org/

The Christmas season can prove to be a lonely one for many elderly folks.  Christmas without family is like peanut butter without jelly, cold without snow, music without melody…  A few weeks ago a group of teens and their families visited the Ridgewood Nursing Home, with the simple goal of bringing  joy by way of song.  Shuffling through the halls of Ridgewood it was clear that staff members had made great efforts to deck the home with Christmas cheer.  There wasn’t a direction you could look without noticing one decoration or another.  The general mood wasn’t one of loneliness or despair, the various tenants were all seemingly quite content.  However, as the group of cheerful carolers paraded into their sight a fresh atmosphere of pure joy filled the air.  It’s easy for us to take for granted the array of familiar Christmas tunes that we hear year after year, singing them can become just another festivity, but to those older men and women at the home they were a glimmering symbol of love.

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StandBOLD ~ Mike V.

Now ensues what many folks would claim to be, “The most wonderful time of year”.  Parents shop as temperatures drop,  lights are strung, halls are decked, letters are written, and lists are made.  It seems that, for a few weeks, the whole world is bonded together with a sense of overwhelming  joy.  When saturated from all sides with “good will” and “holiday cheer” it becomes so easy to forget that not everyone celebrates Christ’s birth with blessings equal to our own.  Even with economic troubles, or political rifts, most of us enjoy long-lasting guarantees of a comfortable everyday lifestyle.

As Christians our goal should be to reflect God’s love on His creation.  In John chapter twenty-one Jesus asked Peter, three times, whether he loved Him. Peter answered each time, “Yes, Lord”, and to each affirmation Jesus replied, “Then feed my sheep.”  If we claim to love God, then we must use the blessings He provides us to tend to His sheep.  This applies to our lives every day of the year, but Christmas is a season marked by giving, a time meant to warm hearts and bring people closer together.  It can serve as an excellent opportunity to clothe the poor, feed the hungry, or comfort the broken.  The best gift we can give Christ on His birthday is to reach out to His children.  Over the next few weeks we’d like to highlight some organizations that are doing  just that!  If you know of any awesome events or outreaches that are providing hope to the physically, emotionally, or spiritually needy let us know!

StandBOLD ~  Mike V.