Finding Happiness

We often talk with the kids about our purpose on this earth. It's easy to understand but often so difficult to live. The very happiest we shall be is when we die to self and live for others, and do the will of God. I have been really pondering this lately. Our tax refund is on it's way, and I sat down to think about what we will do with it. I have been dreaming about fixing up the house. My friend and I were talking about the suffering that goes on everyday all over the world. She told me, there are children dying in their mothers' arms because of malnutrition, it takes sometimes 2 weeks for the child to die. Once the mother realizes that her child is dying, she stops feeding this child and holds him in her arms until death, the child is passed around for all the relatives to hold, remember and cherish while awaiting death. This IS happening right now. How can I sit in my house and debate getting new curtains or perhaps nicer counter tops or maybe a new spring wardrobe, when helpless innocent children are dying? Of course we need to maintain our property and dress properly, but it doesn't mean we can't find affordable options to continue improvements and shop at thrift stores, big clearance sales or garage sales. How much is enough? How much do we really need? How can I turn a blind eye to our brothers and sisters who are suffering everyday? How did we end up so "lucky" to be born into what the world views as wealth and freedom, is it because we are better people, or loved more by God? NO. It's because God knows we can do something for His children and He has provided us the means to do it. We didn't choose to be born who we are, we didn't choose our names, our height, our race, our country and neither did they. They can't do very much to change their situation, but we CAN.  How??  I was thinking, I do so many things out of convenience, for instance, instead of ordering out for pizza, why not eat from the pantry or freezer and donate that money to the poor? If everyone did that 1 time per month...can you imagine the worldwide impact??? I mean seriously, we could change the world...with pizza money! And that's just 1 tiny little idea, what if we took it a step further and bought our new spring wardrobe at thrift stores and donated what we would have spent? The need is endless from pro-life initiatives to providing water to villages in the most remote areas of the world. I'm going to do more to help others, St Francis had the right idea when he stripped off his clothes, returned them to his father along with his name and started to live for Christ. He was a very happy person who's cheerfulness was contagious world over and not because he was fashionable with a pretty house and a sweet ride. Was he crazy? Yes. Crazy in a saintly way, crazy in love with God and all his creation, crazy in self-denial, but quite possibly through the eyes of heaven,the most sane person on the earth. St. Francis pray for us to follow your example.