What to do, what to do...

I am all about supporting worthy causes. Every once in awhile it occurs to me that I am donating with money that's not really mine, since Paul and I are ridiculously in debt (student loans, car loan, credit cards, etc.), but frankly, I don't care. God has been faithful to provide - we are making our payments, so big whip.

Today this global food crisis is getting to me like nothing ever has before. I can't do enough. I've already committed to cutting back on our own grocery bill so we can put money toward helping. I cut down our phone and satellite services to basic when I finished at my job, but decided to keep it that way (satellite will eventually go altogether, as soon as I can talk my husband into that. Internet would be gone too, but we both need it for our work/volunteering). There's things I want, some things that I have wanted for a long time, but I'm doing my best to talk myself out of all unnecessary purchases so that I'm freed up to give. I still slip up, but with God's help, I'm doing much better to live with integrity in this area. I'm going to start borrowing things I only need temporarily, and yard sale-ing for things I need for longer. No more buying books --- that's what the library is for. No more buying gifts --- making donations in people's names (and asking them to do the same for Paul and I rather than giving us gifts) is what I feel compelled to do. I still need to deal better with the eating out issue, but considering I can't eat anything good (i.e. greasy) when eating out anyway, that helps a lot.

But it's not enough. I understand the principle of "once you've done all you can, help other's to do the same", but I don't know how to do that. I mean, I DO know, but... Well, for example, right now there's a group from our church raising money for a missions trip to the Ukraine. So wouldn't it be wrong of me to launch some major fundraising compaign that would run in competition to that (whether it was meant to or not) or any of the other very worthy causes around here?

I know, I know, there's lots to go around. But still.

And what about supporting other "worthy causes"? Is it right to donate money to the Girl Guides or to a missions team or to the humane organization I volunteer for or support someone in some kind of Run for Life event when I could be using that money to donate toward the global food crisis? Should I be buying my foster kid from El Salvador that big birthday gift I had planned? People are hungry, and dying, and the world is in turmoil, perhaps moreso than ever before.

What to do, what to do...

What about you? What, if anything, do you feel compelled to do? What do you wish you could do?

It makes it so much easier that I don't have kids --- gracious, how do you go about balancing a compassionate heart with wanting the very, very best in comfort and happiness for a family? --- and that I have a husband that doesn't question where our money goes (he's happy as long as he has enough for Tim Horton's coffee and frozen taquitos). I'd love to hear from a few of you who have a family and feel torn in this sort of thing.

Before I loved Jesus, I was so burdened by the state of the world. I'm so greatful that God is in control, and that he does not burden, but CHALLENGES us to be his hands and feet. Because I hate what I see happening in the world. But I love a challenge.