Heyyyooo!! I know I haven’t been staying up on the American Idol blogs, everyone does it, but tonight… what I predicted from the start of the top 24! My boy Blake has made it to the finals! I know in my original post I said top 6, but you can ask the wife and everyone else I’ve talked to about American Idol, I’ve said Blake was going all the way!
What I’m about to talk about in this blog all start to take shape back in October of ‘06. I was meeting with a friend of mine who was thinking of moving to Israel for work. He had a heart for the people of Israel and had been there quite a few times. As he was talking about everything going on in his life, giving up a great job and all his possessions to head over there and give of himself, I felt like crap. 
Not because he was making me feel that way, but I would listen to him say these things and then talk about my car, my life and complain about my job at the time. As I headed home I replayed what I had said in my head. I felt sooo shallow and selfish! I felt like I was here enjoying my life while I could, and should, be helping others in need.
Then I ran into this woman at work who I became friends with. A nice christian girl, who I was trying to hook up with my younger brother! She was getting ready to do the same thing with her life here, give up everything to help others. She signed up to be a teacher in Africa. And throughout her time of preparation before she left God continued to open areas for her to meet and impact other lives. She had played Div I soccer for Towson University and the country she was moving to in Africa got wind of this. They asked to help coach the men’s & women’s team!
Now I’m not saying if you feel bad about not doing anything to help others that you should go to a foreign country and sell everything you have here. That would be awesome if that’s what you were feeling lead to do. But there a lot of different ways to help out in your current situation. It’s seemed like a trend lately with the (RED) Campaign, one.org, and American Idol Gives Back to give to others in need. Not that there is anything wrong with this, but we can sometimes get hyped up about these things for a short time and then forget about it in a few months. Since my feeling of selfishness, back in Oct, I have been looking for the right way and right organization to work with in a way that would work for my situation. I got an idea from a friend the other day that really made sense, I couldn’t believe I hadn’t thought of it before. He is a graphic designer as well, and he gives a percentage of everything he makes to his favorite charity. So I decided to mirror this with my side work too!
I found a great organization called TOMS Shoes for Tomorrow.
While traveling through Argentina, Blake Mycoskie came across canvas shoes that his feet took an instant liking to. He took the alpargatas–comfortable utility shoes that resemble espadrilles–reworked them a bit, and started TOMS Shoes.
Not just casual chic slip-ons that were spotted all over L.A. this summer, TOMS Shoes give new meaning to ‘two for the price of one’. For each pair purchased ($38), TOMS gives a pair to a disadvantaged child in South America. Materials and shoes are produced and manufactured in Argentina under strict ‘no sweatshop’ guidelines, ensuring fair labor practices and minimal impact on the environment. The shoes are available on-line and at a limited number of boutiques across the United States. Which leaves consumers in many other countries who’ll no doubt welcome feel-good footwear.
So kids, not only to I plan to get a pair of these shoes(unless my fashionable sister-in-law and husband beat me too it), a portion of each side job I do will go to TOMS Shoes.
I hope you don’t think I’m trying to sound my own horn through this blog. I was inspired by a few individuals doing something really great for others, and I hope to inspire others to do the same thing!
Hey, a cool band actually came to Baltimore! I guess all our crime, shootings and gang violence doesn’t scare everyone away.
Anberlin finally made it to B-more and they are playing Sonar tonight. I was supposed to go, but my brother couldn’t go with me and someone decided to give my wife the 48hr. flu thingy. Oh well, if you don’t know who the are check them out – Anberlin. They are more then just your normal rock band. The music is exciting and addictive. Stephen, the lead vocals, writes the lyrics with a shovel! (think deep) The songs are meaningful and thought provoking, unlike my blogging! And for you 80’s children… he has that memorable Duran Duran voice. They just dropped possibly the best of their 3 albums. Let me know who you like on a scale of 1 to 11…
