Pennies for Peace

I struggle.

I struggle with lots of things.

How to be a good parent.

How to get healthy.

How to get organized.

How to make a difference in this world.

How to do good for others.

And I recently read a book that made a difference to ME.

Three Cups of Tea.

And the same person who wrote that book and has made such a huge impact in kids' lives in rural Pakistan and Afghanistan has also started a program called Pennies for Peace.

By participating in Pennies for Peace we can make a positive impact on a global scale, one penny at a time. While a penny is virtually worthless, in impoverished countries a penny buys a pencil and opens the door to literacy.

We can join Pennies for Peace and give lasting hope to children half a world away!

The website for Pennies for Peace offers a free downloadable toolkit to help start the program.

I don't know about you, but I'm thinking of letting my sons' teachers know about it so they can do it at school...and I may try to start it at work, so I can feel like I'm making a difference somewhere, somehow.

That is SO important to me. 

I have a strong desire to go build a school in Pakistan

I've had a weird Christmas holiday.

I let my boys go to Austin for two weeks, since they were out of school,

and I had to work,

and they wanted to spend time with their dad.

But, I still wanted to see them for Christmas Day.

So, the day before Christmas, I rode the Greyhound Bus down to Austin

to spend less then 48 hours with my boys, staying at my-almost-ex-inlaws' home.

It was weird.

No one was rude or inhospitable.

But things were definitely different.

No matter how uncomfortable I was, I'm glad I went to be with my children.

That was most important.

And while traveling (I have a post coming up tomorrow about my bus experience) the five hours there and six hours back, I read a book called Three Cups of Tea.

And now I want to run off to Pakistan and help build schools.

Because the chlidren there are the true casualties of all this fighting and war.

And they deserve an education.

So that there can be change.

What I've read has inspired me.

Greg Mortenson, someone with very little money, made a HUGE difference.
and continues to do so.

And to me, that is motivational.

The True Meaning of Life.

Giving what you can.



So, while I am in a difficult time in my life.
Going through a divorce,
living with my parents again,
trying to figure out how to make it on my own,
while raising two boys...
there is so much worse out there in the world.
and I need to remember that.
And be thankful for what I do have.
I need to find my path.

Figure out what I need to do to find purpose in life.


So, really, I think I spent my Christmas in Pakistan.