I Spy Someone Who Cares
By Jimmy D. Brown of iRaize.com
Some things are so obvious they can’t be missed.
When my son, Jacob, was four years old he always wanted to “go, go, go”. It became necessary to find ways to harness and refocus his energy.
This was especially true when we were “waiting” somewhere. Whether it was waiting for a table at a restaurant, waiting in a checkout line or waiting in traffic, it was important to keep him busy without letting him bounce around all over the place like Tigger from Winnie The Pooh.
The solution came in the form of a game I played when I was a young Tigger myself.
Remember the game “I Spy”? In case you have forgotten how to play this simple game it goes like this…
One person mentally finds an object within view and completes the sentence, “I spy something that is _________” by sharing the COLOR of the object. For example: You might spot a blue t-shirt and would announce, “I spy something that is blue.”
Other players then take turns guessing what item you selected. The winner gets to take your place in choosing the next item.
One day Jacob and I were seated in a couple of chairs at the front of a discount clothing store. We were waiting (as usual) for my wife, Paula, to finish checking out. We decided to play our waiting game.
When it was Jacob’s turn he said something like this:
“I spy something that is red.”
“That is over there.” (Pointing)
“That is on that door.”
“That has white around it.”
“That has the word ‘Exit’ on it.”
Hmmmm. “Is it that ‘Exit’ sign?” I asked.
“Yes, daddy, that’s it!” he squealed out in glee as if I had cracked some code with my brilliant deduction skills.
I told him, “Son, you shared and shared and shared until it was obvious what it was. I didn’t have to guess hard to figure it out.”
At that moment something hit me. Isn’t that how you and I should be towards others? Shouldn’t we share and share and share of our time, talents and resources until it’s obvious to all around that we care?
Shouldn’t we share so much good will, acts of kindness, encouraging words and generosity that it doesn’t take much guessing to figure out where our hearts are?
Wouldn’t it be wonderful for those around us to be able to say of you and me, “I spy … someone who cares”?
Imagine for a moment what kind of impact this kind of living would have upon our homes, our neighborhoods, our workplaces … our world. Love can do everything from brighten someone’s day to alter the course of his or her life. Compassion can meet needs that might otherwise go unmet. Encouragement can spring forth optimism and renewed hope. Kindness can touch the heart in profound ways.
As you are “waiting” around today, think about ways you can impact the life of another.
Make it so obvious it can’t be missed. You can make a difference if you choose to do so.
May it be said of you today: I spy someone who cares.
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Jimmy D. Brown is the author of Finish Line Faith: How To Reach Your Goals and the founder of iRaize.com. For just $3 you can purchase a copy of Finish Line Faith with 50% of every sale going to help provide food, shelter and clothing for orphans in Mexico. Get all the details at http://www.iRaize.com
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Origami Boulder
By Jimmy D. Brown of iRaize.com
Some of our investments in life are interesting.
One of my good friends made one of these interesting investments after seeing an offer available at a website.
A vendor online was selling what he described as an “origami boulder” which, by his own definition, is a piece of “wadded up paper”.
That’s right. This guy takes a sheet of paper, wads it up and sells it as “artwork”… an “origami boulder”.
Price for this? $10.00.
A ream of paper is worth a cool $5,000 in this artist’s hands.
?It gets even better.
For an additional $5.00 the vendor will write an original haiku on the piece of paper before wadding it up.
And, as if that wasn’t enough, for $29.00 you can get the origami boulder with haiku AND an attractive bamboo display stand.
No, I’m not making this up.
My friend decided to buy the deluxe version with display and all to place on his desk as a conversation piece. Just for the fun of it.
Shortly after my friend’s “artwork” was placed on display, the cleaning lady came by to straighten things up. You guessed it – she saw the “artwork, thought it was trash and tossed it into the garbage.
My friend promptly ordered another boulder to replace the discarded one!
Apparently he wasn’t an artist himself. Maybe he had no formal training in wadding up paper. I’m not sure. I just know that I’d have sold him an origami boulder for $3.75.
I don’t do haiku (that was an unfortunate rhyme) but I would have thrown in the following limerick for free:
There once was a man named Deiss
Who ordered some artwork in haste
For he had so much money to waste
That he ended up ordering twice!
Hmmm. Not bad. I’m open for business if you’re interested in making a purchase.
On a serious note, what have you and I invested in lately? How are we using our time, resources and talents? Are we investing in things that can be thrown away or things that will last?
One of the greatest things we can invest in is the life of another. So often it takes so little to make a difference. A word of encouragement. An act of kindness. A listening ear. A compassionate gesture. A smile. An offer of hope. A helping hand.
You don’t have to be an artist to turn someone’s wadded up life into real artwork. You don’t have to be a poet to make rhyme from words that would otherwise be void of anything positive.
You just have to care.
Don’t spend your life investing in “origami boulders” – things that might be thrown away. Spend at least a portion of your time and resources on things that matter. Make this world a better place. Make a difference in the life of someone in your pathway that just needs a touch of cheer or compassion. Make your life count for something important.
Do you know how to change the world?
One. Person. At. A. Time.
You may not be able to help millions, but you can help the one down the street, across the office, in the checkout line or around the corner.
Invest in things that will last.
Sooner or later, everything else ends up in the garbage.
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What Love Can Do
By Jimmy D. Brown of iRaize.com
Several years ago a stray dog came shyly into our front yard. He was very timid and acted scared to be around anyone. Whenever I approached him, he fell down on his belly and scooted across the ground instead of walking. Thus, I named him “Scooter”.
Scooter had obviously been beaten. He rarely looked at me in the eyes, choosing instead to hang his head in defeat, always looking down. When I did catch a glimpse of his eyes there was sadness and fright and suspicion hidden within.
This poor dog was so frightened and insecure that just walking his way made him tremble. He would often fall over on his back, thrust his feet into the air and start whimpering.
My heart broke seeing him in such condition. Whenever he let me get near him I made certain that I showed him some good, old-fashioned TLC. I would call to him in a kind, reassuring voice letting him know he could trust me. I often picked him up into my lap and ran my hands over his head and down his back. I told him, “I’m not going to hurt you boy. You can trust me. I’m here for you.”
It took some time to break down those walls of fear and insecurity that Scooter’s past had built around him. It took an investment of effort to show him he had no reason to hold his head in defeat. It took action to show him love and build trust again.
The day came when Scooter was no longer that shy, timid dog. He pranced around the yard and barked and leaped through the air. When I called him, he came running, no longer afraid. A wonderful transformation had occurred!
That’s what love can do.
Sadly, there are “Scooters” all around us. Not just animals, but also people who have been mistreated. Life has beaten them down and robbed them of their hope, trust and confidence. They walk around with their heads bowed in defeat, suspicious and afraid.
They walk shyly into the front yards of our lives. They may never say it, but their hearts yearn for someone to care, someone to help make whole their brokenness. They hope to hear someone say, “I’m not going to hurt you. You can trust me. I’m here for you.”
Who will take the time to break down those walls of fear and insecurity? Who will invest themselves to show that there is no reason to live defeated? Who will make the effort to share love with them?
Will you?
There are people in your pathway today who are hurting. They feel alone and unloved, insecure and fearful. Their lives are wrecked and in shambles. They fall down before you with their legs in the air, whimpering and crying for mercy. Do you see them? Take a close look at those around you, do you see them there?
Show them TLC. Call to them in a kind, reassuring voice to let them know they can trust you. Pick them up. And love them.
No one is a lost cause when love is at work.
It will take time and effort. It may be a painful, uncomfortable process that breaks your heart to see them in such a condition. But if you faithfully and compassionately give of yourself to restore a person who is hurting you may just witness firsthand a wonderful transformation.
Those eyes that are now darkened with doubt may soon dance with hope. That head which now droops in defeat may soon be raised in confidence. That heart which is now broken may soon be filled with joy. That future now bleak may soon be full of promise.
That’s what love can do.
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Jimmy D. Brown is the author of Finish Line Faith: How To Reach Your Goals and the founder of iRaize.com. For just $3 you can purchase a copy of Finish Line Faith with 50% of every sale going to help provide food, shelter and clothing for orphans in Mexico. Get all the details at http://www.iRaize.com
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Great Initiative Jimmy! Thumbs up! 
Topic: 1. Live, 2. Human Rights, 2. Love, 3. Indigenous Voices, 3. Learn, 4. Children, 4. Leave a Legacy, 5. Earth Citizen Giants, 7. Heart-EQ-Guardian, 8. Soul-SQ-Idealist, A. NEST-UNIVERSE, D. JOEL BOMANE, Philantropy, Wealth Tags: Finish Line Faith book, food, iraize, Jimmy D Brown, orphans in Mexico, shelter
