Giving to Others

Recently, I have been having a discussion with another Christian friend about 'earning our way to Heaven.'  A misconception placed upon Catholics.  I really think it has a lot to do with perception of our faith that is inaccurate in some cases and deceiving in others...but it is a good conversation to have.  I do not mind being questioned about my faith...it gives rise to better understanding on my part and others.  Although I do not have time today to go into details about this concept of becoming a Christian and WANTING to do good deeds, I felt like what happened to our family yesterday is an example of what Michael and I do in our lives BECAUSE we are Christians and how we teach our children to do the same.  Maybe once this move is over, I can sit down and give a better explanation to my friend and share with all of you also.

So...to tell about yesterday we have to go back a year...most of you long timers know about our family project from last Christmas...you will need to read my blog posts from last December and January.  The main idea is that we chose to honor the 27 victims of Newtown and make memorial quilts.  Our original intent was to send these quilts to the families but they were given gifts abound and asked that the quilts be given to a local charity.

We chose to give these quilts to Buckner Place (a place for women to better themselves and go to college and raise their children).  We have worked with this group before and they are always so pleased to receive any assistance.  It was just a natural choice for us to bless these women and their children once again.

We actually took the quilts to the director in September but when we arrived with our story she insisted that we share our experience with the women.  One thing led to another and we were also sharing with the local newspaper and TV news (not by our choice but a surprise when we arrived!).  I agreed because I think the story is important to share.  Once again, a demonstration of what I spoke of last week...we are just ordinary people doing extraordinary things with the grace of God.  We are not quilters but we became quilters for this project...a large feat for a family but we feel blessed to be a part of something so special.

We did not do this project to receive praise.  We did not do this project to gain points to enter into Heaven.  We did this because we are Christians and are told to show God's love as Jesus did as He walked this earth.  We do it because we want to share love to others.

Somehow this has been transferred into our desire to earn our way to Heaven?!?!  I have never done anything with that intent...I do not understand why anyone would think that way.

No one knows the heart of another.  I have spoken of this before...upon our death, Jesus will judge our lives...no one on earth can do that...good or bad...the ultimate decision on our lives in eternity falls to Jesus.

I can do good deeds all my life but if I am only doing it to glorify myself and have not accepted that it is the blood of Jesus saving me from damnation, then it was all for nothing.  It does not matter if you are Baptist Christian...Lutheran Christian...Catholic Christian or any other form...it all comes down to the same.  If only we would stop arguing over the way we say this and just accept each other...not judge...but give in love and share our faith joyfully.

That is what our family tried to do yesterday and every day we are given opportunity.  It starts in our family and carries on to the world...however that world looks in our lives...in a little town in East Texas or beyond...giving back to others.  Praise be to God we have been blessed to know this joy and give beyond what we ever could have imagined possible...to the families in Newtown and the women here.  Praise and glory always going back to God!