True Values.

 True Values.

 

Today several folks had made comments on various FB posts mentioning how we can see what true values are when purchasing things or when donating to certain causes. It made sense and caused me to realize that God expects us to look for true values in life. First, we have to look at the goods and services that we want. For instance, toilet tissue. Yes, that is maybe just a little strange when we think about values, but certain things are made right here in the USA that support families who work in our country. Had to go look in the closet to be sure that what the old woman had bought was made in America. Most of it was, but one package was a store brand that claimed that it was NOT made by Proctor and Gamble or by Angel Soft. Nope, it came out of California distributed by “Better Living Brands, LLC” which does not tell a person where it was made. Who knows if it came over on a container ship from Vietnam or some such. But someone made the comment that things that are made in America don’t arrive on ships or have to go through the ports where the workers might go on strike.

 

A lady in Tennessee was pretty upset by some agency that had been sending out messages about where the communities were sending their donations for goods and services for helping in the aftermath of Helene. It sounded as if the FEMA agency was making this requirement for folks to send their money ONLY to TEMA to be distributed as that agency saw fit. Can you imagine telling someone to send their money to a post office box rather than giving that money to your local minister to buy diapers, food, water and such for people you consider your neighbors? The lady was truly ticked off. She did not use any bad language, but her eyes were making comments without the use of words!

 

Another person had provided a list of organizations that were truly helping: the Cajun Navy, the Shepherds’ purse, and several that were local organizations. At the same time, a person added to that list of organizations some that would use folks’ money to help out their own top line rather than actually helping people: the Red Cross, the ASPCA, and any organization that was not based in the areas actually affected by the storm. It is common to recognize such names and think that they would probably be helping, but it never hurts to check to see what the top money is for CEOs of such places.

 

Not many of us have a bunch of animal trailers to loan out to the mule haulers to use to access those mountains in North Carolina. We probably don’t even know a local rancher who has extra hay or other feed to send for the critters that survived the floods. Carla Beard told me that the high winds that made it all the way to Indiana had flattened corn fields up that way, so even folks who might not have been flooded have still been affected by this storm. And more storms are expected.

 

Folks from Florida throughout the other states have been helping each other more than any agency can or will. And the prayers exchanged over those communities make me realize that God is listening closely. Those folks KNOW God and depend on Him the same as the rest of us. Let us pray for those affected by this storm and that they may be protected from those storms forming now in the Gulf. While we are praying, let us pray for Israel. We know that Israel is surrounded by those who hate God’s people. But their hatred will not keep God’s people from being helped. May we ask earnestly for His guidance in this nation and for our brothers.

 

Rest well, my friends. You are loved.