Comments on: A Gift of No Return http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2006/03/the-no-return-gamble/ Inspiring & Motivating People To Success Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:47:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: John http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2006/03/the-no-return-gamble/#comment-371 John Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:31:04 +0000 http://successbeginstoday.dreamhosters.com/wordpress/?p=148#comment-371 Thanks for the reply Russ. This is one of the strangest paradoxes in the world. You give things away and you receive things in return. I don't know how it works but I do know that God works in mysterious ways... and the receiving is not always monetary. From your reply I imagine seeing the look on the faces of the parents with kids with special needs was ... priceless. John Thanks for the reply Russ. This is one of the strangest paradoxes in the world. You give things away and you receive things in return. I don’t know how it works but I do know that God works in mysterious ways… and the receiving is not always monetary. From your reply I imagine seeing the look on the faces of the parents with kids with special needs was … priceless.

John

]]> By: John http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2006/03/the-no-return-gamble/#comment-370 John Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:09:36 +0000 http://successbeginstoday.dreamhosters.com/wordpress/?p=148#comment-370 Thanks for the reply Michelle (Fekket), This was a very eye opening trip. I wish I would have had my camera out to get a shot of the homeless people camped out under the "paycheck advance" billboard. The temptation and greed of this city leave many broke and in despair. I don't think the Government is the answer (more likely part of the problem). These people need education and a change of location. They need a gift of no-return. The lure of the bright lights has a very dark side. John Thanks for the reply Michelle (Fekket),

This was a very eye opening trip. I wish I would have had my camera out to get a shot of the homeless people camped out under the “paycheck advance” billboard. The temptation and greed of this city leave many broke and in despair. I don’t think the Government is the answer (more likely part of the problem).

These people need education and a change of location. They need a gift of no-return. The lure of the bright lights has a very dark side.

John

]]> By: Russ N. http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2006/03/the-no-return-gamble/#comment-369 Russ N. Tue, 14 Mar 2006 16:53:24 +0000 http://successbeginstoday.dreamhosters.com/wordpress/?p=148#comment-369 John, Thanks for the honesty and questioning of this post. I've been to Vegas for training and came home with a new appreciation for the incredible blessings of a loving wife and family and riches I have that aren't monetary. You do get back when you give without an expectation of a return. Our church recently provided a respite event for families that have children with special needs - a chance for the kids to play in a safe place and a chance for the parents to have a few precious hours for just the two of them. You could see the difference when they walked back in to pick up the kids - a spring in their step, a smile on their face, and holding hands. The parents also couldn't believe we weren't going to charge them money. It begged the question of the parents - why would you do this for us? It was a no-strings thing - we're here to serve your family. If you like our church and want to find out more - GREAT! If you don't want to find out more - GREAT! Just know we'll be doing these events on a regular basis and you are still welcome to take advantage of it. John,

Thanks for the honesty and questioning of this post. I’ve been to Vegas for training and came home with a new appreciation for the incredible blessings of a loving wife and family and riches I have that aren’t monetary.

You do get back when you give without an expectation of a return. Our church recently provided a respite event for families that have children with special needs - a chance for the kids to play in a safe place and a chance for the parents to have a few precious hours for just the two of them. You could see the difference when they walked back in to pick up the kids - a spring in their step, a smile on their face, and holding hands.

The parents also couldn’t believe we weren’t going to charge them money.

It begged the question of the parents - why would you do this for us? It was a no-strings thing - we’re here to serve your family. If you like our church and want to find out more - GREAT! If you don’t want to find out more - GREAT! Just know we’ll be doing these events on a regular basis and you are still welcome to take advantage of it.

]]> By: FekketCantenel http://successbeginstoday.org/wordpress/2006/03/the-no-return-gamble/#comment-368 FekketCantenel Tue, 14 Mar 2006 15:13:32 +0000 http://successbeginstoday.dreamhosters.com/wordpress/?p=148#comment-368 A long time back I had an argument with my father about whether or not it's worth it to expose oneself to the uglier sides of society in order to learn. He was all for staying at home, working on the internet, and never watching CNN. If you hadn't gone to Las Vegas, maybe you never would have seen these poor people and thought these things. You would have a little less perspective on the world. Now, as for the topic itself, I've thought about it many times: what are the benefits of donating to charity? It sort of sounds oxymoronic, doesn't it? You give to charity rather than buy things for yourself... and yet you still reap a benefit, perhaps an even better one. The possible benefits I can think of are: feelings of self-worth, helping society, and selflessness; tax-deductibility; something to impress friends with (though that contradicts Matthew 6:1-4); lots more I'm probably not thinking of. A long time back I had an argument with my father about whether or not it’s worth it to expose oneself to the uglier sides of society in order to learn. He was all for staying at home, working on the internet, and never watching CNN.

If you hadn’t gone to Las Vegas, maybe you never would have seen these poor people and thought these things. You would have a little less perspective on the world.

Now, as for the topic itself, I’ve thought about it many times: what are the benefits of donating to charity?

It sort of sounds oxymoronic, doesn’t it? You give to charity rather than buy things for yourself… and yet you still reap a benefit, perhaps an even better one. The possible benefits I can think of are: feelings of self-worth, helping society, and selflessness; tax-deductibility; something to impress friends with (though that contradicts Matthew 6:1-4); lots more I’m probably not thinking of.

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