A Big deal

You know, as an American it is easy to forget about real life - outside of my materialistic, cushy world - I have been complaining lately because I don't like my job, I want a boyfriend - I know, weird coming from me...But DTS does weird things to people - I guess that is what happens when you throw 400 plus singles into the same square block and give them nothing to do but sit around and chat :) - so, anyway, I have been thinking about how nice it would be to have money to buy a new Christmas CD or to buy a new sweater - because if I have new things then I am new, and my life is new and exciting - but yesterday as I walked into the grocery store and was accosted by a 20 foot Christmas tree filled with toys and candy and things - I was amazed at how consumed we are with ourselves - more specifically, how consumed I am with myself.
Thursday was world AIDS day - and as I 'memorialized' this event I became aware of the fact that 56% of Swaziland women in their late twenties (that's my age) have AIDS! Yeah - 56%! And then, the continent of Africa is struggling with Famine as well, the country of Nigeria is going to lose 1 in 10 kids this year to hunger....They are going to die because they can't get anything to eat...Yeah, that still happens in our world believe it or not. I am amazed at how quickly I can think of only myself - you know, I want a job that is fun, I want a job that allows me to make money and can still go to class, I want to be "non-broke" - not rich, but able to buy my CDs when I want - I want to be able to have days off work, where I can sleep in and do nothing.... All the while forgetting that other people exist, that the world is not going to cave in because I am "non-broke"....I forget that most people live every month on what I pay for rent - that some people would love the option of Chick-fil-a or even rice - or anything to fill the pain that is in their stomach as they watch their body evaporate into nothingness - and I am worried about what? I am worried about myself - as if I am the "supernation" and that everyone needs to be concerned with me and my life! WHAT A JOKE!
I am trying to realize that other people do matter, that I need to arrange my life so that I can love people - and that means that I have to live below my means...Even though I think my means are not enough - that I have to live below them, restrict myself for the good of others - and that I have to do that daily so that I remember that others do exist!
Father - please give strength to my brothers and sisters that are dying with AIDS in Swaziland, give my brothers and sisters hope who are dying of hunger in Nigeria - may the way they live out the last days of their life shout Your glory, scream Your praises so that others will see the hope of our salvation that has been promised through Your Son and guaranteed with Your Spirit!