it’s amazing the difference a year makes. in one hand, a year seems like forever. on the other hand, a year really isn’t that long and goes by insanely quick. the difference between now and a year ago are astounding. it’s pretty awesome when i think about it.

the thing that brought this up was “the holidays.” i’m heading to north carolina for thanksgiving on tuesday afternoon/evening. i sat here tonight thinking about how i was actually looking forward to some time at home with my family, away from work, away from liberty. i couldn’t say that last year.

last year i dreaded every second of the holidays. i wanted to sleep through the month of december and just pretend it wasn’t happening. i wrote my first song in a few years last holiday season and it was a pretty depressing song. it just wasn’t a good time for me. christmas eve of last year is what led to me realizing that i was way too depressed for my own good and needed to do something to change that.

basically, the holidays sucked last year.

this year, though, i have a completely different outlook. don’t get me wrong, like most single people, i wish i had some type of significant other to share the holidays with, but for the first time that i can remember, i really don’t care that i don’t have someone there.

i wrote back in september about how i was really trying to live out the “love god. love people.” idea. i wrote how god had put it on my heart to not only be there for my friends, my family, and the people i see on a regular basis, but to also be there for anyone that needed it in whatever way i could possibly help.

i don’t have a ton of money, but i have a little.

i don’t have a ton of time, but i have a little.

i don’t have a ton of resources, but i have a little.

in that post in september, i wrote how i had bought my first girl through freedom 4-24 by giving $6 each week at church. it’s now 12 weeks later and this past sunday was the culmination of the fourth girl that i have bought out of sexual slavery in thailand.

most of my life, i’ve always focused the holidays around myself. i’ve always focused on what i wanted for christmas. i’ve always focused on what i wanted to do for entertainment while i was at home. i’ve always focused on what i could get for other people but still have money for myself in case something came up that i wanted to do.

in the past, i was selfish.

this year i wanna change that. i’m not 100% sure how i’m going to do it yet, but i really want to do something for someone. i’ve spent the last 23 years being selfish and thinking about me. i want to spend this year trying to make up for that.

i didn’t really get anything for my birthday this year. i got a little bit of money and some three musketeers (side note: my sister is awesome for doing that by the way). that’s it. and you know what? i didn’t miss getting anything. my birthday was no different than if it would’ve been a huge deal with a bunch of stuff. i actually enjoyed just eating dinner with my mom, dad, and brother instead of a huge family event with everyone there. it was simple. and it was good.

i toyed with the idea a few months ago of saying i didn’t want anything for christmas. i was going to tell everyone to take whatever money they were going to spend on me and give it to someone who needed something more than me. or give it to me so i could give it to freedom 4-24. i wouldn’t mind at all if everyone did that, but i think that takes away from the idea of christmas for people like my parents and grandparents.

i’ve already said i can’t do much. i know that. you know that. everyone knows that. i’m a grad assistant who doesn’t make much money. but like i said, i do have a little, so i can at least do a little.

one of those little things i can do is give a dollar here and there when i come across different places collecting for different organizations.

if i go to taco bell and they ask if i want to give a dollar to the boys and girls club, then i can do that. a dollar isn’t much. i can afford that.

if i go into target and they’ve got someone ringing the bell for the salvation army, and i’ve got a little cash, i can give that. a dollar or two isn’t much. i can afford that.

i could name other scenarios of little things i can do, but you get the point. i used to think that because i couldn’t give a day or two serving at a soup kitchen, or because i couldn’t give a bunch of money at one time, that i couldn’t do anything.

but that’s wrong.

if i give a dollar here and there, that adds up.

if the people that read this start giving a dollar here and there, that adds up.

i’ve always said i wanted to start a revolution. revolutions start with one person doing one thing and inspiring one person to do one thing. so let’s start a revolution. right now, at 11:06 on a monday night in november, i’m proposing we start something this holiday season.

give someone a dollar.

stay up late talking to a friend who’s having trouble with something.

text that person who’s having a bad day and tell them that you’re thinking or praying about them.

but most of all, don’t be selfish.

i’m not proposing anything new that hasn’t been done before. i’m just suggesting that we start acting like the dude we’re celebrating this time of year. let’s start acting like jesus.

he started a revolution.

why can’t we?

say your prayers and take your vitamins.

have a nice day.

-jonathan