So, I'm climbing a mountain this July.  For all the details and a great opportunity to doing something special, please visit www.ClimbForTheKids.org.  As for this post on DNSLNS, I'm gonna rant a little bit about why.

It's not like I set out to climb Mount Rainier.  In fact, it wasn't even my idea.  It was my friend Adam's idea.  We were talking about "bucket list" stuff and he mentioned it.  So I said, "why not do something we want to do and try and make a difference as well?"  And that's how ClimbForTheKids came about.

But deep inside, for me, there's something more.  Here are some reasons (in random order), I'm climbing Mount Rainier:

• Jesus is all about the orphans and suffering and it's time we take those teachings a little more seriously
  
• I want to extend compassion in Jesus' name instead of just playing politics and all the church silliness that's done in His name every week
• Children are important
• Children are close to the heart of God
• I tried saving the world once and it almost cost me my marriage. This time around, I'm just trying to do my part however small it may be
• I think we can do so much more together than we can by ourselves
• I think Josiah would dig that I'm climbing a real mountain
  
• Maria thinks it's hot and Ben thinks it's cool
• My sons inspire me to be more giving
• Jesus never calls us to remove suffering.  He calls us to ease it and get in there with others even especially when it hurts
• The Church should be doing more than the world in extending generosity and compassion to the hurting
• I like the challenge of setting a big goal and working towards it
  
• It gives me a solid reason to get healthy

We've always been a giving family and although not wealthy (by most standards we are extremely wealthy) we've been blessed to give.  But, I find myself giving more and more "smaller" donations believing that our giving coupled with others can make a huge impact.

So, please don't wait until you feel you can write the big check.  Do something... now.  It doesn't have to be ClimbForTheKids (although we'd welcome it) but it does need to be something.  Find what resonates with you and don't ignore it.  It's probably the thing you're supposed to do.