I work hard everyday to be mindful. To NOTICE the things going on around me. To feel how BLESSED I really am.

The other day, I was sitting on the couch snuggling with my eldest son who had just hurt his foot outside playing. My baby was sitting in her highchair with a full belly of food, some of which had been donated to us in our time of need. My older daughter was outside playing with neighbors and my husband was moving some things around outside.

In that moment, I rubbed my son's feet, heard my baby babbling, and felt secure and safe in my warm home. Our bellies were full as we had just had a Sunday brunch, as a family, and life was good.

Then, a commercial came on about the clean water crisis in Africa, and I stopped to catch my breath. Sometimes I complain about having lost my pictures, or having had to cut back this year on Christmas gifts, or the fact that my van door doesn't always close properly... In that moment, I knew I could be better.

THERE ARE MILLIONS OF FAMILIES IN AFRICA WHO DON'T HAVE BASIC NECESSITIES, LIKE CLEAN WATER. WHILE WE HAVE SECOND HELPINGS AND SECOND CARS AND VACATIONS AND PHONES.

I'm not saying to give away your things, though I respect charity very much... I am just encouraging you to BE GRATEFUL for the life that you were so luckily born into. And, always, always, HELP WHEN YOU CAN.

So, in honor of this epiphany. I would like to challenge myself and my Facebook friends to donate 1000.00 to The Water Project, to help some of our fellow human beings who are so less fortunate than us.

My goal is to donate 100.00 personally, over the next few weeks. I am starting with 20.00 today. Can you spare 5.00 or 10.00 today?

THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART FOR GOING ON THIS JOURNEY WITH ME. I WISH YOU HEALTH AND HAPPINESS IN THE NEW YEAR.