Thank You | Photo by vistamommy

We have a tendency to remember to give thanks once or twice a year… usually on that special holiday for football and eating turkey, and perhaps on our birthdays or Christmas.

But imagine if we carried that idea with us throughout the year?

We’re seem to be hard wired to focus on all the things we don’t have.

We’re bombarded over and over again throughout the day about things we need to make us feel healthier, happier, sexier or more at peace.

But think about all you do have. Think about the blessings you’ve been given — that so many around the world don’t have…

• Clean water
• A bed to sleep in
• A roof over your head
• Access to the Internet
• Clothes
• Food in your fridge
• Transportation
• Friends
• Family
• Relative peace

Perhaps not all of these apply to you. Perhaps only a few.

Make a list of all the blessings you’ve been given today — and then give thanks for them.

And perhaps — find a way to bless someone else with your blessings as well.

Take it a step further

You may have seen the ad on our site for Addition by Adoption, a great book by our friend Kevin Hendricks. Kevin shares the story of being a stay-at-home dad, with two children — one of which was adopted from Ethiopia.

Having seen what a lack of clean water can do to his son and others, Kevin has become a passionate crusader for clean water.

As part of his passion, he’s donating a portion of each book sale to charity:water.

We want to encourage you to purchase a copy of Kevin’s book…but we also want to join him in his fight for clean water.

So we’ve set up a page with charity:water to work towards building a fresh water well for 250 people — an entire community that lacks something we all take for granted — clean water.

We have three months to raise the money — 91 days to be exact. I’m certain we can do it.

Charity:water says that $20 will give one person clean water for 20 years — so for $5000 we can provide clean water for an entire community for the next 20 years!

Think about it.

We only need 250 people giving $20 (supporting one person) or 200 people giving $25.

That’s less than $1 a day.

So will you join us? Will you match my gift of $25 and help provide clean water for a community in need?

Find out more (and make your donation) at http://mycharitywater.org/welivesimply.

A few pictures from my 2006 trip to Nigeria…

Kids playing in the same river they often get water from. We were told not to even go in the river because of the parasites and such. Thus the kids are working to build a 'bridge' so we can cross. | Photo by Jonathan Blundell

Drinking water for the village | Photo by Jonathan Blundell

Drinking water for the village (same well as above). Notice the used paint can used for drawing water from the well. | Photo by Jonathan Blundell

Will you join us?

keep reading...

• Today ends our 2010 campaign
• Help us give clean water
• New children’s book focuses on clean water issues