Wait -- Don’t Toss That Magazine!

How many magazines did you throw out in the last year?  According to the Hearst Corp., the average household trashes more than four dozen magazines a year.

The people at Magazine Publishers Family Literacy Project have a great program to give those magazines a new life in the hands of children who don’t own books but need the opportunity to read.  KinderHarvest collects new or gently used recent magazines and delivers them to homeless shelters, summer playground programs, or food banks.

Visit Kinderharvest to learn how your can participate by donating money, spreading word about the organization, organizing your own magazine drive or just dropping off a few old magazines at a collection spot.  Magazines for all ages are accepted.

Tips for organizing a KinderHarvest magazine drive can be found here.

Teenager Starts P.J. Drive for Sick and Homeless Children

At Room in the Inn, a Nashville, Tenn., homeless shelter program, volunteers work hard to help all of the local women and children without homes, providing them with food, pillows, blankets, and warm beds. But night after night, the children were forced to sleep in their street clothes — the program couldn’t afford to provide pajamas for all the people in need.

That all changed this March, when Jasmine Gray stopped by with a box filled with hundreds of pairs of brand-new pajamas for the children there. “One little girl was having a birthday that day,” said Jasmine. “For her present, we let her have first pick of all the pajamas. I thought that was pretty special.”

Jasmine, an 18-year-old college student at Middle Tennessee State University, began collecting pajamas for donation in March 2006, in a clothing drive she called “Jaz’s Jammies.” Initially, she donated all of the pajamas to local hospitals, inspired by her own experiences as a long-term patient.

“I’ve been in hospitals so many times, once for close to two months,” said Jasmine, who has undergone 18 surgeries because of her vascular anomalies. “The whole time, I was stuck in a hospital gown.” Jasmine knew that children confined to hospital beds would feel a lot better if they had new pajamas to wear.

In Jaz’s Jammies’ first 14 months, Jasmine has collected more than 1,350 new pairs of pajamas, which she’s donated to children in hospitals and homeless shelters through Arkansas and Tennessee.

Though Jasmine knows the kids appreciate the new pajamas, that’s not the only reason to donate. “They’re really a way to show your love,” she said.

To donate pajamas or learn more about Jaz’s Jammies, e-mail Jasmine at jazsjammies@yahoo.com.

Giving Nation: Americans Gave Nearly $300 Billion to Charity in 2006

Americans eat too much, work too hard and watch too much T.V.  But here’s one thing we do lots of that’s admirable:  We give to charity. A lot.

Last year, Americans gave $295.02 billion to charitable causes.  That’s more than twice as much as the next-most-philanthropic nation, Great Britain, when measured as a percentage of gross domestic product.

The 2006 total was 1% more than 2005, adjusted for inflation, even though 2005 donations were way up because of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma and the Asia tsunami.

Even more impressive, 83% of the total came from individuals and their bequests.  About 65% of U.S. households making less than $100,000 per year still gave to charity.

The biggest percentage of the donations went to religious groups – 32.8%, or $96.82 billion.  Second on the list was education at $40.98 billion, or 13.9%. 

Health Benefits of Oats

A bowl of oatmeal is a morning tradition that may provide you with more than just a warm start to your day.

Oatmeal, oat bran and whole oat products are some of the best sources of soluble fiber, which help reduce total cholesterol along with LDL or "bad" cholesterol. In addition to reducing the risk of heart disease, oat fiber can help control blood sugar, too. That's why it's been added to breakfast cereals, muffins and other foods.

Regardless, no single food, not even oat bran, offers ultimate protection. Your overall eating plan, including oats and other high-fiber foods, along with less fat (especially saturated fat), offers the greatest health benefits.

(From the American Dietetic Association)

Stir Fried Bean Sprouts

4 servings

Mung beans are small dried green beans with yellow flesh. Like all beans, they're rich in protein, calcium, phosphorus and iron, but they're mainly grown for sprouting. Mung bean sprouts have long been a familiar ingredient in many Asian dishes. Traditional Chinese medicine maintains that mung beans have a "heat-clearing, toxin-resolving" effect that eases conditions such as diarrhea and painful swelling.

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh mung bean sprouts

1 tablespoon canola oil

3 scallions, split lengthwise and cut into 1-inch strips

1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh gingerroot

1/2 teaspoon light brown sugar

Salt to taste

Red pepper flakes, natural soy sauce or rice vinegar

Instructions:

1. Wash, drain and dry the bean sprouts in a kitchen towel or paper towels.

2. Heat the canola oil in a wok or skillet; add the scallions and ginger, and stir-fry over high heat for a few seconds. Then add the bean sprouts and stir-fry for 1 minute. Do not overcook; sprouts should remain crunchy but lose their raw bean taste.

3. Add the brown sugar and salt to taste. Mix well and serve. Add pinches of red pepper flakes or dashes of natural soy sauce and rice vinegar for additional flavor.

Nutritional Information: Per serving: 70 calories 4 g total fat (0 g sat) 0 mg cholesterol 8 g carbohydrate 4 g protein

2 g fiber 250 mg sodium

Doubly Good Baked Beans

Ingredients

2 can(s) beans, pinto

1 can(s) beans, baked

2 tablespoon vinegar, balsamic

1 teaspoon mustard, dry

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan stir together two 15-ounce cans rinsed and drained pinto beans and one 28-ounce can vegetarian baked beans. Stir in 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar and 1 teaspoon dry mustard. Heat through over medium-low heat and keep warm.

Daily Devotion

Hebrews 4:16
Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

Jeffrey never wanted to put anybody out. Instead of asking for help, he would struggle along on his own. Often, Jeffrey didn't get anything accomplished because he refused to impose on anyone else. Sometimes, we act that way with God. We ask ourselves why God would be interested in helping us solve our problems. The thing is, God wants us to come to Him with our heartfelt needs. We have been invited to come before the throne of grace, and that includes with our diets. When we're honest, we'll admit that we need help, and there is no greater source of help than God.

Today's thought: Our hope to lose weight becomes reality when we put our trust in God.

Positive Body Image From the Start!

Children should feel good about themselves no matter what their weight is! Help your child develop a positive body image with these simple tips from the child obesity experts at North Dakota State University:

• Never tease kids about their weight, even in a lighthearted way!
• Let kids choose clothing that fits their style and makes them feel good. Remember, you're not going to like everything they wear!
• Don't make comparisons! Every child's body and inherited shape is special and unique.
• Be sure to point out all the wonderful qualities your children possess — physically and otherwise — often. Resist the urge to focus on "drawbacks."
• Be sure to let your children know you love them unconditionally for who they are — not what they look like!
• Model a healthy body image yourself! If you don't have one now, try to make peace with your body — "flaws" and all! Your kids are watching!

Today's Inspiration

The point is not to pay back kindness but to pass it on. – Julia Alvarez

Homeless Shelter Gets Extreme Makeover

Your job is a manifestation of your spirit in the physical world. You can pretend that this is not the case, basically ignore it, or you can consciously claim it. You get to choose. -- Ric Giardina

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Good News of the Day:
When a friend asked her to help women battling homelessness and abuse, Terry Grahl made a visit to their shelter. "It was as if the room was screaming out, 'Save me!' I knew I had found my calling -- a passion and purpose which, I was sure would lead to the transformation of, not just a room, but the lives of many women." Grahl, an interior designer who owns Terry's Enchanted Cottage in Taylor, believes cozy surroundings not only inspire, but help us thrive. And the mother of four isn't one to turn down a big project. Says Grahl, "I don't know the meaning of a simple makeover -- especially not for a place like this. To 30 women, this one room is home -- the place where they can start over and make a difference in their lives."
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070526/TWIST01/705270306/1129/twist

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Be The Change:
Write a note of appreciation to Terry today.
http://www.dailygood.org/more.php?n=3022a

**Share A Reflection**
http://www.dailygood.org/view.php?qid=3022