My Hummingbird Cafe

Examples Of Community Spirit

Let me give you two personal examples of a community helping out when there is a need.

We lived in the Mountains and were new to that lifestyle. We were city people and unprepared for “Freeze Your Butt Canyon” in the winter time. When a new acquaintance named Joyce Hightower came to visit, she noticed that our home was freezing cold because our source of heat was inadequate.

Joyce went home and told her husband Al about the cold living conditions that we had with four children and a husband gone during the week. My husband had to work three hours away from home in Santa Clara California, and so he came home only on weekends.

Al and a group of men showed up at our house with a wood-burning stove for us. The women came too with hot chocolate and snacks to eat while the men installed the heater–FOR FREE! We later paid Al for the wood-burning stove he gave us, even though he did not expect us to pay for it. The men had purchased the supplies they needed from their own funds and installed the stove with no strings attached. The whole event turned into a joyous social event. We felt very blessed!

Another time we had a huge oak tree fall down in the front yard and take out the entire porch. As a result, we could not open the front or kitchen door to get out of the house. However, we could still use the back door. When Al and his friends learned about the tree on our porch, again they and the women showed up with a team of workers, snacks and hot chocolate.

Keep in mind that, not once, did I have to ask for help. When they learned of a problem, they showed up with supplies and ready to work. This is the way a community should function. These events took place in the 1980′s. . . not the 1800′s. So, as you see, when we commit to it, we can function the same way today as they did in “Wild West” days.

Most people have lost their desire to care for each other. We’ve become so wrapped up in taking care of our own concerns and obligations that we no longer notice suffering outside of our little corner of the world. In default, we’ve developed an attitude that government should take care of us instead of the community. This expectation has been passed down through the generations to today.

Think back to when people cared about their neighbors. If you don’t know what I’m talking about, perhaps you’ve seen this situation in a movie. People actually cared about what their neighbors thought, felt, and needed and they tried to meet those needs as a community.

My brother kept using the word “community” as we talked about caring for neighbors. Finally, I asked what he meant by the word community. He said that community embodies the forgotten values of the “Old West”, when people raised a house or a barn in one day because a farmer needed it.

«CLICK HERE FOR PART 3»

What Is Community Spirit?

Let us consider embracing Community Spirit standards from the “Old Wild West”, where communities helped each other when a need arose. Do you understand what I mean by “Old West” type of Community Spirit?

I am thinking of a farmer who has been injured and cannot plow his field. If he doesn’t plow he can’t plant, and if he doesn’t plant there will be no food to eat or income from his crop. The community shows up and helps him plow his field and plant his crop.

In general, we’ve become so narcissistic in satisfying our own needs that we forget to notice the suffering of others. Indeed, our focus is on obtaining necessities and on what we want but don’t have yet. This is when we look elsewhere outside of ourselves or to others for satisfaction.

We look elsewhere because we think that we cannot do it on our own or because we recognize that really don’t have the ability to do it on our own. When we are unwilling to wait for what we want or need, we put more effort into getting help for what we want (in the form of loans or taking short-cuts) than we do in taking the right steps to get it when we can.

As a community, we need to have the same “Old Wild West Spirit” in helping people who need assistance. People often NEED something that they can’t get on their own — such as a farmer needing help with his field — and we can help them when we have the right attitude.

This is not about helping people obtain a WISH or WANT, although it is a worthy thing to do and we feel good about doing it, it’s about helping satisfy legitimate NEEDS first.

It is disheartening when we see people placing more priority on their own wishes or wants than they do on helping someone. On the other hand, though, we also see people who get very angry if they don’t get the assistance they expect or demand.

Demanding people have a bad attitude towards those who have money and expect them to help fill the void. It’s true they need help, but NO ONE is required to give assistance when it is demanded; especially when he does not try to help himself.

We were created with a brain and a body to do things for ourselves. As such, we are expected to care for our personal and family’s needs when we are able. When we are not able, those who can assist us are expected to help instead of lavishing themselves with STUFF they don’t really need. There is nothing more pathetic than an excessively wealthy person ignoring the needy. It is sickening!

An example of looking outside of our community for assistance is looking to government programs now for satisfying our basic needs. Slowly, we’ve given up own ability to be self-reliant because we think that’s what we have to do in order to get what we need from government. I understand the reasons we think this is true, but it doesn’t have to be this way. Perhaps we need to tweak our perspective a little so that we see things from a different angle. «CLICK HERE FOR PART 2»

This is an email that I received from AsAMom.org. Perhaps you will use the information and pass it along to your friends. I highly recommend you join this organization. Women can make a huge difference in the world today if they will activate themselves to protect their families.

As A Mom… A Sisterhood of Mommy Patriots A message to all members of As A Mom… Homemakers for America and As A Mom… would like to invite you to join us for the 2010 Remember the Ladies Banquet being held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington D.C. on Friday, September 10th in conjunction with the Liberty XPO & Symposium, and 9-12 March on D.C. Come make history with us as we honor the great ladies who contributed so much to the founding of our nation while inspiring a whole new generation of women to take their place on the front lines of freedom. In 1776 in a letter to her husband, Abigail Adams urged him to “remember the ladies.”  Abigail, like her husband John, was devoted to the cause of freedom.  Her service, dedication and passion for her country are the inspiration behind the Abigail Adams Project and this exceptional event. The Remember the Ladies Banquet is an opportunity for patriots to gather together to learn about our history and heritage, and  to recognize our considerable accomplishments and influence in society.  Abigail Adams once stated, “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”  The Remember the Ladies Banquet provides a relaxing, enjoyable atmosphere where we can share experiences, foster friendships and learn how to become actively involved as citizens—without sacrificing our families! Benjamin Rush stated, “The women of America have at last become principals in the glorious American controversy. Their opinions alone and their transcendent influence in society and families must lead us on to success and victory.” Abigail Adams, and so many courageous women like her, stood alongside their husbands in forming this great nation. And so it is today as the women lead out, carrying the light of liberty, and the beacon of truth.  We are the hope of America.  The fate of our nation is in our hands.  What we know and what we teach our children will make all the difference. Get your tickets now at https://secure.donationreport.com/productlist.html?key=DHSEJC9KKZ6H We hope you will join us on this momentous occasion, as we come together to “Remember the Ladies”. Kimberly Fletcher Founder & President, Homemakers for America Lori Parker Founder & President As A Mom… Visit As A Mom… at: http://www.asamom.org/?xg_source=msg_mes_network