Charity Begins At Home

As I thought about it a little more in the shower, it came to me that I should always remember that charity starts at home. We have plenty of opportunity if only we see it, and take action. It's an honor to be able to serve your parents, your spouse, your kids, your grandparents, your siblings, your nieces and nephews and esp. your other family, your in-laws: parents in laws, sister in laws, brother in laws, nieces and nephew in laws.. I take pride in the everyday chores I do and I want to do it better as serving these members at home gives me the opportunity to detach from selfishness, from self-centeredness.

Giving money to my parents which I can keep for my own makes me sacrifice my own needs, but its an honor to have the opportunity to serve them, for without them, I have no chance to do good. I could wait and wait and give excuses that I have commitments, responsibilities la la la .. but that means I am taking them for granted, putting myself first and keeping everything for me and my own family, and denying and delaying the opportunities to do good. If I see something that is not right, I could offer my advice and guidance to my best knowledge .. I dont have to force them to accept my ideas but at least I point to them a way I think is a better way. It's an honor that I have the opportunity to share my thoughts with them, for without them I do not have the chance to do good. If my offer does not work for them, I try to set a good example for as family, we need to guide each other... Talking to them, asking them how they are, visit them, finding out if they need any assistance, are all examples of charity at home .. things we can do without getting anything material in return ..

Helping my hubby with finances which if I have the extra, I could have saved it but would use it for the family makes me sacrifice for any luxury needs, but its an honor to have the opportunity to serve him, for without him, I have no chance to do good. If I see something not right, I offer my advice and find ways to show him what is better whether it is an issue directly or not directly related to me, for I cannot be so selfish to tell myself, 'hey, that's not my problem, that's not my family, its yours, so you take care of it yourself' or sometimes we just keep quiet, let the other half keep on going wrong, wrong in silence.. Just like with our child, if we see something not right, we try to point out to them, this is the same kind of love.. .. With that, it's an honor to have the opportunity to share with him my thoughts and without that, I have no chance to do good.

Waking up early, prepare breakfast, lunch, dinner, bathing my girl, putting up with her nonsense, no weekends off, no night time off, no holidays, doing things for her, dropping her off and picking her up at work (all the time without fail) and relieve this work from my husband (well, since he is not so keen anyway!) I shall not complain for it is an honor to be able to serve my girl because without her, I have no chance to do good - to help the dependant little young one ..

These are just examples of people who are technically very close to us. There's so much we can do for people who are our family - people who are physically near us, all we need is effort and a good heart, often little or no money required - well, of course time is money, yes so we can give that too, if we are not so self-centered, so focus on our ownself ... extend your hand to also all the other family members (inlaws) because if we think they are techinically not 'our' family, we are only giving excuses to avoid charity at home .. their problem is our problem, their happiness is our happiness, we should be proud to have them around and make them inside us, a happy family within ...

Conclusion: Share what you have today .. not tomorrow, not later, not 'until we have enough' ... So it came to me that, if we really want to be a kind and compassionate person, we don't choose who to give charity to, it is not up to us to select the person, time and place before we decide to give .. for if we do that, we are still holding back a big piece of us for ourselves .. and most likely to treat our own fears, fear or losing this or that, fear of having less money, less time, less whatnot - for ourselves.. Breaking this barrier is important, our first step to charity. After all, aren't we all children of God?