Happy Holidays Ad Turns Commerce into Something Beautiful
This is really great, the ad part is subtle…totally helps make our holiday season
Simple Acts of Kindness Impact Lots of People
While reading my bible this morning, I came across the story of Tabitha in Acts 9:36-43. What struck me most about this passage was her simple acts of kindness that marked her life. Done without trumpet or pronouncement. Just done out of a kindness for another person.
Now for sure, LOTS of things are happening in this passage, like Tabitha being raised from the dead for example. Talk about a kind act!! But when you consider Tabitha on her own you get a real sense for her impact on people. She, “She was always doing kind things for others and helping the poor”. How do we know it impacted people? Because when she became ill and died these same people, “sent two men to beg him [Peter], ‘Please come as soon as possible!’” Why? To heal her, to raise her from the dead. To give them hope their friend, Tabitha, would be returned to them.
Those people wouldn’t have bothered if Tabitha had no impact on them.
And that got me to thinking about my Christmas Season and what simple, single act of kindness I could do that might make a small difference. I can’t change the whole world, but, I can each positively influence a little piece of it. And that is true for each of us. And that adds up to alot. Sometimes its hard to think of something to do though. A couple of ideas might help to prime our thoughts.
One is checkout the Random Acts of Kindness web site for some ideas. Another simple idea is Toys For Tots. Their drop offs end around Wednesday, 12/14 I think. A simple, new, unwrapped toy, is all they need.
Happy Christmas/Hanukkah/Soltice/Kwanzaa everyone 
Links:
http://toysfortots.org/donate/toys-city-county.asp?txtState=Massachusetts
http://www.randomactsofkindness.org/
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+9%3A36-43&version=NLT
Need a Christmas Spirit Injection? Come to Messiah Sing, 12/2, All Saints Parish, Brookline, MA
If you are like me, and many of my friends, your sick and tired of the Christmad Co
mmercialism. Who could blame you? With Christmas sales, decorations and music having begun as early October, it all seems a little MUCH frankly. What ever happened to the joyful simplicity of a pretty Christmas tree, mug of hot chocolate, and the warmth of friends, even neighbors? Well I’ve got some good news this yuletide season, there is a Messiah Sing happening this Friday, December 2nd, that will bring the warmth of Christmas to your spirit.
This particular Messiah Sing is special for three reasons. First, it’s a site reading orchestra, meaning, “Sight-reading is the reading and performing of a piece of written music, specifically when the performer has not seen it before.” Second, one of my closest friends will be in the orchestra, and I know his musical standards are high so the music is bound to be good. Third, you get the blessing of giving to a great cause, since there is a $10 ticket cost and all the proceeds go to Project Bread.
So, I hope we see all my readers in the Boston area at Messiah Sing at All Saints Parish, Brookline, MA on Friday, 12/2 at 7:30PM. For easy directions, click this link: Directions to All Saints Parish via Google Maps
MA Senate Passes Transgender Equal Rights Bill!!
Its been a LONG road but, finally, Massachusetts has a Transgender Equal Rights Bill. It has been voted in by both the Massachusetts House of Representatives and by the Senate. All it needs is a signature by the Governor of Massachusetts, Duval Patrick.
So what does this mean? A few things, all of them important. Most of these are just rights that disappeared when many transgender people, both men and women, started dealing with who they are so they live “normal” lives. But, these protections include:
- Employment
- Housing
- Education
- Credit
- Expands the state’s hate crimes protections to now include transgender people
Having been someone who has experienced this kind of discrimination first hand, I can tell you, this is very welcome news! The bill is imperfect, and it does not include public accomodation, which means any public venue may decide that transgender men or women are not “welcome”. Let’s hope that society is actually beyond that kind of behavior.
Many thanks to my friends who, along with me (see our article, “Trans Civil rights Lobby Day: Roundtable” for just one example out of hundreds), worked to see passage of this bill. “BIG” thanks to Gunner Scott and the MTPC Team. They kept our community moving forward when it seemed like we’d never see our normal rights returned to us!
MA Transgender Equal Rights Bill Passes MA House 95 YES and 58 NO ~ Senate Vote Next!
This is incredible news and a great victory for social justice for transgender people in Massachusetts! You can read the official statement and update at MTPC’s Post “House Passes Trans Equal Rights 95-58
What’s next? Well, the MA Senate vote is today! The Senate bill is S764 “An Act Relative to Transgender Equal Rights” So please CALL or EMAIL your senator and let him or her know your desire for them to vote in favor of our bill. Here are the steps to help you:
(2) Once you do that, here are some helpful instructions on what to say, including a script, at MTPC Calling Help And for some help on what to write if you choose to email, click to the MTPC Newsletter page.
