Instead of a latte

Jen over at the Daily Mitzvah posted a link to a great site (My Bednet) where you can donate just $5 to buy a bednet for someone in a malaria-stricken region of the world. I checked it out, and from what I can tell, every last cent of your five bucks goes directly toward the purchase of one of these nets, with distribution and other administrative costs being covered by private donors.

It's a great cause, and extremely easy to contribute to. I strongly encourage you to head on over, take a look around, and donate $5 to help save someone's life.

P.S. In the comments section of the DM, the author mentions perhaps trying to organize a day for several bloggers to mention this cause/site (called "Instead of a Latte"), so I apologize for jumping the gun. It's a great cause, though, and I wanted to jump on this particular bandwagon right away!

God's country

Another excellent post from Griper Blade, this one about a group of Southern Baptist leaders, including the president of the SBC, signing a declaration stating that their denomination has not been doing enough to support environmental issues.

Read the post here. I'll give you a minute.

Done? Good. I love news like this. I'm not about to go join up with a Southern Baptist church over it, but it's a refreshingly positive sign. It's also a movement that's gaining steam throughout a lot of Christian denominations. Frankly, it seems a bit overdue. There are several passages in the Bible where humanity is told to be stewards of the Earth, to take care of the place, etc. The cries about global warming being a liberal ruse always seemed strange to me. Being good to our home always seemed like a nonpartisan no-brainer to me, and, as someone who grew up in the church, something that went hand-in-hand with Christianity (or any religion, for that matter).

A good example of the steps some Christian groups are taking toward positive environmental impact can be found via the Daily Mitzvah, and her following of the Tear Fund's Carbon Fast for Lent. I was giddy when their efforts were pointed out to me. This is the kind of good work I'd always looked for in the church: alleviating poverty, caring for the sick, and looking after our environment.

I never understood why things like homosexuality, which harms no one, and evolution were so divisive and heavily focused on by (some) Christians and other religious folk. Wouldn't it make more sense to follow the positive teachings found in their holy texts? To try to leave this world in better shape than what we found it in? Maybe that's the ex-Girl Scout in me talking, but it seems like the right thing to do. Matthew 5:44-45 would be a good place to start.

Cold, cold, cold

My deepest sympathy to you hardcore Packers fans, especially those of you who actually braved the sub-zero temperatures to watch the game in person at Lambeau. Yikes.

Me? I watched the game from the safety of a warm house. But I also had the distinct displeasure of helping to change a flat tire in the parking garage on E. Mifflin late Saturday night, while the mercury was hovering somewhere around negative bazillion degrees. Me and The Boy had just gotten out of seeing the Mercury Players Theatre production of "The Pillowman" (which is really good, and you should see it) when we discovered that one of his back tires had gone limp. That led to quite the frozen ordeal, but we did eventually make it home safe, where we then slowly reacquired feeling in our various appendages.

That little episode, coupled with a handy suggestion from the Daily Mitzvah, prompted me to head over to the Keep Wisconsin Warm website and make a donation. Because I recognize that, in the end, I'm damn lucky to have a warm home to go back to after such an adventure. It has been ridiculously cold this weekend, and I can't imagine not having the proper heat and shelter to get through it in. Please consider donating to the cause, too.