There is a story about a man and a boy walking down the beach together, and the boy begins to throw back any star fish he finds washed up on shore.  The man asks the boy why he is doing it, because, he says, you can't make a difference.  As the boy throws another star fish back into the ocean, he answers, "Made a difference for that one!"

Even if I cannot donate a million dollar check to a worthy cause, I can still do something! 

I can skip a few Cokes and help with a donation to build a water well in a village that desparately needs one.  I can put a few dollars in the red bucket when entering the mall, to help someone in need.

I can afford to give enough to the homeless shelter to feed 5 people a meal.

I can donate to help find a cure for an incurable disease.

I can put together a care box for a friend who cannot make ends meet (even with food stamps, there are things that aren't covered---toiletries, laundry soap, trash bags, etc.)

What if I have no money?

I do have enough health to help a neighbor who cannot cook/clean/shovel snow/mow the lawn for his or herself.

I can do something!

What if I do not have health?

I can lift the needs of my fellow man to the Lord, and ask Him to use me in any way He can.

While entering the new year, remember to be thankful for all of the blessings in your own life, and to give of yourself to bless someone else.

Our world has become such a place of chaos and hectic-ness, that we're often busy just trying to give our own lives some sort of sanity.  But if all of us would stretch ourselves just a bit to help someone else, our world could become a nicer place.  If ten thousand people donated enough to feed meals to 5 people each, our world would have 50,000 people who would not go to bed hungry.

While I'm not trying to persuade anyone to a certain group or cause to donate to, I would like to encourage everyone to do something.  We can make a difference!