Daily Light Masthead
Thursday, June 26, 1997

Getting the most out of life
Paul O'Rear, Columnist Sir Winston Churchill once said, "We make a living by what we get. We make a life by what we give." One of the problems in our world today is that too many people are too focused on what they can get. We've all known people who only care about themselves. These people are jerks. But the really sad and ironic thing is, they are missing out on so much that life has to offer them. They are not getting all they could get, because all they can think about is how much they can get. The richest rewards in life come only after we take our selfish focus off of ourselves.

Many of you recently did just that. You took your focus off of yourselves and extended a loving hand to people in need. As a result, there are several people in Jarrell, Texas, who will never be the same.

When the call went out from the College Street Church of Christ to raise money for victims of the Jarrell tornado, the people of Waxahachie showed their true colors. In just a few short days, over $10,000 cash was raised.

By the time it was all over with, the total had climbed to over $14,000, plus a car that one gentleman donated, and a bunch of food, clothing, and necessary supplies. Waxahachie is a small town with a big heart.

The money was delivered in person and put right in the hands of the people who needed it. I wish every one of you could have seen the faces of those whose lives were blessed by your generosity. They were touched deeply.

You don't even know these people, and many of them had never heard of Waxahachie. And yet, in the hearts and minds of those who received your gifts, Jarrell and Waxahachie will forever share a special bond. You have helped them begin to rebuild their lives. Yet even as they go about the rebuilding process, they know full well that their lives will never again be the same ... because of a tornado that mercilessly ransacked their quiet little community, and because of the merciful souls in a town that's hard to pronounce, who unselfishly gave from their hearts and their wallets, just because someone was in need.

God bless Waxahachie, because we have shown the world that we place value on the words of another important historical figure, a man from Nazareth who once said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."

Paul O'Rear serves as youth minister to the College Street Church of Christ. He and his wife Susan have two children, Ashley and Justin.