Say, figuratively speaking, our moms were going to set us up on a blind date. What would your mom tell us about you?

I know, embarrassing right? Facepalm-ish.

Tell us what you think your mom would share with us and you will be entered to win O Me of Little Faith: True Confessions of a Spiritual Weakling (Paperback) by Jason Boyett. We will draw names and pick a winner by Memorial Day, May 31, 2010.

We’re complying a list of our reader’s Top 5 Superhero Movies of All Time and we need your help. We will be featuring your thoughts and picks in an upcoming issue of Rethink Monthly magazine. To submit your choice, simply leave a reply below.

Here are a few of our favorites.

The Dark Knight – I think we can all agree that The Dark Knight is one of the top superhero movies of all time. Christopher Nolan took the series in a different direction with Batman Begins and it was a huge success. He did the same with The Dark Knight and now the Batman series couldn’t get any hotter. Throw in an astounding performance from Heath Ledger, intense action, suspense and phenomenal acting, you have a superhero flick that tops the list.

Spider-Man II – Usually we’re not a big fan of sequels but along came Spider-Man II, the follow up to the hugely successful Spider-Man. We didn’t think it could get much better after the first one but Sam Raimi and the all-star cast opened up the story a bit, allowing for real, dramatic themes to pour in.

Other notables:

Batman Begins
Batman (1989)
Unbreakable
The Incredibles
X-Men

Please take a moment and tell us your vote for Top Superhero Movies of All Time by leaving a comment below.

Anne Leonard is at it again. The girl who brought us “The Story of Stuff” has released a new video, “The Story of Bottled Water.” The 8-minute video was released in honor of World Water Day tells of the bottled water industry’s slick environmental-themed campaigns and the mountains of needless plastic waste they produce.

I’m a recovering bottled water addict. I gave it up a couple of years ago when I heard that Americans spend $15 billion annually on bottled water while 1.1 Billion people globally don’t have access to clean drinking water. When one considers the cost differential and all of the studies showing that bottled water proves to be no cleaner, healthier, or tastier than tap water, there is really no reason to consume bottled water. Don’t be fooled by the pastoral scenes on the bottled water labels. These companies are fooling you into paying more for a product that’s already available to you for nearly nothing. I’m not legalistic and I haven’t become the bottled water police, but I opt for tap water these days and often carry a reusable bottle or thermos.

In my own spiritual walk, I’ve been trying to live more simply. Drive less, spend less, worry less, work less, waste less. Simplicity creates more time for friends, family, reading, reflecting, relaxing, and praying. As David Chronic writes, “Attaching to Jesus means detaching from the world and to simplicity of lifestyle. This is not simplicity for the sake of simplicity, but simplicity for the sake of relationship–relationship with God and relationship with each other.”

It doesn’t always work for me. Things still pile up and I still occasionally want to pull my hair out. I often catch myself neglecting my family and friends. Simplicity is hard, and I’ve got a long way to go. Reconsidering what we drink, however, is one easy way to spend less and create less trash. There is no way to calculate all the money or waste I’ve saved, but it’s significant. Take a look at the video above and begin rethinking your own drinking habits. Perhaps the first step toward a simpler life is as easy as H-2-O.

Do you regularly drink bottled water? How much do you consume / spend?
How important to you is saving money and reducing personal waste?
Is this something you’d miss if you gave it up?

I sat on the dry stubble and dirt, the traumatized and trembling earth, rocking back and forth in sobs. I was asking why, for a people with so many needs, for a people having such a passion for Christ, for the children just having received prayer for protection and provision, and for the children who, just hours ago, had celebrated the birth of Christ with their sponsors: why, why did this happen? My whole being was encompassed in deep anguish. Those around me were in stupor and unbelief, prayer, and tears. To have heard the sound of the earth growl and moan in its transition stage, to have seen the countryside “crack” and watch as the dust erupts skyward, all the while hearing the hysterical cries and wailing of the village peoples in unison, a crying out to the Lord, a crying out to the gods that could not promise “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Seven days earlier, I left Portland Airport at 6AM with anticipation, not fully knowing what this mission had in store for me in Grand Goave, Haiti, with Lifeline Christian Mission (LCM). There were six women in my group – my sister Cece Taylor and her friend Rosie Thompson along with Rosie’s daughter Cierra, and twin sisters Janna and Dee Peters. We felt that our jet’s “777” destination from Texas to Miami was significant.

Over the next number of days, meeting the numerous interpreters (all Haitian men-of-Christ that had been “sponsor children” themselves through LCM) left me in admiration for their gentle and compassionate nature. They had a great sense of humor, which I really enjoyed, and it was easy to converse with them. They were most eager to help in any capacity and they went out of their way to make our activities and programs run smoothly.

I was captivated by the women on “Women’s Day” with their passion for the Lord and dedication in worshiping and gathering with one another (some took two days to get to the compound and by no means was it in a comfortable vehicle). Their voices of praise, singing, and worship, the memorization of scripture, both the young and the old – they gathered for praise unto the Lord. In a country so different from what I am accustomed, we worshipped the same God, we sang the same songs. I found that there was no barrier between the two different cultures when Christ was the focus.

Memorization of an entire chapter of the Bible (by even the illiterate) was quite impressive. In addition, the Haitians could stand up in church service and just “belt it out” at the appropriate time, with many others reciting the same, in softer voices. The message from the Pastor was that of “Do you represent the Gospel” and do your “Words and Actions” reveal who you are in Christ? This emotive message was a good part of the three-hour service.

Haiti is about the size of Maryland and about two-thirds mountainous. The history of Haiti is not necessarily a pretty one. Revolutions, dictatorships, political turmoil, the AIDS epidemic causing a final collapse in the economy, poor infrastructure, and hurricanes only begin to paint a picture of a country where the people are oppressed – a look into the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

Roman Catholicism is the official religion of Haiti with voodooists believing that their religion can coexist with Catholicism. Otherwise, Voodoo is considered the country’s national religion. The Protestants, however, go up against voodooism and have brought Christianity into the county, bringing in not only the Word, but they have educated, fed, and cared for a people who would otherwise be struggling with malnutrition, severe poverty, rioting, disease, and peril.

Being on the cement roof of a two-story building during the 7.0 magnitude earthquake was sheer terror. It was a true miracle that the building did not collapse; the contortion of the building was ghastly, and yet it did not crack as I was riding on a wave of cement that heaved and rolled. I look at what the country of Haiti went through, a country that at its best is considered “poverty stricken” by our standards and what are “slums” to us could be its better parts of the country. To endure a disaster that they were very unfamiliar with, a cataclysm that tore their lives apart , a tragedy leaving them homeless, the heartache of losing loved ones and having loved ones injured or unaccounted for, is just so unfathomable.

The Reverend quickly goes from group to group as we are huddled out in the field, making sure we are okay and making sure that there are not any immediate needs amongst the women at LCM. His own village is in turmoil and despair. A young Haitian man is seen, arms heavenward, praising the Lord in Heaven. It is such an incomprehensible situation, yet these people know that God is in control, God is good. How much faith is that?

The evening was long. The village peoples poured into the grounds of LCM (all the walls around the compound had come down). The tremors continued. With each tremor, the cry of the peoples increased. What rose above all else was “Jesus, Jesus.” There were believers and unbelievers that walked onto the compound. They came in not knowing what was happening, but knowing that they were in a “safe” place. And through the night, they continued to pour in, families all huddled together on the ground, some crying, some praising God, some voodooist reaching out for that which was unattainable through their veneration. A baby was born. There were reports of fatalities. The wounded were starting to come in – gruesome doesn’t quite cover what was seen and heard. The night was long and sickening, with the unknown awaiting all.

Light of a new day brought perspective to some, reality to others, but mostly fear to the Haitians. We went out amongst the hundreds of people encamped in the field, along with some of the interpreters, and prayed with and for the Haitians. It was a very hot day, but we cried together; we held each other. We could not immediately fix anything, but offering hope and loving on them was imperative in knowing that we were all in God’s hands. We prayed with those that had lost loved ones, we prayed over those that were injured, we prayed over those that had missing family members, we prayed for provision, hope, and healing. We gave out clothing for those that were in need (LCM has a clothing closet to provide clothing on a very regular basis). We cared for the wounded (LCM has a medical clinic), although the medical supplies were very limited and the injuries were great. More babies were delivered; more information came in reporting the loss of loved ones and severe injuries. Moreover, through it all I felt so broken, so empty, knowing that I endured this quake without a scratch or a bruise or having lost a loved one. I had food and water; I had a home to go to.

The devotionals that had been planned out for our week at the compound, months before we ever went, were focused on God’s protection and provision. Little did any of us know that, at the beginning of the week, we would refer to each one of them and, in wonderment, exclaim that we were being prepared in a mighty way.

The night following the quake, there was the most beautiful and incredible worship service under the stars in Grand Goave, Haiti that was heard for miles. The Christian Haitians sang out to a mighty God, and I walked amongst these people, singing in English as they sang in Creole. There was such a peace about it, even though the earth trembled and the buildings still shook. As I lay outdoors for the night with a large number of other women, encamped in the yard, I would sometimes fall asleep, only to awaken to the beauty of the praise.

Through the nights, the Christian Haitian interpreters were protective, very attentive, in prayer, and made sure we were all right. One such man would always come up and ask, “Are you okay, my sister?” When I awoke the morning (2:30 AM) that we were to leave, they were all together in prayer for us, praying for our safety, as the roads we were about to embark upon were dangerous, roads of uncertainty due to bridges that were damaged, roads that had split from the quake, and roads where we could be ambushed. They broke out in song where you could just feel the spirit moving, and before we loaded the bus, they went from one to another of us, hugging and praying for us.

I look at the amount of faith that these Christian Haitians have. I went into a county that is poor, so deprived, and very underprivileged. Yet they are richer than most of us ever will be. I look at a people who have so little, yet the simplicity of their lives and their need for provision and protection allow them to seek God in great measure. They know who their creator is; they know from whence all blessings come; they know that God is in control. One such interpreter likened LCM in this manner – “God used Lifeline as he used Joseph” – God had brought this ministry to Grand Goave to prepare them for what was coming, to bring in provisions for their peoples, and to help guide them in their walk with Christ in a country that is so full of corruption and iniquity.

Since the quake, LCM has been able to bring in help, and along with the US Military, have handed out thousands and thousands of meals and have played a big role in the medical care of the people in the village and outlying areas, and have started cleanup of destroyed homes. A recent report that I received from Gretchen DeVoe, Lifeline Christian Mission Co-founder (the first part of February) was full of promise and hope. She states: God is sovereign and He is doing something here in Haiti! The spiritual presence of our Lord can be seen and felt in every bit of energy that is expended by His people. And the eyes of the people of Haiti are on His mighty works.

Haiti needs our prayers, our help. Haiti is facing some very big challenges. But things are shaking in Haiti, not just from aftershocks. People are coming to Christ. There have been a great number of baptisms. The Haitian President declared the weekend of February 12th, 13th, and 14th as “days for prayer and fasting.” People are turning to God for their needs. God is in control, and with God, all things are possible. Matthew 19:26 But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Article by Grace Fudge. If you would like to contact the author, please email info@rethinkmonthly.com and the message will be forwarded. Image by Vanessa Farnell.

“Unless someone like you cares a whole, awful lot, things aren’t going to get better. They’re NOT!” Dr. Seuss, The Lorax

From a young age, Dr. Seuss taught many of us that it takes an extraordinary effort to affect change for the better. In the book, children are encouraged to deeply care because if they will not, things will not get better. This is a profound lesson that Dr. Seuss teaches us.

What does it mean to care a whole, awful lot about something? If I care this much, is my effort going to affect change for good? Can I really make a difference?

In Fall of 2009, the Youth Pastors at Salem Alliance Church in Salem, Oregon challenged the high school and middle school students to come up with a way to help solve an issue in the Salem-Keizer area. The idea was to find a way to be Jesus with skin to the area – that this would both teach students how to be loved and how to love others through the love of Jesus. After all of the ideas came in, the youth groups would then vote on the best idea- the idea that they would actually help out with.

West Salem High School senior Whitney Ferrin, an attendee of the high school group at Salem Alliance decided to take this challenge to heart. Whitney researched the Salem-Keizer area to find a problem that was waiting desperately for a solution.

Her findings? Disheartening. Whitney learned that there were 900 homeless students in the Salem-Keizer School District during the 2008-2009 school year. The magnitude of this statistic is astonishing.

Whitney teamed up with Paula Hoffart, one of the Youth Pastors at Salem Alliance, to figure out how to help these students. The idea that they came up with is to sell t-shirts.

“We wanted to sell a t-shirt that we would actually want to wear,” says Ferrin, “When the Give A Shirt idea came up, we both said, ‘I’d wear that!’”

An edgy name gets people talking. Try wearing one of their shirts around town. People interact with you in ways you would never expect.

After the youth groups voted for Whitney’s idea, the production of shirts began. The rest is history. In the past 3 months, Give A Shirt has sold over 1,000 shirts at schools, festival booths, and on www.igiveashirt.org.

From the start, Whitney wanted to help the students get clothing. She found that students were harassed and made fun of at school for clothing and hygiene issues.

Homeless students have so many factors distracting from their education. Getting to school can sometimes be last priority for these students because of life’s other issues.

“If I was made fun of at school for reasons that were beyond my control, I wouldn’t want to go either,” says Whitney, “We want to help these students be able to rise out of the situation they are in.”

Since education is distracted for the homeless students, Whitney decided she wanted to try to eliminate as many of those elements as possible.

Give A Shirt partners with a contact at the Salem-Keizer School District in order to fill needs that other social programs cannot fill adequately, allowing the students to get back in the classroom and continue their education.

Once each quarter, the homeless students are invited to a party where they can get free medical attention, hang out, play Wii, eat lunch, and sign up for field trips to go shopping for new clothes that they will enjoy wearing.

When a middle-school homeless student was told that she would get to go shopping for new clothes, her face lit up. She was amazed that somebody would want to help her. Later in the day, at lunchtime, another girl mentioned that she hadn’t eaten in two days.

In Matthew 25: 34-36, while sitting on the Mount of Olives, Christ says:

“Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’”

Whitney says that the proceeds of t-shirt sales help Give A Shirt accomplish their mission statement: “Give Hope, Restore Dignity.”

“Succeeding is getting the students clothes,” says Whitney, “We have already succeeded, but we must continue to succeed. It’s a big deal. Kids need to be able to see people who care about them.”

Some people have dreamt of Give A Shirt expanding and franchising to other areas with similar needs. When asked about this, Whitney smiled.

“That would be awesome and completely affirming of what we are doing here in Salem,” acknowledged Whitney, “But we need to fill areas of great need in each community. That might not be homelessness somewhere else.”

Caring a “whole, awful lot” is hard to do in a culture that constantly blurs the lines between needs and wants. The homeless students in Salem are struggling to even satisfy their basic needs.

Give A Shirt has a wise founder. She understands what Christ was talking about in Matthew 25 about serving those who have needs. She heard the message that Dr. Seuss teaches in The Lorax. She is leading a large group of people to affect change for a group of homeless students in great need.

Give A Shirt is helping students in the Salem-Keizer School District, and the organization’s influence is growing rapidly in Salem, Oregon.

There remains a question that needs to be answered. What are the great needs that need to be filled in your area? Will you Give A Shirt?