IF YOU'RE NOT GIVING, YOU'RE NOT LIVING.

Dear SoupFriends,

Greetings from the SoupMan!

My wife Shana often says, "if you're not giving, you're not living." I believe there is a lot of truth in that statement. This Thanksgiving I was privileged to join a group of 25 loving, passionate, committed volunteers who helped prepare and serve more than 500 Thanksgiving Dinners to the homeless in the Dallas area.

When most people think of Thanksgiving they think of what they are thankful for. Many families have a tradition of everyone at the table telling what they are thankful for before they eat their Thanksgiving meal. I think that's nice but I don't really think that's the true spirit of Thanksgiving. We need only to look at the second part of the word Thanksgiving to get a glimpse into what its all about. Yes, the 'giving' part of the word.

I believe the real spirit of Thanksgiving is giving of ourselves to help others. To take it a step further, I believe the real spirit of life is giving of ourselves to help others. I've lived my life both ways. Back in my younger days Thanksgiving was all about me. My wants, my needs, me--me--me! Looking back it wasn't a very satisfying or fulfilling holiday.In fact life itself wasn't very satisfying when it was all about me.

This year I was blessed to work shoulder to shoulder with those 25 volunteers serving Thanksgiving dinner to the homeless in the Dallas area, I felt a total sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. What was the difference? We weren't doing it for ourselves, we were doing it for those in need. And the more we gave the more we got. Each meal given to a homeless person was a gift to ourselves. Our hearts were filled with love, tenderness and joy as we served the ones Jesus called the 'least of these.' We were 'giving' and oh how wonderfully we were 'living.'

I don't know how you spent your Thanksgiving this year but the day is over and won't be back for 12 long months. So if you missed the 'giving' part of the day, I'm going to give you a second chance at the brass ring. A second chance to experience the same love, same tenderness and same joy that will fill your own heart by 'giving.'

That second chance is Christmas 2010. The SoupMobile will be celebrating its 6th Annual Celebrate Jesus Christmas event. We will be 'giving' a magical Christmas to the homeless in the Dallas area. Would you like to be part of a 'giving' Christmas! Would you like to help the less fortunate! Would you like for your own heart to be filled with the joy that can only be received by 'giving.' For more details on how to volunteer at the SoupMobile this Christmas, go to www.soupmobile.org and click on CELEBRATE JESUS.

Remember, if you're not giving, you're not living!

May the Lord bless and keep you all.

Signed, David Timothy, a.k.a. The SoupMan