the thought that counts??????????

i went to donate blood today. i couldn't give because i have been out of the country in the past three years. (haiti, last november.) such a bummer. i love donating blood, makes me feel like i'm doing something for mankind! oh well, i guess in this case, the "thought that counts" doesn't really count. i mean, no one in dire need of a blood transfusion is going to be lying there thinking "oh if only someone *thought* about giving blood but couldn't, that would make things all better." no, in many cases, the "thought" DOES NOT count.

like for instance. when you THINK about doing something nice for someone but realize you're just too busy. or when you THINK about holding the door open for an elderly person, but are in too much of a hurry to wait for their slow-selves to get to the door. OR when you think about donating money, even $5 for starving ethiopian Christians, or texting $10 for haiti and/or japan relief..but don't do it because you think everyone else is and what use is your $5 really going to do? how about when you think about praying with your spouse, or praying FOR someone, but figure it can wait?

what about those times? do those *thoughts* count? i think not. and neither do you if you're really honest with yourself.

what about thinking that you'll do what God has called you to do, but you wait so long that you see He has called someone else to do it instead, and you figure you're off the hook. when you die, and  you stand before your Creator, the Magnificent One, will you dare dwell in His presence and say "i thought about doing it." ? or would you RATHER be saying, "i did it. i thought about it, and i did it."

because THOSE thoughts that are COMPLETED through actions out of a manifestation of loving others and helping the human race, those thoughts are the ones that count.