Celebrating My Birthday ODW Style...

Hi, my name is Bill and I am 40.

I feel like there needs to be a 12-Step Program for this. I am in the denial phase right now, so I just thought I would put my issues out there.

Seriously... I am feeling really good about turning 40. I'm embracing this passage into my 5th decade of life with a lot of anticipation. I'll share some personal reflections on that coming up in the next few days.

In the meantime I want to celebrate my birthday ODW Style...

ODW stands for One Day's Wages - a new non-profit organization just launched this year by Eugene Cho and his wife, Minhee, from Seatttle, WA - who have been an incredible inspiration to me through their dedication and commitment to the work they are doing.

This risk-taking couple was inspired to start ODW after traveling and seeing for themselves the disparity in the world. They are driven by the belief that we have the capacity to end extreme global poverty.

ODW is an international grassroots movement dedicated to ending extreme global poverty. ODW promotes awareness, invites giving, and supports sustainable relief through partnerships, especially with smaller organizations in developing regions. Our vision is to change global issues ofinjustice affecting millions of people, regardless of race, culture, sex, age, or religion.

ODW inspires people around the world to simply donate one day’s wages, or any amount you wish to invest; and to renew that pledge monthly, quarterly or yearly on their birthdays.

Today, on my 40th birthday, I am giving one day's wages (1/365th or .04% of my income) to help ODW make an impact in the world.

One of the organizations that ODW is in partnership with is Not For Sale - a group that fights sex trafficking in places like Nepal (where my daughter Miyah is from). So, when you give to ODW you are making a huge impact in the world by helping to do vital work - like rescuing young girls from being sold into the commercial sex trade.

You have to check out the amazing work of One Day's Wages.... and consider giving one of your day's wages on your birthday this year!

The Movement of One Day's Wages from One Day's Wages on Vimeo.

Bono's Non-Top Ten... For The Next Ten

Bono has become a regular guest columnist for the NY Times Op-Ed section much to the chagrin of journalists like Sara Libby.

In this column, Ten for the Next Ten, he presents a list of ten things we should be looking ahead to in the coming decade. Somehow he gets away with this after starting the piece pointing out how much we overindulge in top ten lists.

In most of the points in his list he hits home with things that really matter in the world. The most poignant of which I believe is: "People Power and the Upside-Down Pyramid". In this 7th item in Bono's "Non-Top Ten", he points out that the pyramid of power is bring turned upside-down:

"A lot of us have seen or lived the organizational chart of the last century, in which power and influence (whether possessed by church, state or corporation) are concentrated in the uppermost point of the pyramid and pressure is exerted downward. But in this new century, and especially in some parts of the developing world, the pyramid is being inverted. Much has been written about the profits to be made at the bottom of the pyramid; less has been said about the political power there. Increasingly, the masses are sitting at the top, and their weight, via cellphones, the Web and the civil society and democracy these technologies can promote, is being felt by those who have traditionally held power. Today, the weight bears down harder when the few are corrupt or fail to deliver on the promises that earned them authority in the first place."

I believe we will increasingly see this concept prove to be true in the decade we have just entered. I think this is meant to be.

"For he who is least among you all—he is the greatest." - Jesus (Luke 9:48)

What do you think are some of the most important things that need to happen in the world over the next ten years?

2010: Big Year For The Cummings Clan

A few months ago Cherie and I were talking about how Ben and Alex would be graduating high school and going to college in the next year. As we talked about that it hit us that 2010 would include some big milestones for our family... and a lot of them.

All of these milestones are good things, but as we realized how much will be happening I think we began to prepare ourselves for the emotional roller-coaster to come. It all starts in a couple days and just keeps going from there:

January 4: I turn 40 (I'll be blogging more about that this week)

March 13: Ben & Alex turn 18

May 11: Cherie turns 40

June 10: Ben & Alex graduate from high school

Mid-August: Ben & Alex start college

August 25: Cherie & I celebrate 20 years of marriage

September 7: Miyah turns 5

Life will be changing for everyone in our house a lot this year and I think my sister put it best in a comment on my Facebook wall:

"What a year it will be! Shall I send you a supply of kleenex to have on hand?"

Let the roller-coaster ride begin.... and by the grace of God we'll take it one big day at a time!