I put together a new family budget recently. I included a cell on the spreadsheet for monthly giving to remind myself to make regular giving a habit. My wife and I discussed where we should target monthly giving. For now, we came up with St Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the ASPCA.
Truth be told, I didn’t put much thought into the decision to donate to St Jude or the ASPCA, specifically. They were suggested by my wife, and I went along with her suggestion. Of course St Jude and the ASPCA are fine organizations, but what was important to me at this point was beginning to systematically give. I didn’t want to get trapped in pondering where to give…and in the meantime not give regularly. I imagine developing the habit of giving is like developing the habit of writing or exercise or saving…and so on. The most important thing is to start and then to keep at it on a regular basis! Make it a part of your life, and see where it goes.
P. Gustav Mueller, author of The Present