bewildered by grace

So some of my Facebook friends have cartoon characters for profile pictures right now. I will be honest, my first thought was similar the reaction I give when I receive spam. "Some dying child wants this forwarded..." ad nauseum. But then I thought about it. I know a bunch of guys who took part in Movember. I had to have that explained to me. Mo-what? Why? For your prostate? I don't get it. How does skeazy facial hair raise awareness? Not that I want to see something more, um, closely related to the subject at hand. I don't. Get your prostate checked. Shave. ALL good advice.

More than a few of my Facebook friends think the cartoon characters are stupid and their profiles say so. I'm of two minds. Aw, who am I kidding. I'm not even of one whole mind. Ahem. So here's what I think: My profile picture as Piglet does not RAISE awareness, nor does it in any way prevent child abuse. However, what it is, is an outward symbol that I, Melanie, possessing about a half a mind, do not believe that the emotional, physical, mental, or sexual abuse of a child is okay, and I will DO SOMETHING regarding that. I have and will use my time, my money, my effort, and my prayers to that effect. I believe in the cause of the oppressed, and I am a defender of children. Just ask the boy whose lip I split on a water fountain in fifth grade because he was torturing a handicapped girl in the hallway. I got sent to the principal's office. My mother took me out for lunch and told me she couldn't have been more proud.

Wearing red after the hurricane hit Haiti didn't help the Haitian people one little bit. But the money I raised did, and I wore red to show that I was a supporter of the Haitian people in their hour of need. I believe that women should be checked for preventable and treatable cancer and thus posted the color of my bra last year. It was the oh-so-stylish lingerie of a new mom. Nursing bra. Bigger than one would EVER want to wear. Beige. Like your Gramma's carpet. But I have gotten checked, and told others to do so, and offered to go with them if they need a hand to hold.

This is NOT to toot my own horn. I have a couple of charities that I REALLY love and I give to them regularly and on tight months, not at all. But I'm a big believer in actions speaking louder than words. Or a Piglet profile pic.