Unleash Your Superhero!

Moving was a big part of my growing up. I spent my early years in Japan and Italy, so I missed out on much of the typical American "kid stuff," and especially the TV scene. However, I did have an older brother who somehow managed to find "Mighty Mouse" cartoons. And I have to say, Mighty Mouse made a mighty big impression on me! Maybe it was the fact that he was a singing mouse who belted out in his huge, operatic voice: "Here I come to save the day!" Or that he was lavished with hugs and kisses from the grateful population of Mouseville, when they were rescued from yet another disaster. I was a huge fan.

Each cartoon consisted of a crisis, which needed extraordinary, 'super power' help to resolve. Then, just in the nick of  time,  Mighty Mouse would appear and "save the day." He seemed to always find those who needed help.

I want to speak to the superhero in you! You may not possess 'super powers,' but you do possess the power to bring extraordinary help to someone in need.

The second line to the "Mighty Mouse" theme song is: "When there's a wrong to right, Mighty Mouse will join the fight!" I believe that when you 'join the fight,' you actually find new strength. 

Earlier this year, my hubby and I jumped in to help our friends, Bob and Jayne Farrell. When Nashville flooded, they lost their home and everything in it. We were compelled to help. The fascinating thing is that we did what we normally could not do, or would not do, for ourselves. We felt empowered to 'fight' on behalf of the Farrells. We made phone calls, wrote letters to ask for help, created a video, sang in a benefit concert with some artist 'heavyweights.' Normally, I would shrink back and think, "I can't do that!" But because it was for someone else - someone who needed my help - I found the strength or 'power' to do what I normally cannot do.

Lately, I've been contemplating how artists who find a 'cause' to represent seem to move mountains, reach higher, have more energy and inadvertently draw more attention to their art.

So, I'm "Calling All Supehero Candidates!"  It's a call to artists everywhere: Find a cause that you can get passionate about, then use your art to promote it, raise funds and give to it.

Some of you may be thinking, "Well, I'd love to do that, but I'm a 'starving' artist and I can barely feed my own family." You are the ones I'm especially talking to. When you are in a bind, the most productive thing you can do is to find someone who's needs are greater and give to them.

It will take some time to consider the options and catch a vision.  But if you ask God to put a specific people group, a segment of society, a school, an orphanage, or someone who is less fortunate, on your heart, He will lead you to them. You can then write a song, take photos, or create a painting.  Whatever your art form is, use it to serve - and to raise funds for - your cause. Believe for enough to provide for your needs, then to overflow to give to your cause.

I recently met Zig Ziglar and his famous quote comes to mind: "You will get all you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want."  I believe this is true. It's not that we should give in order to get, but in giving, we can't help but receive!

So, what do all you 'superheroes-in-training' think? Tell me . . .  Are you ready to "save the day" for someone who needs your help?