Today Is: 25 in Change: Day 8

"If you don't like the world the way it is, change it -- one step at a time. Be prepared for how long change might take and how hard it will sometimes be."

-- Marian Wright Edelmen

"Look deeper into the actions you take and the truths you take for granted. Ask why and then ask why again." --Walter Mosley

Day 8 has come and I've been thinking a lot about the difference that we are making, wondering aside from the numbers of children that our supporters have helped feed, have we made a difference? Have I done all that I am capable of doing to ensure that none of the 25 advocates have to go hungry, in turn helping more children have access to food? What is it that I want people to know? That I am hungry or that there are millions of children all over the world, many here in our own country, that face starvation day in and day out? It's hard to remember that change is occurring when you cannot see the consequences first hand, but I believe that what the 25 advocates are doing and all of our supporters are pledging to do is making a difference, even if it takes time, I believe it will be worth the wait.

We are living in an era where waiting is a thing of the past. We expect answers as quickly as we asked them, or responses immediately after our invitations were sent. With such rapid technology allowing everything to be given almost as easily as hitting the Easy button, it seems that every aspect or our lives should be just as quick to respond and as easily maneuverable. However, time and time again, I am reminded that this is not the way that life works. Life seems to be on it's own time clock. Coming and going as it pleases, starting and ending with whomever it sees fit. Life stops for no one, and it never rushes to meet your schedule or follow your to-do lists. Life has it's own set of rules and it never seems to make exceptions. I must remind myself of this often, as I tend to dream big dreams believing that change is possible overnight, more often than not though I find myself waking up to the consistency of the day before and wondering, "What did I do wrong? How could I have failed?" Sometimes, the answers do come at me immediately, 'You didn't do anything to make that dream a reality", while other times, it seems that my dream and reality just weren't aligned leaving me with the dreaded feeling of failure. And this is where I must remember, life takes time and time isn't on my watch. Instead of letting the hand stop at failure, allow your mind and your soul to sit peacefully as those hands make their way around the clock to that time called opportunity. When it arrives, I hope you know, it's just on schedule.

"If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk; crawl, but by all means keep moving." -- Martin Luther King Jr.

"God has called us to active duty. When we sense His prompting to help someone, we should be willing to say, 'I believe God wants me to help you.'"

-- Julie Ackerman Link

Today Is: 25 in Change: Day 7

"What we do in life echoes an eternity." -- Marcus Aurelius Gladiator


"God has called us to active duty. (1 John 3:18) When we sense His prompting to help someone, we should be willing to say, 'I believe God wants me to help you.'"

-- Julie Ackerman Link

A hero is defined as: a person admired for their achievements and noble qualities


The people that are listed below are heroes to me and to so many others as they have helped fight the fight against world hunger by donating $25 dollars in support of my efforts with www.25inchange.org. It is because of these wonderful people that myself and 24 other advocates have been able to eat along with many children across the globe. With each one of their contributions they helped feed 100 children. Thank you again to all of you for your love, your support and most of all for your compassion to end world hunger! You are amazing! You helped raise $375 towards our goal of $187,500.



Erica Montgomery
Kaitlyn Herbert
Anne Bliss
Nicole Jui
Laura Peters
Charles MacDonald
Lisa Bucci
Katy Stewart
Betsy Phillips
Alicia Ready
Gayle Kilker
Brian Brito
Kristine  Solis
Joyce Swanson
Jodi Schanil




"The miracle of gratitude is that it shifts your perception to such an extent that it changes the world you see." -- Dr. Robert Holden


"Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world." -- Barack Obama

Today Is: 25 in Change: Day 6

"...Make your mantra--I do not want what I desire. This is not where happiness is found. When you feel yourself desiring something, the quicker you can let it go, the better. The sooner you'll get a rush of bliss.

Realize that you are not the one doing the desiring. It's the mind. And you are not the mind. You lie behind the mind.

The more you notice your desires the better! Now that you have the key, all those desires are opportunities to let bliss come rushing in. By letting go consciously of the desires, you feel an immediate lightness." Sheila Hageman.

As I sat holding my nephew my mind never wandered to my stomach, or to my hunger pains, I was totally enamored by the precious little gift that lay sleeping in my arms, rested against my chest. With each small breath that escaped from his mouth, I could feel my heart warm with excitement as my smile grew larger. This little 7lb boy has been the greatest gift and today I am so grateful for his presence and for his joy, as he has helped my mind understand the true desires of my heart; which have nothing to do with being full on food, but more so being full with love. 


"Love is an aspect of being and when you act from being, the power you draw on is limitless because it comes from the source." -- Deepak Chopra

"This part of my life, this little part is called, happiness." -- The Pursuit of Happiness

Today Is: 25 in Change: Day 5

"Imagine what will happen if each of us decides to reach just a little bit higher, to try just a little bit harder, to care just a little bit more. That's the power of one." -- Gil Atkinson


"All of you reading these words have loved someone, have done someone a kindness, have healed a wound, have taken on a challenge, have created something beautiful, and have enjoyed breathing the air of existence. Every moment you make a difference." -- Random Acts of Kindness

Today is Day 5 of 25 and I want to take today to shout out to the other 24 advocates who are taking on hunger with me. As I continue to post, this has been a challenge, day two seeming to be the hardest for me so far, but I know that if it were not for my other 24 advocates I wouldn't have been able to make it to day 5. I know that sounds selfish, not able to give up food for all those who don't have food on a normal basis but it has been much more difficult than I would have figured for. I was preparing to be hungry, but I was obviously very naive as  I wasn't prepared to have the hunger pains or be painfully craving foods. Believe me, there have been moments of weakness that I have been more than tempted to eat a slice of cheese, chomp on an almond, or give in altogether and eat a slice of greasy, pepperoni topped, cheesy pizza, but each time I become overly tempted, I think of the all the wonderful people who have donated to the cause and walk alongside us as we fight for this cause. Each time I am tempted, I think of the children who have to fight for their lives on a daily basis as they make the fight against hunger, but the thing right now that has really kept me going is the other 24 people that I am on this journey with. Because of all of them, I have stuck to the rice and beans and will continue the fight, not only for the 20 more days but until we can find a way to make hunger a thing of history!

Check out my fellow advocates at  http://25inchange.org/advocates/

"I am a product of the beautiful people who have come into my life." -- RAF

"Endure what life dishes out. Learn all you can. Count your blessings. Never give up. Keep growing in the Lord." -- Francine Rivers Her Daughters Dream


"...So get out there and start inspiring people with who you are and how you live your life." -- unknown

Today Is: 25 in Change: Day 4

"He who has a why to live can bear almost any how." -- Friedrich Nietzsche

 "The Lord calls us not only to leave the status quo, but also to take that calling seriously by following him." --David McCasland

Day 4 I find myself on a crowded flight out to Boston, MA for a special trip to visit my newest and most favorite nephew (my sister keeps reminding me, he's my only nephew... technicalities I say) As I pack my bags, I also grudgingly pack my rice and beans, prepping for morning and afternoon meals. After I have made it through security and settled in at my gate, I begin to dig into my morning feast. One bite and I'm not only totally unsatisfied but I find myself resisting with everything that I have... Resisting this meal, resisting this change, resisting this feeling of anger. In my state of resistance I close the lid, slide the meal back into my bag, and turn my mind to other issues closing off my hungry state. It isn't until we are midway through the flight that I am reminded of this challenge. I awake from my slumber to see the man across the aisle enjoying a sandwich, while those in front of me discuss chips or chocolate. My sudden gut reaction is, I'm so hungry, and then it turns to anger, which might have stemmed from jealousy. These past four days have not only messed with my stomach but also with my mind; terribly in some ways, but others are good. This challenge has made me so much more aware of the gifts that we are given by the choices we have to food, portions, and choice in general. As I listen to people discussing food like it's a right, I become aware of how I have treated food like this as well. Eating what I want, when I want it. After I arrive at my sisters house, she cooks me the best meal of rice and beans that I have had yet, and she even shares in this meal with me. (If she didn't have to feed her newborn son, she would be partaking in this challenge while I was out here) I know that the rice cooker helped the delightfulness of this meal but sharing in this with my dear sister also made the meal the best I've had yet. Being out in Boston seemed to be just what I needed to help keep my mind off of the hunger pains; that was until the family and I went out to dinner last night to a deliciously looking and smelling Italian restaurant. As we sat down to dinner, I was overwhelmed with guilt and sadness... Guilt that I was not ordering, guilt that my family felt guilty eating in front of me, and saddened that I could not partake in any of the fantastic food that lay before me. Our waiter playfully kept questioning why I was not eating anything, and my Dad told him about 25 in Change. "Wow! That's so admirable" he said in his Italian accent. "If you make it through the 25 days, you come back here and I'll pay for your meal" he said. He later when on to tell us that he has two young children of his own and he cannot imagine... He was so supportive of the cause and reminded me, yet once again, why I am fighting for this cause. For all those children all over the world who are fighting for the live's as they fight world hunger! As we were leaving the restaurant he said, 'So I'll see you back here in 25 days?' 'You'll see me back and you'll owe me dinner,' I responded, 'I am going to make it through the 25 days for the children, for the cause, and for the 24 other advocates who fight alongside me!'

Want to get involved? www.25inchange.org

"My mission is to inspire and be inspired. Inspiration is the word of my mission... On my best days, inspiration expresses itself through all my choices." -- Mary Anne Radmacher Live Boldly

Today Is: 25 in Change: Day 3

"You are the representation of God in your life." -- Iyanla Vanzant

"Life is a gift. Everyday you have another opportunity to make a difference." -- Carl David

Well we've made it through day three and I have to say that although I seemed to have more hunger pains yesterday, I realized how hungry I was today! I haven't eaten much over the past three days; we are supposed to be eating 8oz of rice and 4oz of beans for each meal, however the rice is so bland and dry and I have a hard time swallowing it and on a normal basis I have difficulties stomaching beans. So over the past three days I think I've eaten probably 12oz of food total. As I was talking to a dear friend this evening, she asked me how it was going, "Terrible" I replied. I went on to tell her that you cannot add any spices, sauces, or really any flavoring to this 12oz meal, so water has become my saving grace. She was astonished, she said she knew it was not going to be difficult but not having any flavoring... yuck! We talked about the struggles that I have faced in the past three days and then discussed what this must be like for children on a regular basis. Fatigue, headaches, weight loss, etc... No child should ever have to experience going hungry which is why I feel so blessed to be a part of this revolution to make ending world hunger a forefront issue. I have been amazed how much these 3 days have affected me, but what is even more amazing is the wonderful power of God and how he is working to get so many to sponsor us in this journey! Just received an e-mail that we have provided nearly 70,000 meals to children and are nearly 1/3 of the way to our goal. There is no other way to say that this is a God given miracle! I hope that people continue to get involved at www.25inchange.org and I hope that all of you that have sponsored an advocate know how much you and your generous heart mean to all the advocates and all the children across the world who would otherwise be starving. Let me not forget to thank all of those too who have been so supportive of me and the other advocates on this journey! I will be the first to admit, this is much more of a challenge than I was expecting and I know I could not go on if it were not for the other 24 advocates who are sharing in this fight with me, and all of those wonderful people who continue to support both financially and mentally! I love you all now let's get out there and change the world!

"Whoever saves a life saves the world entire..." --unknown

"Empathy is a quality of character that can change the world." -- Barack Obama

Today Is: 25 In Change: Day 2

"You give little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give." 

-- Kahil Gibran

• Exhausted
• Hungry
• Headache
• Cold
• Grumpy
• Dreaming of food

Just a few of the symptoms I'm experiencing and it's only day 2!

God give me and my fellow advocates the strength to continue forward, and allow us to be your hands, feet and voice to all those who experience this and worse on a daily basis!

Please don't forget about why we're doing this... We cannot do this alone, we need your help! www.25inchange.org, click on any one of the advocates and give a meal for 101 people today and help end world hunger!

"What you do speaks so loudly that I cannot hear what you say." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Today Is: Twenty Five In Change: Day 1

"We can make a change if we put in the work." 

-- Tracy Morgan "I Am The New Black"

"If you know something must change, then you know it is you who must change it." 

-- Fierce Conversations

As I waited in line at airport security in Arizona, the anticipation was building; my previously cooked,  beans and rice-in-a-bag, that were frozen this morning (unknown to me) were packed in my suitcase waiting for me to experience the first day of this radical change in both my diet and my mindset. As I settled in at my gate, I unzipped my carry on and pulled out my first meal. Bite one… a little dry, bland, at least it’s all thawed out; it’s not so bad, I thought to myself! Bite 2, still dry, still no taste, and much worse than bite one. Bite 3, I’m beginning to wonder how I am going to do this for 25 days 3 times a day. Spoonful 4 goes in and I can no longer chew and swallow on my own. I take a large gulp of fresh water and swirl it around, hoping to move the contents from my mouth to my stomach… After those few bites my mind goes to the children; this is what they eat every day? I can barely stomach 4 spoonfuls of this and I am feeling full. I’m feeling both sympathetic and panged by guilt as I think about the abundance and exotic different foods that I have a choice to on a daily basis. My mind shifts from being hungry for food to starving for affection. 25 days eating beans and rice is going to be a lot harder than I anticipated not only because of what I am eating but because of what I am feeling. I must remember that  with these 25 days, and these 25 advocates we are helping bring awareness and providing meals to many who would otherwise go without. This team of 25 is hoping to raise enough money to provide 187,500 meals to starving children worldwide. Each time someone gives $25, 100 children receive a meal and an advocate gets to eat their rice and beans meal portion. We don't eat until you give nor do the children. So please help us help them by getting involved and becoming an advocate for change! Follow me on Twitter @BucciAcb1884 and check out the 25 in Change website at www.25inchange.org

Together we can make a difference

Choose any one of the advocates to donate to and you'll be part of the 25 in Change revolution!
http://25inchange.org/category/advocates/the-first-25/
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Driving home from the airport I had a moment and I knew I must include it in today's post... That little voice inside my soul whispered, as it so often does, and helped me realize that this opportunity is going to bring me much closer to my God. As my stomach grumbled, I knew then that I will have to find my fulfillment and my strength in God... these next 25 days are not going to be easy, but like they say... Nothing worthwhile ever comes easy! I thank God for this opportunity and I pray that he makes my cup overflow with abundance for his love and his desire to bring joy to all.


"It's not about where we want to go, it's about where God wants to take us." -- Dary Northrup


"Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So spread your love everywhere you go." -- Mother Teresa

Today Is: Stop At Nothing Day

"We are not just studying human history we are shaping it." -- Kony 2012

"Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come." -- Kony 2012

As he wept, I wept, although our tears may fall from different places, we cry for the same thing… Justice! "Who is Joseph Kony?" she asked. "Is he a good guy or a bad guy?" I responded honestly, "Who am I to say if  he's a good guy or a bad guy, I don't know enough about him." That was before I attended a viewing of this video on Tuesday night. This made my heart ache and my blood boil. How could we be in this situation? How could we have let this type of cold-blooded murder occur for 20 years without doing anything? How could so many of us, including myself, not know who Joesph Kony is? HOW? Our television screens are filled with "more important" news like who is dating whom, fashion no-no's and other such feel good news, I hope that one day we'll know about these things before it's too late. "No government party... would do enough because it's simply not an important enough issue on the radar screen of American Foreign Policy." Rewind, did he say that it is not an important enough issue... children are getting murdered, raped, and slaughtered by members of their own family, however because it doesn't affect us directly here in America this suddenly is deemed unimportant! WOW! 

That all was until a group of young people decided that this could no longer happen and they began to take action. "A bunch of little's can make a big difference." As he says in the film, "Where you live shouldn't determine if you live." We were all created by the same maker, whom I refer to as God. Needless to say, whatever your belief, I hope that you will agree that no matter who you are or where you live should not determine your chance to life. My hope is that you will view this 27 minute video and join the movement to STOP AT NOTHING! Because as they said in the film, if we fail, this is not just bad for the people of Uganda, this is bad for the world. What kind of world would we be if we just continued to turn our backs. We must do something. I hope you're with me. Help make Kony world news so we stop asking, "WHO IS JOSEPH KONY? and start teaching about "WHO WAS JOSEPH KONY?"

"Live a life that demands explanation." -- unknown

"The world is more malleable than you think, and it's waiting for you to hammer it into shape." 

-- Bono

Today Is: 6 Words and More Day

"Start on your dreams, your impulses, your longings, your special occasions today. Because this is your moment..." -- Mary Anne Radmacher Live Boldly

"In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different" -- Coco Chanel

 If you read my post "6 Words or Less" you saw that my Hemingway inspired 6 word bio was created in less than six seconds. (That's record timing for my writing also the shortest thing you'll probably ever see me write) It reads:

"Defying status quo: DREAMING BIGGER!"

I make note that this only took me six seconds for two reasons, that's Usain Bolt speed in writing comparison for me, and I thought I was going to have to contemplate over those 6 words forever, but they came to me immediately, it was like they spoke my language. They bled from the soul dripping out into realism. At first I was amazed that I was able to create something so quickly, but the more and more I ponder over this peculiarity, I am beginning to believe it is because it is not only what I think, it is what I am. I am dreamer. I defy the norm because I'm terrified of becoming just like everyone else. I cringe on the thought of complacency and I tend to unravel when someone tries to tell me that I remind them of someone; a copycat I am not. I am an original. I am because we were. I cannot be defined by a status, or enclosed in a box, I must have room to expand, change and create. I am a dreamer. I am me! I am a child of God and God created this child for so much more than ordinary.

"Ever great dream begins 

WITH A DREAMER

Always remember you have within you

 The Strength,

 The patience,

 and The Passion

To reach for the stars

To change the world." -- Harriet Tubman

"... we're all here to contribute something unique... deep within each of us lies a special gift..." 

-- Tony Robbins Awaken the Giant Within