A Giving Heart 2014

As mothers we all have those moments when our children surprise us. They say or do something that we hadn't realized they knew. Sometimes a kind act other times a curse word (that you are still not sure where they heard it from). Wither way our children are watching us with hawk eyes and soaking up every little thing we say and do like a dry sponge.

This weekend Kinley surprised me. I have been trying to instill the heart of giving in my children for over a year now. We participate in different charity events, we are very involved in a ministry over in Africa and my children know the meaning of having a sponsor brother who lives in Africa. But to see them initiate giving without me even hinting at it just fills me with that mommy pride. That "my student is on the honor roll" pride.

While we were out shopping some we were going into a store where the Salvation Army Bell Ringers were. I was lost in conversation with my husband so I hadn't paid much attention to the man standing in front of the store. Out of no where Kinley stops us and says he needs some change. "For What?" I ask....then he tells me we can't go by the Bell Ringers without putting some change in the bucket.

You're right, son, you are so right.

If you have been reading a while then you will remember last year in the month of December I made it a point to not go by a person asking for donations, whether it be Salvation Army, St. Judes', or any other charity without dropping some change in. I firmly believe it is not the amount we put in but the heart we do it with. I am convinced that if everyone who walked by a charity stand gave...even just 5cents there would be a massive amount of charity work to be done with that increase.

There is roughly 313million people living in the US. If only HALF of those people would drop a nickel into the bucket would you believe that there would be 7million 5 hundred thousand dollars give to a charity...all because someone took the time to dig out 5 pennies or a nickel and put it in.

Truth is most people don't have carry cash. I know that most of the time I do not have any cash but I also have a slew of pennies in a jar or in the car and even some in my change purse.

PLEASE don't be embarrassed to only give a small amount!! As I said a small amount by half the people in the world equals enough money to do great things and bless many people with!

I hope you will take the time this holiday season to instill a giving spirit in your children. Even if it is just letting them see how natural it is to drop some change in the red bucket and say

Merry Christmas

May YOU and I be the CHANGE 

we need to see in the world!

Love,

~Mel

*This was NOT endorsed b y Salvation Army nor am I in any way affiliated with them just using them as the example to what we do.*