Our Friends prepare to Arrive and a little more Thanks-Giving

I want to show you a little of what God showed me a couple weekends ago. As I have said I am trying to teach my kids to give. While we were shopping we stopped for a bathroom break. While I stood outside waiting on my mom to come out there was a girl standing in front of a store as for spare change for St. Judes Hospital. I took some money out of my wallet and gave it to my son and let him go put it in her basket. After a few minutes (we stood there about 10min b/c they were cleaning the bathroom) the girl said "You must be sick of hearing me" all I could say was "I'm surprised by how many people have said no".

She just smiled and nodded.

This got me thinking about how selfish we really are. Now, I'm not saying you should drop a dollar or two into every bucket you pass by this holiday season but what if you put a nickel in every bucket?

If you went to a different store everyday from now until Christmas that would put you going to 30 different stores. Take out 1 roll of nickels, 40 and you will have enough money to put 5cent in each time you go past a bucket.

I could not imagine the difference that would make if everyone would do this! I bet 50 people or more told her no while I was standing there. That could have been an extra couple dollars and that was just in 10min.

I encourage you to take a few rolls of nickels and give one to each of your family members and practice giving as a family.  Make it fun, see you can get rid of their nickels (without dumping them all out at once) before Christmas. It's amazing how children react to something when it's turned into a game and just remind them that the winners are the ones we are helping by showing Jesus' love to them.

Our Christmas Angel and Elf will be arriving at our home this weekend as we kick off the "Countdown To Christmas". I am excited to see how the Angel will help me remember each day that it is about Jesus and us giving to others in His name. It doesn't have to be money but maybe a toy, a hug or even a simple smile. I am also including a "letter" to the kiddos from Elfie ( I know original right?) telling them about his new friend this year. I think it will really help bring the two together in the kids minds.


Here is my version, feel free to copy it but if you post to your blog please just link back here!

I’M BACK, I’M BACK

TO KEEP AN EYE ON YOU,

BUT THIS YEAR FRIEND

I’M BRINGING SOMEONE NEW

THE CHRISTMAS ANGEL WILL TEACH YOU

JUST WHAT IT MEANS,

TO BE A CHILD OF GOD

OUR HEAVENLY KING

SO AS I WATCH & LISTEN

TO HOW YOU ARE EACH DAY,

I’LL ALSO SEE YOU GIVE TO OTHERS

AND JESUS’ JOY YOU WILL DISPLAY

SO ENJOY MY FRIEND & I

 THIS CHRISTMAS SEASON

MAY WE PUT A SMILE ON YOUR FACE,

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER THE GREATEST GIFT

WAS JESUS BIRTH ON CHRISTMAS DAY

~your friend ELFIE

A few other Acts of Giving we did over the past few weeks included providing a thanksgiving meal for a family, gave change to bell ringers, and started packing a new bag for our other child in Africa, David. I am so happy that Kinley got to help participate in each one of these acts. I can see him growing and learning each day what it is like to be a child of God.  Now to end you with a few pictures from the past couple weeks!

It just melted my heart to get these pictures from Cyndy Sunday morning. My other child, David, had received his "Welcome to our Family" package and she wanted to share the pictures with me. I just love this little boy so much already and I am hoping to continue to sponsor him and see him through college! You can read more about how David joined our family here

~We even got a smile from the so serious little boy~
So much love going his way!

Filling the back of my van to help a family in need this Thanksgiving! Praying God will use this food to comfort their hearts and give them some peace!

~Mel