Sunday, November 15, 2009

Oh Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen...

Oh its coming --- its rapidly approaching us and I'm ready! 39 days and counting as of today.
BUT wait!
Lets not think about those Black Friday deals or the Holiday deals. Let's think about the Great Commission and what it means to us.

Christmastime shouldn't be a time to stress ourselves out. IT should be a time to GIVE GIVE GIVE. Last year we celebrated Christmas by only giving gifts that were either Used or gifts that gave back like items from the World Vision Gift Catalog. Honestly being able to give my brother 5 chickens in his name and sponsoring a child to name a few is a great gift that I can pretty much guarantee won't be duplicated and if it is it'll be worth it!

This year for us won't easy ad when I got my WV Catalog I was sad because we probably won't be able to give as much as I gave last year. However what we are doing is giving time and help in as many areas that we can.
Last year we donated 3 Thanksgiving meals to local families we picked randomly online and we are doing it again this year too. I didn't want to do it this year because I had no idea HOW we could do it let alone afford it, but God is so good when you commit to doing something for others He makes a way. This year we are doing 7 families and are feeding a lot more people in those families! Loads of kids this year. And amazingly God has provided for us by inspiring people to help provide food and funds to make this possible. I'm beyond humbled by what God can do in such a short amount of time. It all has come together very nicely and considering this is just complete strangers offering help it just goes to show that God can move anyone to help. I have received emails from people saying they are inspired to do more and if that is all I had gotten out of this effort it would be enough.

When I think about how hard things are for many right now to reach out and help others in need it makes me realize I still have so much to be thankful for. We might not have 2 incomes anymore but that didn't stop us from giving and it didn't stop others from giving either. I think we forget that people actually like to help and want to help, but don't know how to start it.
I'm here to say just start it yourself. Don't wait for some committee to begin or some organization to help, just start it on your own. I have people who are helping me by donating food and I'm so far from any sort of organization!
It makes me want to do more and be more seeing how people are reaching out to us and we're just a family of 3 who wants to feed those around us.

But for me I want to live by Matt 6:3, "But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing." We honestly don't want people to know we are doing this (I know you are thinking then why did you say you were doing this on your Blog??) and very few people know we are organizing meals or going further then just the meals. We consider ourselves the ones in the background that suddenly its provided. Whatever "it" is we want to be able to find ways to provide for it.

Its like one gal said in her letter to me when I told her I was going to donate a meal to their family. She said, "They have no idea right now that we are receiving thanksgiving dinner from you. I want to show them again that having faith even when things seem impossible, is always the best way to go."

I think that says it really well. That its so great to have Faith even when things seem impossible. Wouldn't you like to be one of those people who isn't looking for the glory in providing for someone, but offering them hope and then being the Hope they were looking for? Oh its so so good and I thank God that we are helping provide for people who are short of Hope right now. And its always nice to remind people that there are good giving people out there.

Blessings...

1 comment:

Cagle Clan said...

How do you find families to donate to online? I would really like to do that. I love your Christmas spirit!! You're an inspiration!