Nov. 12, 2011

This week we began the HAPPY project.

It has been a great opportunity to sneak in random acts of kindness.

On Monday we turned in letter to service men along with all but twenty pieces of our Halloween candy.

We also baked the last of some pumpkin bread for some neighbors.

The kids wrote handwritten notes and dropped them off.

One neighbor is fairly new to the neighborhood.

Another has a very sick wife in the hospital while he battles colon cancer.

The other neighbor is the one who lost his wife five months ago.

Pumpkin bread just screams fall and baking was a fun way to get both the kids involved.

If we had had more pumpkin, we would have made more!

 

On Tuesday, I sent off my handwritten note to my friend, Jenny.

Wednesday's idea of gift cards I I liked so much that we have decided as a family to bless twenty homeless people with  the gift of a meal this season.

The kids will decorate envelopes and we will go out the week before Christmas to hand deliver.

In the spirit of giving and to celebrate a new life and give a new mom of four some much needed rest, we made a meal complete with "Jesus" themed gifts for the siblings.  

This was a really fun gift to give that again the kids were able to be a part of.

I've been meaning to share this author with a friend for awhile, so what better time to do it?

No time like the present, right?

I hope she enjoys the book as much as I did!

Finally, we currently sponsor two kids: Baraka from Compassion International and

Belkis from World Vison. 

After dinner Thursday, we read through both catalogs and decided to purchase a mosquito net and a playground so that the kids from a village can have fun.

So far, this project has served as a very tangible reminder that we can all do something--
no matter how small we might think it is.
This project, coupled with the reading of Kisses from Katie  are breaking me.
I am so aware of the abundant blessings in my own life.
I have this aching desire to share.
So much so that my husband and I decided that for our daughter's second birthday party in lieu of gifts we are asking for books to donate for The Joyful Life Library .
I'm asking my Good Morning Girls Group to think on ways we can grow the project.
I want to know the hungry, homeless, sick and broken.
I want to see them.
I've turned away for too long.
I might not be able to do everything; but I can do something.
We all can.

"If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the LORD your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother." 

Deuteronomy 15:7 

What is one way you can bless the poor this holiday season? 

I challenge you.

But HE tells you to.  

12.  Today I am thankful for my husband's help in threading the sewing machine! he truly is a jack of all trades! 

13.  Today I am thankful for dinner provided by a friend of my husbands...just because he was at Applebees and wanted to stop by--dinner in hand.

14.  Today I am thankful for a friend who has graciously offered to pick up and drop off my daughter during this hectic production week!