The Gift of Giving

Long time, no see! I have been thinking a lot about this blog. I really haven't had a lot to share. But recently, I had an idea and I thought I should share it, because maybe more families would like to do this.

SO, first off, it really upsets me to see people on the side of the road with "will work for food" signs. It breaks my heart to drive past them, but I don't really like giving them cash because I'm not sure what they might use it on. So, I had an idea to keep bags of non-perishable food and water bottles in the car so I could just hand it out the window to them. And I thought maybe I would include a tract, or verse or something to let them know that it was the love of God that I really want to share with them.

And of course, like most of my good ideas, I forgot about it the next day, ha, ha. Then last week I had gone to the gym with the kids and on the way home we came to a stoplight where a man was standing . . . begging.  And I had nothing, no cash, no random granola bar in the diaper bag, no nothing.  And the light was SO long and I just kept wishing I had SOMETHING to give him.  It was close to lunch time and the kids were getting hungry, and I still had to stop at Wegmans to pick up Samuel's birthday cupcakes.  But I told the kids our plans were going to be delayed, this man has no food and we are going to get him lunch, I was determined!  The closest drive-thru was McDonalds, and I got a lesser evil, a chicken sandwich, fries and apple slices and 2 waters . . . not soda. I asked the kids to pray and I prayed that he would still be there when we got onto 22 and then off it again to end up at the exit where the man was begging. And he was still there! As soon as I handed him the food, said "God Bless," and drove away, I started crying. I talked to the kids about how blessed we are. Sadie wanted to know why we couldn't buy this man who had no home . . . a house! I said I wish we could. This fired up my idea again, I never wanted to be without something to offer a beggar again. And I thought it would be great to include the kids in the process.

They kids helped me at the store to pick out our items. Then I laid everything out so the kids could help assemble the bags.

I thought it would be fun to let the kids decorate the lunch bags . . .

Then we filled them . . . and then we prayed over them . . .

It was a very special time and Sadie has been quick to be sure that when we leave the house we have the bags in the car. I am excited for the first opportunity we have to give our gift of love. We also included a note about our Savior Jesus Christ, and that He could be their Savior too.
I am hoping this was the first of many nights our family will share making meals for those less fortunate. It was really special.