12 Months of Giving

Last December, we collected some new & gently used stuffed animals to donate to the Oklahoma Highway Patrol. I got to thinking that I wished we did things like this all year round instead of around the holidays only. So, an idea was born - 12 months of giving in 2010. We wanted to instill in our boys the habit of doing for others - I was raised this way & definitely want to pass that down. Each month we focus on a "giving project". The challenging part is to find something "hands on" for a 2 & 5 year old to participate in because it doesn't really mean a lot to them if mommy or daddy buy a toy, donate some money, bake some cookies - you get the idea.

January we collected warm winter clothes from our neighbors & delivered them to the community resource center - the boys helped go door to door & ask for donations which was great. February we helped pack sacks of healthy snacks that are placed in kid's backpacks throughout the different elementary schools in our town. These children may not have the financial means for adequate food over the weekend. It's a great program that reaches 105 kids at this time. Here is Eli working hard to fill the sacks. He loved doing this!I am really looking forward to doing these projects with the boys. If you have any suggestions or ideas, feel free to comment. Here are some of the other ideas we have for future months: picking up trash, cookies to neighbors, making a meal for a family, Operation Christmas Child, letters & care packages to soldiers.

"Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds,

and to be generous and willing to share."

1 Timothy 6:18

Tara