Giving

Something I have always wanted is for Elijah to know how important it is to give. I see so many kids (and adults, too) who expect things to be given to them or done for them, but who don't understand the concept of giving to others. It is really important to me that Dan and I do everything we can to help Elijah truly understand the principle of giving and how it is much more important and rewarding than receiving.

I was thinking about all of this as I was NOT sleeping at 3:00 this morning (and I haven't even told Dan about this yet), but I'm going to start a new tradition for our family. Every year for the holidays, each person in our house must come up with two things that we as a family can do to give to someone outside of our home. We must come up with our ideas before Thanksgiving, and we must complete them by Christmas. This year Dan and I will come up with Elijah's ideas for him, but eventually I would like for him to come up with his own creative ways to reach out to people.

I sometimes feel bogged down by the presents and the parties and the pressures of Christmas. Don't get me wrong, I love Christmas-time. I will always have a tree and decorations and presents, and Santa will always make a stop by our house. I just want to keep all of the important things from getting lost. I hope that through this new tradition, we can adjust the focus to where it should be. For Elijah, and for us.

We will compile our list this weekend and share it when it's complete! I'm excited!


Strangely, I had copied and pasted these into a document a few months ago, and just ran across them this morning. I love these verses:

2 Corinthians 9:6-9 -- Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. As it is written: He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness endures forever. [quoting Psalms 112:9]

2 Corinthians 9:10-11 -- Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God.

2 Corinthians 8:7, 13-14 -- But just as you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in your love for us see that you also excel in this grace of giving....Our desire is not that others might be relieved while you are hard pressed, but that there might be equality. At the present time your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need. Then there will be equality.

Luke 6:38 -- Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Proverbs 19:17 -- He who is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward him for what he has done.