Blessing Box

I wrote the below post several days ago, but of course it never got finished and published. My sister wrote a comment on my last post, "Where ARE YOU?"

Where am I?

I am in the basement, painting furniture.

I am in the kitchen, making food.

I am walking.

I am running.

I am in the waiting room at the doctor's office.

I am in the living room, reading stories.

I am in the dining room, teaching math.

I am in the bathroom, giving baths.

I am in the car, listening to cds.

I am making appointments,

crossing things off.

I am feeling the baby kick.

I am in bed, not sleeping.

I am at the hospital, saving lives.

I am holding my children, cutting fingernails.

I am in my yard, raking leaves.

I am here.

---

11-08-2011

Today I read a post by Lindsey, over at ifweabideinhim, that inspired me. I love this idea of a blessing box.

Last night a friend of ours auctioned off all of his "stuff" in order to donate the money to feed starving children. Tonight we are going to an organization to package food for starving children as part of our friend's birthday celebration.

As I look around my house, as I look at our bank account, as I walk through the grocery store, I am struck again over how blessed we are. Deacon wears a shirt that says "1 in 7 people go hungry everyday". We have (nearly!) 7 people in our family now. I think about moms trying to find scraps for their children to eat, I think of brothers stealing things to feed hungry siblings. I think about instances of human trafficking brought on by extreme poverty.

And then I look around my house again.

This year I am determined to give. Give more than I want to. Give more than I have to. Give to bless others and to teach my children that feeding the hungry is part of our work as Christians. We have a picture now that says, "Blessed are those who are generous, because they feed the poor." Proverbs 22:9.

Yes, I want an addition. Yes, I need a new couch. And I think those things are fine - but I refuse to let them take the place of GIVING and of service. As I explain to the boys,"we don't buy you everything you want- not because we don't have the money, but simply because we believe there are things more important than toys to spend our money on."

Oh, how I want them to be generous. Oh, how I want them to love people.