Blessed.... yep. That is me and my family. We have what we need and beyond! Sure, we have had some really rough times, but with those times come lessons learned... blessings in disguise even though at the time I probably wouldn't have called them that! I have a nice home, comfortable vehicles, food to feed my family, and clothes to dress them in. I am able to stay at home with my kids while my husband works hard to provide for us. My children are so very blessed and it makes my heart happy. They have toys, clothes, multiple pairs of shoes, and have never once gone to bed hungry. While all of this fills my heart up with joy and I am so thankful, what comes with it is that they have never needed anything. They do not understand what "need" is which I am grateful for, but they also do not understand how incredibly lucky they are to have all the necessities plus all the "extras" they do have.
So, I have come up with an idea for our family to help spread blessings to others. A way to help teach our children that giving is good. Giving helps others. Brightening someone else's day is amazing. That not everything has to be about them, but rather about others. I want to try and change their way of thinking even more... don't get me wrong, they are giving and sweet children, but I want to mold them into thinking, " What can I do to help or to make someone else's day brighter". I want to teach them to do this in a way that is completely about the other person... not giving to look good to others or only doing good if they are going to get something in return! Just pure goodness out of their on hearts.
Starting this month we are going to start a new monthly tradition called, " Project: Spreading Sunshine". My children are my sunshine. We are blessed with a sun shiny life and so what better name for our new family tradition. I want to teach my kid's to leave their sparkle where ever they go. Leave a place shinning more brightly than when they first got there.
Once a month ( at least ) as a family we are going to "Spread Sunshine" to someone else. Some ideas I have are making cookies for the police/sheriff/ fire departments. Making cards for the senior citizens home. Making goody bags for the children's home.
We are already working on this month's project. We are currently heading up a Snack Pack for Kid's food drive. We are collecting pop tarts, granola bars, cereal bars, and peanut butter. The items collected are then bagged up and given to local students who do not have food over the weekends. On Friday's back packs are filled with food to help them make it through with out being hungry. I figured this was a great way for kids to help other kids.
I want my kid's to get to the point to where they can come up with their own ideas of how to give back and help make other people's day! I want them to become more generous with their own money and time. I want them to see that helping other's feels good and will really bless them in the process!
I hope you and your family will join in with us on this project. If you have any other ideas that we could incorporate into "Project: Spreading Sunshine" let me know. I would love to hear them! I will try and blog about all of our SunShiny outings! Please pray for our family and help us to open up our hearts even more to the people who could really use a helping hand or pick me up.
-Holly
