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Goodness gracious, is anyone else just plain ole' worn out from all the Christmas bargain shopping yet? There have been so many fantastic deals in the stores and online this year, but as I keep typing even I'm a wee bit overwhelmed by it all. (Anybody with me?) This is a re-post that I needed to hear myself as a reminder of what this whole season is about, and maybe you need to hear it to day too.
Ugh. (Can you just hear me say that across the screen?) Ughhhhhhhhhhhh. . . yup, that's exactly how I mean it. Yesterday I finally made it to Bible Study where they're studying the Advent Conspiracy. I went because they were leaving after the study to visit 305 8th Street Group Home, which is one of those places that's completely doing God's work, so I wanted to tag along.
As we talked throughout the class, we shared how much we have in comparison to others around the world, and yet somehow don't even know it. In fact, according to this, if you make just $30,000 you're in the top 7% of income earners in the world, and if you make $50,000 you earn more than 99% of the people in the entire world. WOW.
But for some crazy reason, we assume that everyone has everything . . . don't we?
We assume all too often that our home should look like this . . .
Instead of this. . .
And that our children need this . . .
(which I really do absolutely love, by the way!)
Instead of this . . . (y'all bare with me, this one's just painful to see and I even struggle to put it up because it hurts my heart so badly)
Photo Credit ~ See more HERE.
That tears up every ounce of me. (I really may take that picture down soon because I can't even handle it being here, but I want someone to acknowledge it exists ~ in our world we totally forget!)
Please, please, stop feeling like you've got to keep up with someone else. You are blessed right where you are, just like I am (I promise!) You may want to read more about the Advent Conspiracy, and consider ways your family can scale back just a bit this Christmas to give to those who are truly in need. And please don't get me wrong, we absolutely love Christmas and Santa and presents a ton around here (my kids love all of it, and I'm so glad we can share that fun with them!) But I do want them (and myself) to remember that that's just not reality for 99% of the world, so a slightly more modest Christmas might help provide water for others too.
I'd love to know if your family does something special over the Holidays to bless others, whether it be preparing an Operation Christmas Child Shoebox, sharing with a local food pantry, or giving a gift through Angel Tree Ministries. And please don't be mad at me for sharing (I really like sharing deals the most!), but I'm hoping you're up for this one today.
Leave a comment to share your thoughts by clicking HERE, I'd love to hear from you!
Looking for more posts like this? Here you go . . .
- Giving Passionately?
- Do Our Children Need It All?
- If Only….Â
- Contentment In the Little Things
- How Much Do You Spend On Christmas?
- Have You Created Your Christmas Budget
- Christmas Budget Check Up: Plan Your Purchases
- Let's Talk Christmas Deals
- Don't Sacrifice What You Really Want For What You Want Right Now
For the third year in a row my Oldest(11) has organized the Angel Tree for our Church. It started because she badly wanted to help the people after the tornados in Missouri. She approached our Children's pastor to see if she could do a Christmas drive for the town in MS that had been devastated. THe partners with the churches there already had it covered so he offered the option to take over the Angel Tree. I have to help with some of it but for the most part she is doing this all on her own. I am so proud of her for having the heart to want to do it and for being responsible to follow through to see it to the end. In the time she has done it our church has blessed almost 30 children in the foster care system in our county.
For the second year in a row, instead of buying presents for each other's families, my cousin and I, along with the kids, will give the money we would have spent to World Vision. We ask the kids to choose out of their "gift catalog" what our money will go toward. We are all so very blessed!
Thank you all for your sweet comments! I love that other folks are giving and that we can make such an impact when we all share just a small amount. So hard to see those pictures, but they serve as such a reminder of all that we have!
THANK YOU for posting this and keep the picture! I’m always telling the kids just how BLESSED we are to live in this country and that even the poor here are a whole lot better off than the rest of the world. We made 6 Christmas Child boxes this year, are giving to Toys for Tots through our Boy Scout den, donate food to the local food bank (the need has increased in the past several years) and plan on scaling back because we have TOO MUCH already (did I mention two boys have December birthdays as well?!). When we made the boxes, I explained to them that what is in the box is probably the only gifts these kids will get and may be the FIRST gift they have ever received. They just can’t comprehend it and it is making it easier for them to donate many of their toys knowing they have so much compared to so many. And thank you for reminding me I am blessed right where I am! I needed that.
Oh my I totally here you! Thanks for sharing. I wrote a post echoing some of these thoughts last week (my name is linked to it if anyone is interested) Anyway, Amen girl! Thanks for posting this really. Thank you
Genie Patin M.oney to operation child Donations every week at Church to whoever needs.People need to open up there hearts.70 years young !!!!!!!!!!
THANK YOU! Thank you for this reminder! We need to remember how very lucky we are and how much we take for granted! I was diagnosed with cancer this year and underwent treatment with no insurance. Bills are so overwhelming, but I get to live in a home and eat everyday. I have so much to be thankful for!! Thank you for this and for the reminder!!
Thank you Claire for your encouragement! I just said a quick prayer for you and for your family this Christmas as I know things have got to be beyond overwhelming ~ praying for continued healing and financial peace as well. We all (no matter our circumstances) need to reminded so often of just how blessed we are!
4 boxes to operation Xmas child
Adopt a child/family
And a few donations that we are bring to parties that have requested it
Food pantry:)
Really loved this post.
I love that you’re giving so abundantly Ashley ~ thank you so much for sharing and for your encouragement!
I completely agree with you and I try to always be thankful for everything I have. I tell my children that even though in America we are considered low-income, we are richer than about 80% of the world. The picture with the starving child made me burst into tears. I don’t know when I will enjoy another bite to eat again and I am so ashamed of myself for griping about missing out on candy on my new diet.
April – I do the SAME thing… I just completely forget how ridiculously much we have every single day. I don’t think we need to be ashamed, but maybe just reminded of how fortunate we are! And, to stay thankful in all of it. Blessings!
Thank you for sharing! This mirrors what we’ve been hearing in church recently. May you be blessed for sharing your heart so honestly!
Thanks so much for your kind encouragement Laurie! I’ve felt like I’m reeling from all the deals, so I needed to be reminded of this so much myself.
I like when you stop and reflect on how we are blessed so much! I always try to remind my children that we should take nothing for granted even the heat in our house down to the very food we eat. This year I donated two big black garbage bags full of food that I paid only $5.00 or less for!!! This is one of the great things about couponing! Also donated some toys towards our adopted family that our church does every year! This family has seven kids. It feels great to give. It is truly better to give than to receive. We have been so blessed this year can’t even began to thank the Lord about enough!