The 30 Day Giving Challenge

Just the other day, my awesome friend……

*and she’s even my friend in real life! I always honk when I go by her house – so I think that definitely qualifies as someone very special to me Though I’m not saying this “token of love” doesn’t annoy her or her neighbors.

…….Lisa from Simplified Saving posted something really neat to her FaceBook page. Curious, I clicked. What I found has inspired me and I wanted pass it along and perhaps inspire someone else. I have found that not only can small changes make a big difference in an “eco-friendly” manner – but how great they can be in the life of another. Gestures of gratitude and kindness have the ability to set off a chain reaction of events that can change a person’s heart, uplift, encourage and transform their life and relationships! What a huge deal that is!

So going into the holiday season, I am planning to take on The 30 Day Giving Challenge with an eager heart.

Thanksgiving is three weeks from today here in the U.S. and then Christmas is going to come QUICKLY behind that! My hope is to really appreciate the gifts in my life even more, to reach out to others and be a source of encouragement, to be grateful for each day, for all of the people in my life, for our planet, for the animals who share this home with us, and for all of the “small” things too. I love what Lisa said in her post,

“Over the next 30 days, be deliberate about giving your time, talents, and treasures and then record what you’ve given.  You don’t need to share it with the world, but it’s neat to be able to go back and see how God has worked.  Often the person who is most blessed by your giving is you”

I would like to invite YOU to join me in participating in this meaningful journey for the next 26 days….to prepare our hearts for the season. The 30 Day Giving Challenge website is full of giving ideas, inspiration, and other tools to help you give like you’ve never given before throughout the month of November….including your own calendar to personalize!

Some things I would like to focus on for this challenge:

1. Having my kids go through their toys, books and DVD’s to donate to our local children’s hospital.

2. Baking bread to give to a few of our older neighbors

3. Taking an afternoon to lie on the floor with my kids and make handmade cards to send to family and friends

4. Collect and donate toys and blankets for our animal shelter

5. Have one on one time with each of my kids individually and a date night with my husband

6. Volunteer

7. Offer to bring my family over to my parent’s house and rake their leaves

8. Call an old friend

9. Write a love letter to my husband

10. Get Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree from our library and read/discuss with my children

“The book also teaches a valuable lesson about how people have the tendency to treat nature when they always want to take, take, take.  Silverstein does a wonderful job helping to correct the problems surrounding the use and abuse of our world and it’s resources. The book can be a crutch for teaching students about consuming less, reusing when we can, and recycling the things available to replenish our projects” (Kyle Fisher).

Organizations to Consider: