The Train To Crazy

More ideas for 25 Days

Now that you have some free ways to show kindness to others for your 25 Days of Giving, here are some not so free ideas. Please remember that one of the goals of giving is to include your child so if you are sending money to an organization that might not connect with them emotionally. Be creative, educate them about what the organization is trying to do. Teach them about poverty, homelessness, global poverty and the lack of clean water, or whatever you are donating to. If you are giving food to the food bank or donating clothes, have the children take it themselves. Let their 5 senses experience the activity. If you are buying a gift for someone, let them help pick it out and wrap it.

• Contact your local mission and adopt a family for Christmas.
• Create care package for children in hiding in the jungles of Burma through Christians Concerned for Burma. I wrote more about it last March.
• Chose a child to give to through a giving tree or Angel Tree.
• Sign up to sponsor a child through World Vision, Compassion International, Children's Hope Chest or other child sponsorship organization. You might consider choosing a child that has the exact birthday as your child to create a bond. 
• Contact your favorite local charities and find out what items are on their "wish list". Have your children help you purchase items on that list and deliver them.
• Donate food to a local animal shelter.
• Donate to Toys for Tots.
• Buy a needy family a Christmas Tree.
• Hand out flowers to strangers. I think next time we do this we'll have a note attached to each flower.
• Donate warm clothes to shelters.
• Choose a gift in a charity's Christmas giving catalog such as World Vision, Orphan Relief & Rescue, Compassion International, World Concern. There are many, many more organizations out there that you can donate to.

Any great organizations you want to share? What are some other creative ways to bless others?

Organizing our 25 Days

We've started lining up our activities for the 25 Days of Giving. I'd like to encourage you to join us. This doesn't have to be a difficult, expensive endeavor. There are many, many ways you can teach your children about how to show kindness and love to others without spending a dime.

To get your ideas flowing, here are a handful of free (or nearly free) activities for you to consider this year.

• Making cards to give to friends telling them what is special about them. 
• Calling a family member they don't normally talk to on the phone.
• Making artwork or cards and taking them to a nursing home.
• Baking cookies for neighbors.
• Baking cookies for firefighters and delivering them on Christmas.
• Tidying up the neighborhood. Picking up trash.
• Making a list of things they love about each of their family members and share with the family.
• Do something kind for someone secretly. 
• Have a free car wash (warmer climates obviously).
• Make sandwiches to hand out to homeless people.
• Visit an animal shelter and pet the kitties & puppies.
• Visit family and neighbors collecting scarves and hats for homeless people.
• Do a chore for a neighbor or a grandparent.
• Taking some canned food to the food bank (or the grocery store donation bin).
• Donating some of their outgrown clothes to an organization that gives them to children in need.
• Donate a pair of gently worn shoes to Soles 4 Souls.
• Walk the neighbor's dog.
• Host a party to collect needed items for a local charity.
• Scrape the ice off your neighbor's car as a surprise.
• Volunteer to serve a meal at a local soup kitchen.
• Make a meal together to bring to a family that is sick or has a new baby.
• Purposefully play with someone who your child doesn't normally play with.
• Stay late at school or sunday school to help clean up.
• Write notes of appreciation to coaches and teachers.
• Have a bake sale or a lemonade stand to raise money for your favorite cause.
• Take a day to educate your children about poverty and pray for those suffering.
• Visit a nursing home.
• Draw a picture/make a card for your pilot (if you are flying)
• Drop change in a Salvation Army bucket.
• Write personal notes & cards to family members.
• Send a Christmas card to a recovering soldier. 

  A Recovering American Soldier c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center 6900 Georgia Avenue NW Washington,D.C. 20307-5001

You get the idea!! There are tons of things you and your children can do that don't cost much money! Even if you can't commit to 25 Days of Giving, try committing to 10, or 15!

What are other free or very low cost ways children can bless others?

25 Days of Giving

When I began parenting, I was challenged by some people to have goals for my children. These aren't the kind of goals that have to do with "success" or money or college educations, but goals about their character. I was challenged to think about what kind of people I wanted my children to become. 

We want to raise children that are kind, loving, compassionate, thoughtful, passionate, bold, empathetic, happy, strong, patient, humble, etc. We want them to understand that they were born into privilege and with that comes great responsibility. We want to encourage our children to really be the people they were created to be. 

We started the 25 Days of Giving in 2008 as a way of preparing our girls for Christmas. We want them to understand the true meaning of Christmas. It isn't just about waking up early and seeing what presents showed up under the tree. Christmas is about the birth of Jesus and the gift God gave to the world. Because of that, we celebrate by doing 25 days of activities to bless other people. 

We want to encourage others to join us in our journey. Please consider starting a 25 Days of Giving with your family. In the coming days I will be giving you lots of ideas of ways to participate. If you are worried that this sounds like an expensive project, stop worrying! It doesn't have to be. I have many free and very low cost ideas to get your creative juices flowing!

UPDATED: Please read our list of FREE (and nearly free) giving activities as well as our slightly more expensive giving activities.

We'll be kicking our 25 Days of Giving off on December 1st. We've kicked off our 25 Days of Giving! Would you dare to join us? It isn't too late!

How much ought we give?

"I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if your expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them... For many of us the great obstacle to charity lies not in our luxurious living or desire for more money, but in our fear- fear of insecurity."

C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

"FREELY YOU HAVE RECEIVED, FREELY GIVE." ~MATT. 10:8

Are you spending the same amount as people making the same amount as you? Do you feel the "pinch" of giving? Are you living in fear?

Finding what matters most

They say if you want to see what matters most to a person to look at their checkbook (or I suppose their credit card statement or quicken files...). I'd go a step further and say to look at how they actually spend their time. How many hours a day do you spend watching TV or reading the news, or on the computer? How many hours are you cleaning? How many hours a day are spent worrying or feeling overwhelmed?

Now think about the 5 things/people that are most important to you. Children count as 1, please don't rank them ;) Now reflect on how you spend your time. Do these things match up? No need for guilt. If it doesn't match up just find one way to improve it today.

As a side note, I hope you are all reading Brandi's blog while she is in Uganda finding potential care sites for Children's Hope Chest. Seriously, this will help put some more perspective in your life and help you reevaluate your priorities. 

Great reading this week

I've been touched by a couple posts this week in the blog world. I'll be enjoying the sun here. If it isn't quite as nice where you are you can sit inside and read these.

Are you BUSY? Thirsty for Him has a great post about Mary and Martha. 

"Serving Jesus, like Martha, was a good thing, but the best was sitting at His feet."

That's right. Martha was doing something good. She was actually preparing a meal to feed Jesus. Are you busy doing things. Doing good things like serving your family and loving people? Don't forget that the BEST thing is to sit at Jesus' feet.

Make and Takes has a post featuring Jyl from Mom it Forward about How to Raise Charitable Children. Definitely worth a look.

Need activities to occupy your toddler or preschooler? Trying to turn the TV off? The Homeschool Classroom has good links for how to keep preschoolers busy (and you don't need to be a homeschooler)

And I've been enjoying Mom's Toolbox's daily SOAP. A daily Scripture, Observation, Application and Prayer.

And I know a few of you would be interested in this blog. Missionary Moms. Wonderful blog.

And for those of you who sew, a new spring top sewing tutorial from Made by Rae. I love this top.

Now I'm out the door...

You can help children in Burma!!!

Do you know anything about Burma (Myanmar)? Sadly, most people don't. Here is the short version;

Over fifty years of civil war have left Burma one of the poorest countries in the world. The military dictatorship attacks its own people, killing thousands, and leaving millions displaced.

Many in opposition are either imprisoned or killed. In most of the country there is a false peace due to the dictators' ability to control dissent, however in some ethnic areas the Regime’s army is still attacking the people. There are over 1 million internally displaced people, and over 1 million refugees who have fled the country. There is continual environmental destruction, an HIV/AIDS epidemic, the ongoing laying of landmines, human trafficking and religious persecution. Because of the Regime’s mismanagement and corruption, it’s the world’s second largest opium producer and the main producer of methamphetamines in SE Asia. Aung San Suu Kyi, the Nobel Peace Prize recipient and leader of the democracy movement, is repeatedly put under arrest.

The Regime’s army extends their control over the ethnic minorities by building roads and camps in ethnic homelands, forcing people to relocate or flee into the jungle. There is documented forced labor and the use of rape as a weapon. The Regime’s army lays landmines to keep villagers from returning home and supporting the resistance. 

For a more in depth history of Burma, read the rest of the article here. It is a really tragic, disturbing situation that gets very little press. I would dare to say most people do not know about the situation.

There is something you and your children can do to help!! Christians Concerned for Burma operates out of Thailand and, among other things, has a Good Life Club in which they bring love, healthcare, songs, games and more to the families and children on the run, hiding in jungles in Burma. You can help your children put together small supply packs. The Kid's Pack should Include these items;

• small comb and a mirror
• 1 box of children's chewable vitamins
• 2 children's toothbrushes
• 1 fingernail clipper
• 1 small toy
• 1 picture of you (or your child)
• 1 postcard from your city or state with a Bible verse 

You can also put together a Mom & Baby Pack including;

• small fingernail clippers
• multi-vitamins for mom
• pediatric vitamins (not needing refrigeration)
• 2 outfits for baby, including a cap, hand mittens, shirt (NOT a onesie) and socks
• 1 teether
• 1 picture of you
• 1 postcard from your city or state with a Bible verse

The items for one pack should be put in a sturdy large ziploc bag. Put in a standard gift sized box and mark "household/ personal goods" on the customs form. **CCB notes that the box coming from the USA should not exceed 79 inches in length/width/girth** Mark the package: GLC. Mail standard airmail to:

Christians Concerned for Burma (CCB)
Box 14 Mae Jo
Chiang Mai 50290
Thailand

This would make a great family or playdate activity!!

The ultimate list of ways your kids can give to others

Here it is folks. The LIST. Much of this was generated from all of you lovely people that gave me ideas for my 25 Days of Giving I did for Advent with my girls. Hopefully this will be useful to you as well.

1. Put together a shoe box for Operation Christmas Child
2. Put money in a Salvation Army bell ringer’s bucket
3. Adopt a family through your local mission or shelter
4. Bake cookies for friends, neighbors, family & teachers
5. Tidy up the neighborhood
6. Make and send cards to family/friends telling them what they like about them
7. Do something kind for someone secretly
8. Shower family members with kind words
9. Place spare change in the missionary jar (at church)
10. Give food to local food bank- take it there themselves
11. Send handmade cards to the military
12. Visit a nursing or retirement home
13. Visit a local animal shelter and play with the animals
14. Donate food to a local animal shelter
15. Collect scarves and hats for the homeless
16. Make cards or drawings and give them to people in retirement homes
17. Let them pick out a new toy for Toys For Tots or similar program
18. Save their change and donate to a cause
19. Release a book somewhere that someone might want one. Leave a sticky note inside saying it is for whoever finds it.
20. Help a neighbor with a chore they need done.
21. Bake cookies and share them with the recipient.
22. Pick out a pair of shoes for "Soles for Soles"
23. Hot Cocoa/ lemonade stand to raise money for a cause
24. Volunteer at your church
25. Stay late in their classroom or nursery to help clean.
26. Choosing water at the fast food restaurant and giving the money saved for a cause.
27. Have a "pick up trash" day where you look for litter everywhere you go.
28. Do a story time at a local mission/shelter.
29. Sell something to raise money for a cause.
30. Buy a needy family a Christmas tree.
31. Draw little pictures and write notes- leave them around town for people to find.
32. Make craft kits to take to the children's hospital.
33. Visit elderly members from church.
34. Bring home baked cookies to Fire Fighters, NICU nurses, Police Officers on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
35. Make sandwiches and pass them out to homeless people.
36. Buy gift cards and put them under someone’s windshield wipers.
37. Hand out flowers to strangers- bus station, senior center, etc.
38. Have a car wash to raise money for a cause or wash cars for free.
39. Make cookies and have a bake sale to raise money for a cause.
40. Write notes to teachers or caregivers about what makes them special.
41. Befriend someone they don't normally talk to.
42. Bring hats to the hospital for children that have lost their hair.
43 Let them pick out an outfit from their closet to donate to a charity that gives clothes to needy children.
44. Sign up to sponsor a child through World Vision that has your child's birth date. Help them write letters.
45. Check with your local mission or shelter to find out what needs they have. Buy blankets or socks, etc. with your kids and deliver them to the shelter.
46. Have your kids help prepare a meal for a new mom or someone who is sick.
47. Mow an elderly neighbor's lawn.
48. Donate new crayons to the children's hospital.
49. Help your child organize a sponsorship drive for World Vision, Compassion International or other child sponsorship program.
50. Ask for canned food for the food bank in lieu of gifts at a birthday party.

Anything I left off? Help me expand the list!

Please feel free to use this list but give credit where credit is due! Thanks!

Day 22

This storm will just not quit! We've had over a week of snow, which is odd for Seattle. We aren't equipped for snow. The roads stay snowy and icy and people stay home. Well, everyone except those who need to do Christmas shopping. We've had some fun playing in the snow. We had 7.5" of snow on Sunday morning. It was a little deep for Daphne to have a lot of fun in. It snowed most of the day and by this morning we had over a foot of snow. It was WAY to deep for Daphne to have fun in. She couldn't really walk and I had to carry her which means it was too much snow for me to have fun in. As I mentioned, the snow has halted our giving. We won't be going out until Christmas eve to visit family.

Here are some of the things we've been up to while we are cooped up inside...

This was our first snow over a week ago.

Here was Maggie enjoying the snow... from inside.

A pony ride

Smiley happy girl

Making sugar cookies for the neighbors.

7.5" on Sunday morning.

Goofball girl

I didn't take any pictures of the girls in the super deep snow today. Probably because I was carrying Daphne the whole time. She says she wants to play in the snow again tomorrow. Why?

Day 20

More snow! We spent another day at home. Arthur took the car to get a bit of last minute shopping done so the girls and I stayed in and stayed warm. It was around 17 degrees during the day when I checked. Brrrr.... Tonight we are getting more snow and gearing up for very high winds. I'm hoping we don't lose our power.

I am a bit afraid, due to the forecast for the week that we are not going to be able to accomplish our last few days of giving. We'll see. Today the girls delivered cookies and hot cocoa mix to the neighbors to help them enjoy the indoors. We always enjoy taking treats to the neighbors.

Naomi helped me put stamps on a lot of envelopes today. I had to explain to her that creativity in stamp placement is frowned upon by the postal service. She still enjoyed the task. She enjoys doing just about anything I ask her to do that she sees as a more grown up task. When we made our sugar cookies today she was upset when I didn't let her make all the cookies into balls. I told her that if we were keeping them all she could make all the balls but since we weren't... she could make the ones she was going to eat. Once they cooked up they all pretty much looked the same though. I guess next time she gets to make all the balls.

Day 19

Our trip to Warm Beach was fabulous. I'd post some pictures but the camera wasn't working still. We spent hours playing in all the snow and the girls loved it. Daphne enjoyed being waited on by her boy servant, cousin Kobe. Naomi enjoyed getting so much attention from all the family. Incidentally, after Daphne played with the broken camera today it started working again. She's a healer.

A month or two ago Naomi became entranced with some videos on the Charity: Water website. Today we donated to the Water for Christmas drive to build wells for villages in Liberia. Go check it out. Watch the videos. Clean water can save lives.

Unsafe water and lack of basic sanitation cause 80% of all sickness and disease, and kill more people every year than all forms of violence, including war.

Give the gift of clean water, life, for Christmas.

Day 18

Today we braved the hideously icy and snowy roads and headed to Warm Beach camp's Festival of Lights. My whole family met there, driving from various locations. Currently we are hanging out in this cozy 5 bedroom house. Our activity for the day was to write cards to each family member telling them what the girls like about them. I'm going go get the girls and have them pass out the cards now...

Day 17

Quick, we need help! We were going to head out to do day 17's activity but it started snowing so we are going to stay home to play in it. What can we do from home?!?
UPDATE: We had tons of fun playing in the snow. I'd show you pictures but the camera is still broken. We played with the neighbors and then brought them the hot cocoa mix we made for them last weekend. We'll count that.

Day 16

Yesterday was Maggie's 2 month check up. She is 12 pounds which is somewhere between the 75th and 90th percentiles. She is 23.5 inches long (90th percentile). Another big girl! Daphne made Rice Krispie Treats so we brought them to the doctor's office staff. They seemed pretty surprised. I guess they don't get many gifts!

Day 15

You may be thinking, "what happened to days 13 and 14?" Well... they came and went. On Saturday we bought gifts for a family we are supporting for Christmas through the Everett Gospel Mission. On Sunday we made hot cocoa mix to take to the neighbor kids. We never took it. It still sits on the counter. Next time we see them out playing we'll run it out to them. Since there was snow on the ground Sunday we had hoped to surprise them with it so they could take it in and drink it to get warmed up. It is still biting cold and there is a bit of snow left so we'll probably see them out playing soon.

Today we are planning to write letters to the kids we sponsor through World Vision and Compassion International. There are a ton of agencies and NGOs out there you can sponsor children through (if you are interested). I am impressed with World Vision and Compassion International also appears to do great work. I've also sponsored a kid through Children International for about 15 years. There is much less correspondence from them and I feel more disconnect from the child we sponsor. On one hand that might be a good thing because they spend less money trying to get the children and the sponsors to communicate, and on the other hand...

It is COLD here! I bundled the girls up to go to Target today. They sure are cute in their snowsuits and boots. Naomi fell over coming back into the house and it totally reminded me of A Christmas Story. You know that movie? Anyway, we plan to hibernate the rest of the day. If it is cold where you are you should make that hot cocoa we made. Pretty good! I'd definitely use milk instead of water though. Much better.

Day 12

We are expecting snow! This would ordinarily be a lot more exciting for me except that I was hoping to stay another night at my mom and dad's house to get some more Christmas sewing done but we'll be taking off a day early to avoid the snow. Those of you from snowy places probably find that funny but in the Northwest we don't drive in the snow if we can help it. And for good reason. The roads are dangerous here in the snow. I can say this because I've lived in a place that got a lot of snow in the winter and drove every day in it. We don't have the infrastructure to clean the snow off the roads here so they are often very icy and slushy if it snows. Plus the hills and the bad drivers... SO, we are heading back home today.

Easy Day 12 giving. The girls chose a few friends to send Christmas cards to. They told me a sentence or two to write in the cards and I wrote them. Mostly things like "I like you," and "you share." We'll mail them tomorrow. Merry Christmas little friends!

Day 11

I had a different giving activity planned today but scrapped that for a better plan. Today I took my girls and my brother's three boys (9, 11, 13) to see Bolt at the theater. My nephews are home schooled so we went during the day when the theater was basically empty, except for one middle aged man by himself. When we walked into the theater Kobe said, "what's an older guy doing at a kid's movie by himself?" My thoughts exactly. At any rate, it gave my sister-in-law the afternoon to herself and it is always a pleasure to spend time with the guys. My girls just adore them.
Here we are at the movies.

Day 10

10 days down, 15 to go! Today has been a long day, and considering both girls are still awake in bed and complaining about something I can't consider it over. Oh, and the babe is awake in my arms as well.

Arthur left town today for work. The girls fell asleep WAY too late last night. Remember what I said about how well Daphne did in the new bed? Scratch that. After being up a couple times each with Naomi and Maggie in the night, Daphne woke up at 5:30. She tried to fall back asleep but couldn't, or something like that. The morning consisted of an accident on the floor, stickers stuck to the dining table (I scrubbed and one is still there...), a major blowout for the ages, marker on the wall (I do supervise, really).... need I go on? I decided to go stay with my parents for a couple days to a) finish sewing some presents and b) get sleep/stay sane. I'm bummed to miss some fun stuff with friends over the next few days though.

The drive is about an hour and a half. Naomi practiced counting for half the drive. At one point she got so frustrated because she can't count by 3's. I'm pretty sure she doesn't even know what that means but she tried her hardest to do it and then assured me that when she turns 4 she'll be able to.

Tonight we went to my parents' church for dinner. They have a pizza dinner there every Wednesday night before their kids' classes. The girls sold their chocolate peanut butter balls for their day 10 giving activity. They raised money to provide blankets for earthquake victims in China. They made $7.75 USD and $5.00 CDN (thanks Rusty...). Enough to buy a blanket and a half!

Day 9

Well, I'm not too pleased with the Paci Fairy. True to her word, she left Daphne a treat at the door this morning. Chocolate chip cookies for breakfast? O.K. Paci Fairy, if you say so. Daphne was really excited for the cookies. Naomi too because the Paci Fairy didn't forget to bring extra.

Last night was officially Daphne's first night in her new bed. She has been having trouble sleeping alone for the past few weeks, or probably since Maggie came on the scene, and we have been at a loss for how to handle it. We play musical beds and are very tired. Last night we put the guard rail on the extra bed in Naomi's room and told Daphne this is now her bed. Then we put the girls to bed and held our breath. In the past, they have not done especially well sleeping together. In fact, I'm sure "sleeping" is the wrong term. They start out with giggles and songs and then move on to adventures like getting out of bed for (you name it) and then on to the screaming fights because they are exhausted and won't quit bothering each other. Last night was different. Last night was amazing! The only screaming we had was Naomi insisting she now wants rails on her bed. No, Naomi, you cannot get rails on your bed. Daphne doesn't even need them, we just figured it would keep her in bed a little better and keep her focused on herself, which it seemed to do.

Today we did some "real" giving. We used one of the great suggestions and set a book free. Naomi chose a book and when we were at the dance studio today we left it in the waiting room with a sticky note inside that said;

Finders Keeper!
We hope you enjoy
this book as much
as we have.
Merry Christmas!

It was a really interesting idea. Not something that really improves the circumstances of someone's life or even provides something they necessarily need but we hope it does leave a smile on someone's face and inspires them to give a little.

Day 7

Today the girls brought some of the chocolate peanut butter balls we made the other day to a bake sale at our church. Some little boys had decided to do a bake sale to raise money for a school in Tanzania to buy desks and chairs. My girls chipped in their baking abilities for our Day 7 giving. Other people brought baked goods as well and they made $150! The sale goes on next week as well so stop by if you want some of them. They are good! Here is Daphne with one of our boxes of cookies.

You can tell she is eying them!! Me too, off to have another one!

Day 6

Today was a fairly lazy Saturday. We intended to get a list of things done but things don't get done as easily anymore. Today was day six of our 25 Days of Giving. There are a lot of different programs you can give toys to for kids at Christmas. I really like to give to kids that are in foster care. I worked for years with kids in foster care so I understand their need. Naomi picked out a gift today and we delivered it to a collection point. As much as we could accomplish today.

Day 5

Today was so much fun!! So far, day five of our 25 Days of Giving was my favorite. The girls handed out flowers to random people! We bought roses at Costco and intended to hand them out at the Senior Center but there were no seniors there when we arrived so we went to the bus station, which ended up being a wonderful idea! The girls made a lot of people happy on their way home from a long week of work. The girls had a blast. Naomi kept saying, "I'm having so much fun!"

The girls having fun passing out smiles...

Day 4

My friend, Maria, visits a nursing home every week with her one year old daughter. She attends the knitting group. All of you out there wondering how to learn how to knit now know how! I decided that visiting the nursing home with her would be our day 4 activity for our 25 Days of Giving.

We decided to make some Christmas cards to take with us so we enlisted a little help from some of the other little kids at my Bible study this morning. We ended up with about 7 cards to hand out. The residents were quite surprised to get a card and seemed very happy. I was surprised at how well the girls did approaching people, handing out the cards and saying "merry Christmas." Naomi is a very shy girl so I was very proud of her.

Here is Naomi being a ham in front of one of the residents we delivered a card to. Clearly she's having fun.

Day 3

Today was day three of our 25 Days of Giving for Advent. Today we talked about the grocery store and how we buy food. We talked about how some people can't afford food and so they go to a store called the Food Bank where food is free. We also learned that people have to give food to the Food Bank so that when people go there to shop there is food to put in their shopping bags.

The girls each took a shopping bag into our pantry and filled it up with food, enough so they could still carry it. Then we all packed into the car and off we went to the Food Bank. There are easy collection bins all over town but I thought it would be easier for the girls to understand if we actually went to the Food Bank. I'm so glad we did! The volunteers there are so nice. The girls got to go in and look around and then weigh their donations.

We then headed to Walmart to get some supplies for things we are going to be doing in the days to come and spent entirely too long there. It isn't easy taking 3 little ones to the store!! After feeding 3 hungry girls, changing 2 dirty diapers, sitting in the bathroom for over half an hour for 2 little girls to use the potty, washing hands, washing hands again after someone thought crawling on the bathroom floor was a good idea, we finally got to go shopping!

Don't forget to enter to win our prize!! A whole year of sponsoring an orphan in Uganda and an apron! Read how to enter to win here.

Day 2

Today was an easy day. We gave gifts to the girls' teachers. Not much thinking involved! Just simple things from the dollar bins at Michael's.

Thanks for all the great ideas everyone! Keep them coming!! I still need ideas for 8 or 9 days!!

Day 1

We kicked off our 25 Days of Giving today. The girls each picked an outfit out of their closet they wanted to donate to Clothes For Kids, a non-profit "store" that supplies wardrobes and school supplies to low income kids in the area.

Naomi was a bit reluctant to give any of her clothes away. She ended up picking out a skirt and shirt outfit that she doesn't wear very often. Daphne wanted to pick out one of her favorite outfits. I probably should have let her but it is one of my favorites as well so we chose a different one. I am not sure she really understood we were getting rid of it and the fit that would surely come tomorrow when she asked to wear it wasn't worth the lesson. I also put together a bunch of clothes they have outgrown to add to our bags to donate.

I could have driven up to the back of the store and brought the bags in myself but I wanted the girls to understand what they were doing so I got all three girls out of the car to walk the 5 feet to deliver the bags. It was at this point Naomi really understood what was going on.

Day 1 was a success. 24 to go!

25 Days of Giving

I've been thinking a lot lately about how to raise my children to think beyond themselves. To care for others and to understand that the blessings God gives us are meant to be shared with others. As parents we struggle to know exactly how to raise our children in a society that glorifies self centered teens who want $100,000 16th birthday parties.

This year I've decided to start celebrating Advent with my kids. I love cute little Advent calendars. I had one of sorts as a kid and got a Hershey kiss every day leading up to Christmas. I loved it. This year I decided that instead of my kids GETTING something every day, we will GIVE something every day. I don't expect this to be easy. I want to focus on things my young kids can grasp. Tangible things. I want to find ways for them to connect to the giving. I expect this to be extremely difficult. I expect to fall short and have days that we fail. That is O.K.

I want you to join us on this journey! You don't have to do 25 days of giving, but one or two days set aside would be great! You don't have to have children! Here are some things to consider;

1. You don't have to spend money to give
2. Be creative, think inside and outside the box
3. Inspire others to give as well

This ISN'T meant to be boastful! Let's inspire each other!

I want to kick off this giving extravaganza by giving something to you (sort of)! You can enter to win 3 ways.

*Get your name entered once by leaving a comment here with an idea you have for ways kids can give. I need lots of help so please inspire me with your great ideas!
*Get your name entered a second time by writing a post on your blog documenting a way you gave to others. Add the URL link to that specific post on the Mister Linky below.
* Enter a third time by mentioning The 25 Days of Giving on your blog and linking to this post so your readers can come here to be inspired to give. Send me an email so I know you've linked to me! See the email link in the sidebar or email me at thetraintocrazy (at) gmail (dot) com

I'll have my little random generators draw a name out of a hat on Christmas to see who the winner is! You will win an apron from Lazy Lavender! They have the cutest aprons! This is the best part, the winner will also have a donation made in their name to Amazina Ministries International. You will sponsor a child for a year! Your sponsorship will provide a child with their yearly school fees, a school uniform, shoes, all school supplies, 2 hot meals a day, and any needed medical care. Your sponsorship also helps provide these children with tutors and spiritual leaders, to help the do their best, physically emotionally and spiritually.

Amazima Ministries in an organization based in Uganda, East Africa. We are striving keep these children alive, and not only that, but to give them life to the fullest. We want to educate the poorest of the poor here intellectually and spiritually. Today, Amazima Ministries shares Christ's love with 150 children, providing them with school fees, supplies, healthy meals, medical needs, and spiritual encouragement. We provide a home and a family for children who have never had the luxury of either. We provide encouragement physically, emotionally, and spiritually to those who need it most. We provide these children with truth. The truth of a bigger world through education, but more importantly the truth of a God who created them beautifully in His image, a God who loves them and values them and wants the best for them. These children have never known that kind of love.

Teaching Faith to Kids

Wow, this is a big topic! We discussed this in my moms' group today. Thanks Minhee! This could be a whole series of books but I'll just mention briefly what jumped out at me.

Number 1: Loving your kids models God's love for us. Taking care of their needs and showing them love and compassion is helping them to build a positive model of their relationship with God.

Number 2: You must have your own active faith before you can teach others.

Number 3: Model! Don't tell your kids about situations they should pray about or how to have faith, show them! Pray with them, read with them, live it out in your life and explain it to them.

Number 4: Be intentional about your parenting and your actions. Think about what you want to teach your kids and then figure out how to go about that. If you want your kids to learn to pray before meals, think about WHY you would do that. Why do you do some of the rituals you do?

I've been thinking about different family traditions and rituals people have to help teach faith, thankfulness, generosity, etc. While my kids are fairly young for much of it, it is exciting to think of the things we can incorporate in our family soon. I'm always looking for great ideas. I've loved some of the Thanksgiving ideas I've read on various blogs lately about teaching kids to be thankful and teaching them about giving. What do you do in your family to teach faith or thankfulness?