John 3:16-17 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
I was thinking this morning about making some homemade gifts. I was actually not thinking about cookie mixes or hot chocolate, I was thinking about taco seasoning. I know, crazy, but I know how much we love it (I don’t buy taco seasoning anymore!) which got me thinking about giving.
For the month of November (7-30), our food bill is estimated for $150 for two people 3 meals a day. I will report at the end of the month how we actually did (My original food bill was $350). I’ve spent $82 so far. This $150 includes our meals + two meals for the Alive staff and 5 meals for additional families (and our bs taco meal tomorrow). I do have a pretty well stocked pantry so that has really helped!
I’ve decided that for the month of November no coffee/tea will be bought on Sundays and the money will be donated to Joy to the D. It’s $50, not going to change the world with $50 but it might change someone’s world so I am going for it! (that’s 5 toys – maybe more depending on the deal!)
I started to do the math with all the eating out that was done while I was on crutches… this is only for breakfast and lunch. ($7 per day for breakfast & ~$9 per day for lunch). I couldn’t really make either of those meals and really that’s just an excuse… I probably could have figured out a better choice… That’s $80. That $80 could buy 8 toys (again, maybe more depending on the deal) for families… and since I’m not buying EITHER of those meals now, that money too will go to Joy to the D.
I love giving. I love that in some small way, I make a difference! Those families will never know me, but sending Glory to the Kingdom makes me joyful! I guess thus bring joy to LP too!
I love seeing smiles of people that get a blessing. I love getting hugs! I do! I love making a difference. It’s completely selfish! I know that it blesses others, but it blesses me too. The blessing is in the blessing!
I’m not going to say that my ‘wanter’ isn’t on, there are things that I WANT… I WANT an Iphone 4s, I WANT an Kindle fire. I WANT to eat out. I WANT a new microwave (a black one!). As soon as Phyllis gets her acceptance letter, I will WANT a MSU sweatshirt (LOL). I WANT I WANT I WANT… But I can remember when I want I want I want was filled with I NEED I NEED I NEED. When we really did go without, when being broke meant we didn’t have to nickels to rub together and now it’s two twenties. I remember. I think of how many times people blessed me (and I certainly didn’t deserve it) and I consider myself very blessed!! And so I know how thankful I was in those times, and so I am going to take my wants and transfer it over to someone else’s need.
I love giving. I know that Christmas is NOT about gifts. It’s about giving. It’s about a God who loved so much that He GAVE His Son so that we would not just have joy, but we would have LIFE! If He only GAVE us life, that would be enough! It would be more than enough! But He not only gives us eternal life, He GIVES us JOY, PEACE, and LOVE! And so I will give, because He gave. I’ll love because He loved.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
I was thinking this morning about making some homemade gifts. I was actually not thinking about cookie mixes or hot chocolate, I was thinking about taco seasoning. I know, crazy, but I know how much we love it (I don’t buy taco seasoning anymore!) which got me thinking about giving.
For the month of November (7-30), our food bill is estimated for $150 for two people 3 meals a day. I will report at the end of the month how we actually did (My original food bill was $350). I’ve spent $82 so far. This $150 includes our meals + two meals for the Alive staff and 5 meals for additional families (and our bs taco meal tomorrow). I do have a pretty well stocked pantry so that has really helped!
I’ve decided that for the month of November no coffee/tea will be bought on Sundays and the money will be donated to Joy to the D. It’s $50, not going to change the world with $50 but it might change someone’s world so I am going for it! (that’s 5 toys – maybe more depending on the deal!)
I started to do the math with all the eating out that was done while I was on crutches… this is only for breakfast and lunch. ($7 per day for breakfast & ~$9 per day for lunch). I couldn’t really make either of those meals and really that’s just an excuse… I probably could have figured out a better choice… That’s $80. That $80 could buy 8 toys (again, maybe more depending on the deal) for families… and since I’m not buying EITHER of those meals now, that money too will go to Joy to the D.
I love giving. I love that in some small way, I make a difference! Those families will never know me, but sending Glory to the Kingdom makes me joyful! I guess thus bring joy to LP too!
I love seeing smiles of people that get a blessing. I love getting hugs! I do! I love making a difference. It’s completely selfish! I know that it blesses others, but it blesses me too. The blessing is in the blessing!
I’m not going to say that my ‘wanter’ isn’t on, there are things that I WANT… I WANT an Iphone 4s, I WANT an Kindle fire. I WANT to eat out. I WANT a new microwave (a black one!). As soon as Phyllis gets her acceptance letter, I will WANT a MSU sweatshirt (LOL). I WANT I WANT I WANT… But I can remember when I want I want I want was filled with I NEED I NEED I NEED. When we really did go without, when being broke meant we didn’t have to nickels to rub together and now it’s two twenties. I remember. I think of how many times people blessed me (and I certainly didn’t deserve it) and I consider myself very blessed!! And so I know how thankful I was in those times, and so I am going to take my wants and transfer it over to someone else’s need.
I love giving. I know that Christmas is NOT about gifts. It’s about giving. It’s about a God who loved so much that He GAVE His Son so that we would not just have joy, but we would have LIFE! If He only GAVE us life, that would be enough! It would be more than enough! But He not only gives us eternal life, He GIVES us JOY, PEACE, and LOVE! And so I will give, because He gave. I’ll love because He loved.
1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us.
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