The Year of Growth: Spreading Our Blessings

A dandelion spreads it seeds through a method called wind dispersal.  The seeds can be carried long distances by the wind, floating along until the wind dies down.  Those seeds have a new place to grow, creating new life, spreading more seeds, and repeating the process over and over again.  A dandelion does not simply stay in one solitary place forever, but shows its beauty in far off places.

As we have prayed and asked God to help us grow this year, He is teaching us the same method as the dandelion.  We are spreading our blessings to new places, reaching new people, hoping the process is repeated by others.

Christmas is fast approaching and we always ask ourselves the inevitable question...What do we get our kids for Christmas?  What electronic do they need?  What game station would be cool to have?  And the answer is...

Nothing.

We have been extremely blessed this year.  As I look back at the many things God has done for our family, I am always overwhelmed. God is good.  He has heavily laid on my heart the opportunity to bless others.  Give back in ways we haven't before.  Show kindness to others even when the world seems cruel. 

I told our kids awhile back when we have little, we still give a lot. When we are feeling down, we still provide encouragement.  Ironically, when God placed this on my heart, it was at a time I felt we didn't have enough.  But God was to quick to show me that we have more than enough.  He has blessed us abundantly.  And that it's time to bless others.

This Christmas will be different for us.  Our Christmas will be smaller so we can be a bigger blessing to others. Sure, our kids will still receive gifts but it won't be extravagant and of course, we will definitely remember the true reason for the season.  Throughout the month of December, our family will be doing random acts of kindness.   We came up with a list of 25 random acts of kindness and wrote them down.  We may possibly do more, but no less, and doing at least one random act per day.  Perhaps it's blessing the mailman with a special treat or providing a meal for another family.  Perhaps it's leaving notes of encouragement in public places or giving a donation to a local shelter.  There is so much kindness to share.

After we wrote our list, we prayed over it as a family, asking God to use us to bless others.  Our calendar is ready to go so we can keep a journal of all that has been done.  We may take some photos of our random acts in hopes of inspiring others.  But the main goal is to not do random acts of kindness for the applause of man, but rather in obedience to God.

 

We are eager to get started on December 1.  Craig and I love that our kids are just as eager and understand the world is bigger than them.  We need to spread our kindness to others, not just at Christmas, but all the time.  Perhaps our random acts of kindness will continue past the holidays.  If you feel so inspired, please join us and do random acts of kindness with your family.