Giving Tuesday

It is Giving Tuesday, a perfect day to look outside ourselves and think about others. There are lots of ways to serve and remember that "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)

It is now the Christmas season. We have what we have because of our Savior, Jesus Christ. We celebrate His birth this season. You know I like to find ways to Light the World each December. Here is something we did as a family the day before Thanksgiving (and shared it on Instagram and Facebook):

I am thankful that we are teaching our children that even simple acts of service make a difference.

We visited the Giving Machine as a family. We let each child pick something to go to someone in need from warm socks to 150 lunches. We won't meet the people our donations go to but we do know they will bless people's lives.

There were missionaries there and one elder offered to take a picture of our family. That simple act of service meant we got a family picture with all of us looking at the camera. That doesn't often happen so when it does, it's a blessing. 

You don't always know the impact a simple act of service can make but it's worth it. It really is. 

 

This year for Light The World, there are suggestions of how you can share that light (give that service) while participating in your normal Christmas traditions. 

  

So tell me, how are you serving others this Giving Tuesday? If you need an idea, Giving Machines are available in numerous places throughout the world. 

 

Now we have plans to deliver cookies for Giving Tuesday tonight. That's another idea.

Catching Up January 2025 part 1

We toasted in the New Year at midnight and had New Year's Nachos.

January 2 was National Buffet Day. I made dinner Fend For Yourself that night.

We also finally got out to donate to the Giving Machine right before it closed for the season. We donated "piglets," "art classes," "five visits and meals to a senior," and "empower through play."

We did not get a good family picture like we did in 2022 but that's not the point so... who cares?

 

I got out for morning walks before school started up again.

January 4 National Spaghetti Day. We ate spaghetti. It was also National Trivia Day and Utah's Birthday so we did some Utah trivia. It was also Play Outside Day (which is every first Saturday of the month). A few of us went out to see barn owls (and some other birds but we went specifically for the owls). When we got home we warmed up with hot chocolate.

We celebrated National Bird Day, January 5, a day early with the owl search, although we did eat chicken for dinner on the 5th. We watched The Big Year on Saturday as a family.

 

January 6 was Sherlock Holmes' Birthday. Lucky celebrated by going to "elementary" school the first day back after Christmas Break. I watched a TV show with a Sherlock Holmes character.

It was also National Cuddle Up Day and National Bean Day so you better believe we cuddled up while eating chocolate (which comes from beans). 

 

January 7 was Old Rock Day and National Bobblehead Day so I got out to take pictures of Jr.'s bobblehead with mountains (old rocks). I haven't done that for a few years so it was fun to do it again.

 

January 8 was Elvis' Birthday. We watched Lilo and Stitch.

We started over with "A Season of Family Meal Plans," volume 1, by Jordan Page.

That's enough catch up for now.

Service With a Smile

Since today is Tick Tock Day and Still Need To Do Day, I'll put another family picture up before the end of the year. We went to the Giving Machine again this year. We were so busy before Christmas but made time to do it a couple days ago. It was again a good opportunity to do service and have another family picture taken while we were at it.

We donated two chickens and a game night for a family. When we got home, we watched the Studio C sketch about the Giving Machine... and chickens.

Giving Machine

We had the opportunity to Light The World tonight as a family at the Giving Machine. 

We have been wanting to do this for so long but every December we deal with busyness and sickness. Well, there was still busyness but no sickness so we made it happen tonight.

We let the four oldest choose what to purchase/donate: school supplies, a warm blanket, children's books, a meal for a child.

In our own small way we are blessing the lives of other people and honestly we've already seen blessings in our own lives... including a decent family picture with everyone looking at the camera and looking pleasant.