We Did What We Said We Would

Monday, December 1, was Antarctica Day. It was cold. I also wore a shirt that had snow flakes and a Wintery scene on it.

It was also Eat a Red Apple Day. We ate a red apple with dinner.

Tuesday, December 2, as you know was Giving Tuesday. Sometimes I don't think about those simple acts of service as service. Jeremy reminded me on his way out the door that morning that I serve him every morning when I make his lunch and breakfast. I didn't think of it like that. It's just what I do because I love him. He appreciates it. But it's also an act of service? Oh yeah, I guess it is. But it's just what I do.

I agreed to give a ride to one of Lucky's friends after play rehearsal yesterday since his parents needed me to. I didn't think of it as actively doing service. It was just a nice thing to do. I was happy to. But it was service. Sometimes service doesn't take extra effort but it still makes a difference. I was already picking Lucky up and that family lives in our neighborhood. It was easy for me but the parents appreciated it.

Sometimes service does take a little extra effort. I took the other kids with me to pick up the boys from rehearsal and we let Lucky's friend know since it was "Giving" Tuesday we were "giving" him a ride. Then when we got to his house, Lucky grabbed a plate of cookies we brought with us and let him know we were also "giving" his family cookies.

After that we delivered cookies to a couple other people.

A few days before, the kids helped me make the cookies. Also service.

Oh, and while I was delivering taquitos and something he left at our house to Jr., a couple of my children cleaned the living room (as per my request). Service.

I gave Jr. a ride somewhere earlier in the day. 

It's amazing how sometimes we don't even realize we're doing service or we don't think to label it because it's just a kindness that we show. I think that's great. And like I said, sometimes it takes a bit more effort.

I'm not saying this to toot my own horn. I'm saying this because sometimes we don't realize that we are making a difference in the little things we're doing. 

That night a few of us sat down to watch a movie together. 

Sometimes service comes in the form of spending time with someone... or listening. Instead of turning on a show to watch or an audiobook to listen to while I made dinner, I listened to one of my sons share what he had come up with about different fantasy creatures and fantasy realms. He has such creativity and a great imagination.

Thanks for doing me service and reading all my rambling. I'll probably share some more of the service that goes on this month but there are those times when service is done quietly and doesn't need to be shared publicly so I won't share everything.

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.

Let's Go Back and Remember December

I'd rather be asleep but I should catch up on my blog so... let's talk just a little bit about December.

"I had plans." That was what I kept saying through the holidays. I had a list of things to do, some of them traditions, certain things I just wanted to do as a family. Some of those plans went out the window and some were modified.

Let's start with the beginning of December and what we did get to do right before getting sick. Besides celebrating Eat a Red Apple Day on December 1, we also started our Countdown to Christmas scripture study. I also wanted to #LightTheWorld, so I had ideas for that as well. Those didn't all work out but I was able to do some things like send encouraging texts when I was sick. We did a lot of simple things like I gave my daughter a ride to a store (she donated a toy while she was there) and I provided snacks for the kids rehearsing for the elementary school play and my son delivered them.The kids helped each other with homework. We were able to do some of these simple things for Giving Tuesday.

Now let's go back to our Advent Calendar scriptures with the mint M&Ms.

This year we put together another jar for some friends and Jeremy, Jr., and I shared about our tradition with them while having a good visit. That felt good.

O.K. I do want to go to sleep so I'll catch up some more later. 

 

P.S. December 1 was also Antarctica Day so we gathered up some penguin friends and started reading A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. We didn't get very far in it because of getting sick and not feeling up to reading every night.

I had plans but they didn't all work out. Sigh.