A Christ-filled Christmas...part 2

As promised, one of the things we do as a family to help us keep the true meaning of Christmas at the forefront of our hearts every holiday season is to...

1) Be intentional and sacrificial in our giving!

Why?

"For God so loved the world that he gave...
a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord!"

What an amazing example to follow...

Here are a few various Christmas projects/charities that we love:

1) Samaritans Purse - Christmas Shoeboxes

I love this especially for the way even my kids can get involved in it. Ella went shopping with me and I explained to her that we were filling these boxes with gifts for other little girls who didn't have a lot of toys like her. She also colored "her girls" some pictures to include in the boxes. What a great opportunity to show our egocentric 3 year old that the world is bigger than she...and that we are called to love others like we have been loved!

2) Compassion International - Christmas present for our adopted child

We have supported "our" little Odalyz for 8 years now through the ministry of Compassion International. And every year we send a little extra for a Christmas present for her.

3) Lottie Moon Christmas Offering

Despite the bad rap that Baptists get a lot of the time...one of the aspects that make me the most proud to be a baptist is their international missionary work. The Lottie Moon Christmas offering takes place every December and it is the major fund-gathering for the work done around the world. We always make an intentional sacrificial gift to this offering because there is no other higher calling than the one to "go and make disciples"...and this is one way to support that calling.

4) The Salvation Army bell ringers

Again, I love this one because I can bring this down to Ella's level...and show her that not only do we spend our money on the things we need and want...but we are giving of our money to help others who don't have as much as we do.

Finally, I love the way this video sums it all up...

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