The Reason for the Season

One of my besties, Christine, gave me a fantastic idea last year.  Their family does a "25 days of service" in the month of December so they can keep their focus on Christ during the Christmas season.  I knew our December was crazy enough that we wouldn't be able to do a service as a family every day, but we made a list of ways we could serve and performed the acts as often as possible.  

We were able to include some of our current traditions in our service acts, but added several news ones.  These are some of the ways we served others this month:

Find a way to help others, whenever and wherever we saw a need.  This small family was huddled together with a sign asking for help, so we drove through Freddy's and bought them lunch.

We tried to drop some money in the Salvation Army jars anytime we saw them.

We went around the neighborhood on a Tuesday evening and rolled garbage cans up the long driveways to our neighbor's houses.

We gave treats to neighbors, co-workers and friends.

My cute Valiant 9 class (who I don't get to teach next year . . . sniff sniff) "snowflaked" the Bishop's office.

We paid for the cars behind us in drive-thrus a few times.

We bought gifts for the bus drivers.

We donated toys to organizations doing Toy Drives.

We gave presents to teachers and coaches.

Made "money wreaths" that we put on doorsteps, rang the doorbell and ran away yelling "Merry Christmas!"

I spent an evening wrapping Brynlie's foot in gauze and keeping her calm after she sliced it open while playing tag with the dog.  We were supposed to take poinsettias to the nursing home this day, but the foot injury became the service of the day!

I shared a link to the Bible videos on Facebook so others could feel Christ's love.

Volunteered many hours with the Kearney Family Foundation.

We invited one of Ryan's new co-worker's family to our house for dinner and cookie decorating.  We also invited the Webbs since Brett works with the guy too. 

{I made 3 kinds of soup/chili for dinner and bought bread bowls from the local bakery.  Definitely a new tradition for cookie decorating night!}

Some acts of service we discussed but never had a chance to do (as a reference for next year):

Make care packages for the homeless (coupons, juiceboxes, toothbrush, water bottle, Crystal Light)

Leave coins in vending machines and at laundromats for others to use.

Write thank-you notes to people who influenced us during the year.

Pick up extra groceries while at the store and drop them off to someone in need.