Monday, December 29, 2008

Goodbye toybox.........hello GoodWill

This week I will be cleaning out my children's toy boxes. I will have 2 boxes........one for trash and one for Good Will.

So all those Happy Meal toys.......will find a new home.

Broken toys with missing limbs or wheels will find the trash box.

Puzzles and games with missing pieces and parts....will be meeting Mr Trash man.

Outgrown dolls, duplicate teddy bears and unused, unloved critters will go to Goodwill to find some other little child who will give that doll, bear or critter the love it so richly deserves.

Those cars and trucks my darling son has so outgrown and never plays with any more will find parking in someone else's home.

I find each Christmas that through no help from us my children get blessed. Because of others, my children received a huge Christmas, blessings beyond belief and will be passing on their gently used things or things they do not need. I want to teach them that there are others out there with far less than they have.

However, in the choosing I will not allow them to only give away things that no one else would want. I want them to choose things that are in good condition but unused by them any more. I want them to realize they are blessed. While they do not have the things some of their other friends do they are far more blessed than they realize.

I hope this will curb the tendency of all children to get the "gimmee" disease. My children were very precious this year. They show thankfulness and gratitude for everything they received from socks and underwear to the surprise gift Mike's great Aunt and his cousin gave them.........BIKES! What a shocker when we found out they had purchased all 3 children a new bike. So yes, my children were blessed. My husband and I only bought them 1 toy each and spent all of 30 dollars on the 3 of them because that is all that was in the budget. But family and friends overwhelmingly came through for our kids. They were blessed beyond all that we could ever have imagined. I am overwhelmed and grateful. My husband and I did not exchange presents this year but watching my children be grateful and sweet over everything was a wonderful present.

God is good all the time. I am overwhelmed by the goodness of God down to the fact He gave my kids Christmas. Not a NEED but a blessing and even their most secret wishes for bikes were fulfilled. We told NO ONE they wanted bikes......but God......He knew......and He is better than any santa claus could ever be........because He is real and when He moves on the hearts of people to give it blesses the person that receives. I am in awe.

6 comments:

Barry and Amy said...

Thelma, I'm sorry to hear that the Christmas budget was so tight. I am glad to hear that your family was so helpful and giving, that's wonderful.

We have most definitely been there and done that.

Before my husband got his new church about 7 months ago he was working two jobs and we were still digging ourselves a financial hole. It's not fun. If it had not been for giving family and friends (and the Goodwill-so I'm loving it that you are donating to them) we would not have made it.

God is faithful. We are in a better financial position now. Not great, but much better. Things are still tight since I'm a SAHM, but now we can live frugally but well.

Is your husband full-time at your church or is he bi-vocational? If you don't mind me asking.

Unknown said...

Thanks hon.......he is bi-vocational......or you could say tri-vocational......LOL. He has a full time job, a part time job and the pastor position. Right now due to a treasury error with the district we do not know if we will be getting the housing allowance that just started in November......BUT that being said..... I know God WILL provide. We have been worse off........and better off when we were first married and only had 1 child....LOL. But we are making it. And my kids received so much that I am overwhelmed. I think the error with the district will be fixed but it will take time. The church only has 5-7 attendees at the moment. It was a dying church........we are trying to save it. The district may do it as a replant which would help the financial end as replants and new planted churches get benefits from the district etc. so we shall see. All I know is God blesses us in ways we can't even see before we see them. To be honest sometimes I DO struggle with discouragement over it cause it is always so hard but God is faithful and He has never failed us. Right now, today......I feel like I am in the wilderness struggling to get through but that God is here with me helping me and giving me cool water when I need it most....I am still in the dessert but I am not alone....kwim. It is a learning place....a growing place........a place I have to learn to rely on Him and not THELMA......a place that will take me deeper in Him once I get to the other side.....kwowing that doesnt necessarily make it easy but it helps knowing HE is here, He is upholding us and HE will NEVER ever let us fall. God is good. And we have a roof over our heads, food on our table, the lights are still on and I still have my internet connection......LOL. I know somehow although today has been a rough day for me, we will get through. Sometimes when my days get as rough as it has been today......I choose to look for the silver lining and find something to be grateful for or as Polyanna would say ...play the glad game. So I am glad my kids had Christmas and I am glad we had family and friends and loved ones that came through without us saying a word. And I am glad my husband is such a hard working, dependable man. God is good to me beyond words. I just get discouraged.......and today I decided I would find something to be thankful for.....in the midst of the bills coming in and the other stressors of just plain old daily life .

okay that was LONG.....LOL. thanks hon.

Melissa, Multi-Tasking Mama said...

Hey girl- glad you made it over to the group and I laughed at your comment on my Not me's. Our oldest (and youngest to a certain degree) has sensory processing issues so I couldn't help but chuckle at your description of that Christmas eve service, even though I was thinking poor baby! LOL

Barry and Amy said...

I'm praying that your district will be lead by God to help out your church and you all, as a family, in the best way possible.

You are a wonderful, godly woman. It blesses my heart to read how faithful you are.

Burkulater said...

We just did this in our family too. It's a great thing to be able to teach your children these things.

Unknown said...

Thanks Amy that is so sweet of you to say and blesses my socks off.

Yeah, Melissa, sensory issues still prove to have some control over our lives but mostly where his eating is concerned now...but that too....I belive God will heal someday.

Thanks Burkulater...I think all families should do it on some scale.