Hello, Gentle Reader! It has been a while. We have had some injuries and sickness and are in the process of moving to the farmhouse permanently. Thanks for waiting, and thanks for joining me again!
Valentine’s Day is coming! While this holiday is primarily associated with the celebration of romantic love, it is a wonderful opportunity to be loving to the people around us in need. It is so easy to get caught up with our own life and general busy-ness, especially if you are a caregiver, and wait until “work slows down” or “I have more free time” or “our kids are old enough to participate”.
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But we don’t have to wait until that golden day that may never arrive. As with all matters of importance, we need to stay intentional about the way we move through our days and weeks. Make a plan for compassion, so that it becomes a priority as well as a way of life. We should involve our young kids so that they learn by experience the important of service, the equalizing nature of true kindness, and the need to seek out the opportunity to be a blessing.
There are a lot of great ways to introduce our children to the Biblical ways to display love. One of my favorites is the countdown discussed in Everyday Confetti: Your Year-Round Guide to Celebrating Holidays and Special Occasions
As part of our Valentine’s Day celebration, we are making a commitment to extending compassion both near and far- in a tangible, personal way, and on an ongoing basis. I hope that in both of these instances, lifelong friendships will develop. At the very least, we are helping meet basic physical and emotional needs. At the same time, our very young children will learn firsthand the importance of compassion no matter the season of life or year.
First, nearby: One of our new neighbors is a single, elderly woman. She is spry and gets around very well but doesn’t have a lot of visitors. We have begun bringing her meals on a regular basis. Once we move, we plan to bring her meals at least twice a week and to invite her over more regularly for a family meal. Giggle carries and delivers the meal to our neighbor (along with one or both of us, of course). When our neighbor eats with us, Giggle sets our guest’s place at the head of the table before setting the other places. She knows that you serve guests and babies first (this rule was implemented when Wiggle was small and has been mostly helpful in peacekeeping at home!).
Second, far away: We signed up with Unbound to sponsor two little girls in need. Both have birth dates very similar to each of my daughters. Giggle and Wiggle will have the opportunity to send drawings, paintings, and later, letters to these little girls, throughout their entire childhood and hopefully beyond. Unbound has been given the highest rating by Charity Watch, along with Save the Children. I chose to use Unbound for two reasons: First, their Beliefs Statement says that their “Programs are designed in true partnership with the mothers, encouraging them to participate in defining benefits and services for their children”. Being a mother, I love that philosophy! Second, the sponsorship money goes to directly benefit the child, not the community as a whole. These two aspects of the Unbound program stood out to me. We are so excited to have the opportunity to help these two little girls, and to connect with them as they grow up.
Gentle Reader, if you are reading this post after Valentine’s Day, or are an individual or a couple without children, be encouraged. You can show kindness in a meaningful way any time of year. If you’ve made a commitment to making a difference in someone else’s life, please share with me!