First Backpack

So, yesterday I posted about an ongoing service project our family has decided to adopt this year.  We are trying to create backpacks with goodies for the homeless around our county for $20 or less or a little more if needed.

This is a small project that we want to do simply because we feel it's something small that can make a huge impact on lives.  The lives of those who will receive it, and possibly an even larger impact on the three small lives who are giving.

Today after completing our school for the day, I loaded up the boys and we set our for the local thrift store.  We found an amazing backpack.  It was hard canvas with a rubber bottom and shoulder and back straps!! I was so excited.  Not to mention it was only $2.50.  So we picked it up, and I fought the urge to buy more, because we want to take this one at a time, because we need to learn the best way to do this to maximize what we can give.


So, on to the dollar store for some snacks and hopefully other hygiene items and things.   We did not have as good luck as the dollar store as at the thrift store.  We picked up primarily snacks and hygiene items, but couldn't find hats and gloves.  We had hoped to come under budget and possibly find a blanket to include in light of this Polar Vortex that has come to town.

Needless to say, after striking out at the dollar store, we ran to my trusty chain retail store of choice.   Found a hat and gloves which ate up the remainder of our $20 limit.  In fact, our oldest was doing the math and adding up our expenses (see....homeschooling is actually life schooling too) and realized we were about to go $1.25 over, so he offered up his very own money.

A few things I learned today.

First if you want to include blankets, Ikea has something really warm and inexpensive.  It's a fleece throw for under $2.00.  If you live near an Ikea, and you are wanting to do this project, go stock up...grab 5.  Five fleece blankets would only be $10.  That's a deal.  My kids each have their own and trust me they are warm.

Second, hats and gloves are not as easily found as I thought.  Perhaps this will be an item I would like to shop for on an ongoing basis, buying as I see a good sale.

Third, maybe it would be better to shop for one item at a time, like go hunting for good backpacks...store them and as we stock up on other items, then stuff the backpacks and have them ready to hand out.

Now, when Daddy gets home and sees the finished projects the kids are so excited to go find someone to bless.   

This morning during our devotion time at the start of school, I had the privelage to talk with the boys through a verse in Matthew 25:40  "The King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.’"

We talked about how each of these homeless people that we will encounter was made in the image of God and each person has a story and a purpose.  Each person needs to know that they are loved, regardless of where they live, what they look like or how they identify themselves.

We give because Jesus has given it all for us.  

Let me encourage you friend, don't be shy about giving.  Bottom line, you can't mess up giving.  You can't out give God and there are no rules.  Go and give.  Bless others, because even if you look around and feel like you have far less than those around you, there are always people with even less. 

PS.   Lest I leave my 'baby' out...he was so busy snacking he simply took on the role of Supervisor during backpack stuffing time.

Family Service Project: 2014

Last week, we talked through goal setting for the new year with our boys.  One specific thing we talked through was service projects that our family could do.  Small tangible things that would impact our boys and impact our community.  We are only one family, so we are starting small.  The idea we have came from a YouTube video we watched together as a family.  We can't take any credit for the idea and we think it's a wonderful way for families to impact the community they live in.

Our boys have always been sensitive towards homeless people and my husband and I have always tried to stash cash to hand out as we encounter homeless or needy people throughout our town.

Well, after watching this video and asking our boys what they would like to do to serve others this year, they all suggested helping homeless people in our county.  We showed this video to our boys and they were so excited!

So we've set a goal of how many backpacks we would like to hand out over the year.  It's going to take time and preparation.  We are going to hunt for some inexpensive backpacks and fill them with some or all of the items on the list in the video.  The gist of the video is filling a backpack with hygiene items, food items and other items that are helpful or hard to find on the streets for the homeless.

Please take the time to watch the video.  It is only three minutes.  The video is a short compilation of what one couple does and provides a website from where they got the idea. It will give you an idea of how easy it is to put together a care package for a homeless person in our area.  You can keep the backpack in your car ready to hand out as you encounter people around your town.  It may seem small or it may seem like a sacrifice to put together a $20 backpack.  Either way, it will make an impact.  People will be blessed by what you give.

If you are interested in getting involved with our family doing this, contact me.  I'd love to chat with you about how you can help.


**Please note, I am not trying to 'steal' anyone's idea, just following the example of others giving to make a difference.  This backpack idea is not mine originally.