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As I shared in my last post updating days 5-8 of the #30DaysofGiving Challenge, I have had great examples of those who give of their Time, Talents, and Money to make the world a better place. One person in particular that comes to mind this morning is my best friend Debbie. She has a generous heart, a gift for helping those in need, and is filled with wisdom which she freely gives…whether you want it or not. Luckily, those who want to be wise, take her advice as she gives it in love.

My Dad in the 1980’s

Almost 20 years ago my Dad died during surgery. It was not a shock, as his last words to us were, “I will either wake up and this surgery will make life better here, or I will wake up with Jesus”. He was ready to go, and we knew it was time, but that didn’t make it easy. I phoned my friend Debbie to let her know that my Dad had passed away. At the time she was living almost 3 hours away. She said she would take the rest of the day off work, and be here as soon as possible. And she did. She helped us walk through the first few days of grief, details, plans, and changes.

After a few days, she phoned in to her supervisor to let them know she would be returning the following Monday. The supervisor said she had to return the next day, or she would lose her job since it was not family. Debbie explained that we were family. We had adopted each other as official friends of the family, which is family. Needless to say, Debbie let the supervisor know that jobs will come and go, but friends and family are priceless.

My Friend Debbie

We could not have made it that first week without her love and support, not to mention shopping, cleaning, cooking, baking, and joining us as we laughed and cried through our memories. It was, and I have held it in my heart, a true gift. An example of a life of giving that blessed our family when we needed it most. As I walk through this 30 day journey of giving, I feel that my giving is inconsequential compared to the gifts that others have given to me. But, I am always reminded of the words of John F. Kennedy, “One person can make a difference, and everyone should try”. That is what I do. I try to make the world a better place, one simple giving act at a time.

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Day 9 took all day!

On Day 9 my daughter and I collaborated on our act of giving, and did all of the laundry in the house. Everyone’s, and everything, and we didn’t ask for help from anyone else. It was an entire day of laundry, but well worth blessing everyone in the home with clean sheets, clothes, towels, etc. It was a pretty simple act of giving, but it freed up time for the rest of the family to do other things that they needed or wanted to do that day.

Laundry Day

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Day 10 we watched a family movie

Day 10 I watched a movie with my family. My kids are aged 17-24, so watching an animated flick together is not the norm. If our schedules all work to watch a movie, it is typically superhero cinema, Star Wars, or Tolkien. Sometimes I can get everyone to watch a historical drama, my favorite or old movie, but typically superhero. I personally don’t watch a lot of animation. A few months ago I was talking my daughter and her boyfriend to catch a plane to the East Coast. We realized that we were several hours early so we stopped and watched a movie. The only movie playing at the right time was Coco.

Manny

It turned out to be an adorable movie. I completely fell in love with the music, and most of all the main character, Miguel. He is a cute little boy with a smoky voice, big eyes, and a great talent for the guitar who makes me think of my oldest son Manuel. As I was watching the movie, I made plans that someday, I would watch the movie with him. It is not always easy to convince a 24 year old man to watch a movie named Coco. I knew that he would love it, and wanted to see him watch it. I worked at it for months, and finally he said yes. It was not the most convenient of days for me, but I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to spend time together. So, we put aside all other tasks, put our phones down, closed laptops and watched the movie together as a family. It was a good moment in time.

Day 11…Flowers!

Day 11 came along and I realized that our home had not had flowers for a while. I love fresh flowers and raised all of my children to love and appreciate them as well. They brighten a home, and the fragrance is invigorating. Although I have been watching the budget line quite closely this year, I realized I needed to splurge and brighten up everyone’s view. Once I arrived home, my youngest daughter took the flowers and made a beautiful bouquet. We put them in view of everyone, and are enjoying a special treat.

Flowers!

Day 12- Time to giveaway

Day 12-I started to collect items for giveaway. I think this is one of the easiest ways to give. I am going room by room finding donations to give to the local thrift store. Our local thrift store gives all of its profits to support missionaries. In addition, it is extremely generous to all of the churches in the area, and those in need. It truly is a win-win situation. I have a less cluttered home, I make room for what really matters, and a non-profit organization earns money to support its programs.

Day 13 I made a donation to a charity

As I have mentioned in other posts, I have my favorite charities that I give to on a regular basis. But sometimes, I am compelled to start a new set of donations. This month, I was thinking about how many people I  know who have been affected by Alzheimer’s, and the number is high. I know several people who are currently in various stages of the disease, and know the challenge it can present to a family who is caring for them. With that in mind, I decided to give a small gift to Alz.Org.

Alz.Org has a robust website filled with resources for those living with or caring for someone with Alzheimer’s. It is also filled with a good amount of information. For instance, I did not know that every 65 seconds someone develops Alzheimer’s. There is a great section on living with ALZ, and also a section to search out medical professionals and additional support needed when facing this type of challenge. I did not give a huge donation, but I know that matched with the donations of others, it will have an impact.

I am working my way through day by day. And yes, there are days, when I think, I don’t have anything to give. But then I realize again, that giving takes on so many forms, and no matter how small, it all makes an impact. If you want a few ideas to get started, read my original post here.  How are you working through the #30DaysofGiving Challenge? Share your giving in the comments below or on social media.

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