Make Giving Part Of Who You Are, Not Just A Thing You Do In December

This season is my favorite time of year, & not just because I have an excuse to redecorate my house & watch hallmark movies in red & green pajamas with dessert every night. Those things are pretty awesome, but the season of giving is what really makes my heart smile. I’ve never taken one of those quiz things but I’m 1,000% sure that my love language is gift giving. So naturally, I’m pretty enamored from November to December to see the hearts & hands of so many people open. That being said, let’s dive into “giving” & remind ourselves that we shouldn’t stop sharing our gifts come January 1st.

We are in the midst of a season that brings people together from all across the world in the spirit of giving! There’ll be lines of eager volunteers in soup kitchens, truck loads of donated toys, full tables & pantries that are usually sparse, & oh so much change clancking into plastic, red buckets. Sometimes there’s so much “giving” around us that its can be difficult to appreciate the value of our gift & use it in the most meaningful way. As in, I think sometimes we give out of obligation or routine, & something that is truly great seems rather unremarkable. It’s like we’re on autopilot when we cut the yearly holiday check to that charity, or when we hear the bell ringing & start digging around for change. I think our “charity,” for lack of better word needs a revival. It’s high time we start actively incorporating it into our identity & living it out all year long. Relax frugal Fred, I’m not asking you to sell your possessions or go into debt feeding the worlds hungry. Im just advocating for you to take stock of the abundance of blessings you have been given like good health, a home, people who love you, a warm bed, & a full belly. Not everyone has those things, & if you can give even one person in one moment of their life something that they don’t have...well, I think you should. 

“It is better to give than to receive,” has been drummed into our heads from our first Christmas, but there is still such deep truth behind this wise old saying. It’s not talking about the $10 bill you handed that homeless guy on your way to work, the $5 button you pressed when the card reader prompted a St. Jude or SPCA donation, or the change you told the cashier to keep with a smile. No, it’s referring to real, person-to-person giving! About truly reaching out to help other human beings & enriching their lives for no other purpose than to build them up. It’s talking about sacrifice, love, vulnerability, & humanity. 

Last year, Colton “helped” me wrap presents for some families of students a few years back

Do you want to make a difference in this world? Do you desire to have a purposeful & meaningful existence in your short time on Earth? The resounding answer is yes. The problem is we get busy. Busy building careers, families, & debt to get or stay happy, & we somehow miss the mark on what life is really about. Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying “stuff” is bad. I think “stuff” is great actually, & I have way more of it than I need. I also love spoiling my family with things & experiences. So, don’t think I’m saying you should feel guilty about anything you have. I just want to remind you how incredible all those blessings are, & help you reflect on what you can do for others with what you’ve been given. 

Giving can feel amazing; it makes you all warm, fuzzy, & proud of yourself. However, giving doesn’t always feel ALL good! Sometimes giving your time to watch your friends kids so that momma can get some work done or have a date night straight up sucks y’all! Sometimes, going on a payment plan for the $3,000 emergency medical bill you just got because you donated you paycheck to a go fund me is a struggle. Sometimes giving up a family Christmas away that you’ve been planning for a year in order to buy a local family in need a Christmas tree & presents is a pill that goes down a little rough, even though it makes you feel good too. Please don’t misconstrue what I’m trying to say here. I’m not saying that you should give begrudgingly. Keep your crap for yourself if you have that attitude. I’m just reminding you that giving isn’t about “you.” It’s not about how it makes you feel, it’s about the other person. And even though these things were sacrifices for us, they still felt amazing, & right, & happy. 

If you really want to give yourself a gift this year, make it the gift of benevolence. Start living life openhanded, not just through December, but all year long. I’m human, so there’s a lot of material things I desire & places & things I long to see in this big, beautiful world. But I’m also a child of God, so I know this life is short, & that we’re here for a whole lot more than just serving ourselves & the people closest to us. We don’t need to have a bleeding heart for everyone & everything, but we do need to recognize that there are people who have a lot less than us, & make it a habit to find ways to bless others.

My parents & grandmother didn’t have to actively teach me this, because it was something they lived out. I was lucky enough to grow up witnessing people who had far less than I have today, & yet, still lived a life of giving & serving. In all honesty my husband & I probably don’t give & serve as much as we really could, & sometimes it’s a sacrifice when we do, but we are committed to always coming back to the principle of living life openhanded & recognizing that everything we have is a gift from God. We have chosen to serve Him with all that He has given us, whether it be through our talents & skills, time, or finances.  We trust that what He wants in our hands & lives will be there & be best, even if our human hearts sometimes desire more or different. This is the example we want to set for our children. We want to raise them to go through life everyday looking for ways to bless others so that it becomes a habit or way of life for them. So when December comes around, they can maybe give a little extra, but that it’s not a season of giving that ends there. 

Look around friends, take stock of your blessings, & then think of ways you can give to others. Don’t stop at the easy gift either. Maybe you can do a little more by putting one of your kids gifts back or holding off on that new wreath you wanted till next year, so you can pick up a gift card for a mom in need to shop for her child or Christmas dinner. Maybe you write this years donation for a little more, or offer that mom you see struggling a free night of babysitting. Donate things around the house you’re not currently using, leave a surprise out for the mail & delivery folks, fund a needy families Christmas, volunteer somewhere, open your home to a family or neighbor that would otherwise be alone on Christmas, or just simply give a compliment or smile to the stranger at the store, (even the one who was a little rude to you). But most importantly don’t stop giving after the holidays! Make giving a part of who you are, not just something you do. We all fall short sometimes, but as long as we make it our mission & continue to reflect on our purpose, we will all be a better version of ourselves next December & even better the following December, & so on. Happy giving, friends! 🎄