THOUGHTS

This is a story that I have to share. Let me start with an explanation of the way our parents worked the cash system when we were kids. Mom would put cash into envelopes and store them in their safe and each was labled for whatever their purpose. This is info that you will need later, now to the good part.

Last weekend my parents went Christmas shopping. Since the mall is not just around the corner they try to do it all in one weekend. As you can imagine thay had packed the van full of gifts and were closing the trunk when a woman approached. She asked my dad for money to pay for her broken down car. I'm glad that this story is not about what I did, because you would not have been inspired. Fortunately, I have a wonderful and giving dad who gladly handed her $40.00. When he told me this my first thought was, that was very giving, but she probably didn't have a broken down car. She probably saw your loaded van and saw an oppurtunity. In the metroplex we call these people panhandlers. Once again, God took this oppurtunity to teach me a lesson. A few days later my dad was sorting through the safe looking for some important papers and found an envelope. This envelope had no title on the outside, but it did contain $400.00. Now, I don't believe that God came over and put money into my parents safe. I also don't believe that when you give you will be rewarded ten fold. I do believe that God uses our life "coincidences" to remind us that he is at work in our lives and in those that we touch. My parents have always taught us that it is our responsibility to help others because we will answer for that some day and if others take advantage then they will answer for themselves. I am a slow learner, but I am so thankful that God is using those that I love to teach me the lesson of giving!

GIVE, GIVE, GIVE....

Even Oprah extended a challenge to give. This may have been her best show ever. It is amazing what some of these people did with only $1,000 and the spirit of giving.

http://www2.oprah.com/presents/2006/pay/challenge/challenge_201.jhtml

October 2006, Oprah gave more than 300 audience members the opportunity to experience what she calls "truly the best gift"…the gift of giving back. During Oprah's favorite giveaway ever, each person in the audience received $1,000 to donate to a charitable cause of their choice.With only one week to fulfill the challenge, these amazing men and women hit the ground running. Armed with Bank of America debit cards and Sony DVD Handycams, which they used to document their good deeds, the audience members started making headlines from Connecticut to California. What began as a simple idea quickly snowballed into a national movement!For seven days, kindness swept the nation and Americans "passed it on" to perfect strangers, people in need and even a few four-legged friends.

CHALLENGE FOR THE DAY

GIVE TO SOMEONE...SOMEWHERE...SOMETHING

This is my challenge for the day and make it yours and then email to tell me about it.

Blessings

I feel blessed for all that I have been given. I feel blessed for the people in my life that inspire me daily. I am blessed to have enough to be taken care of and still be able to give.

So that's all from this day in the life of mommysmart!