Give Unto Others...NOT!!

Ha! I crack myself up with that title...I decided that it was time to start teaching Brylee about giving to others who are less fortunate...generosity..and teaching her how we are truly blessed to have all that we have...Her closet, drawers and toy boxes are overflowing! I can't even keep her room clean..b/c there is nowhere to put them. She doesn't play with half the toys she has and isn't really interested in toys..she would rather take the door knob apart and figure out how to work it...She does like her dolls and she likes her computer stuff...and puzzles..but other than that..she really doesn't value the worth of the toys...so I thought we would dump her toy box out last night and start going through it and seperating what she actually plays with and starting a pile for what she doesn't play with to give to some less fortunate children. HA!!! Try telling a 3 year old that your going to give HER toys to another kid! I guess she really doesn't understand the meaning of sacrifice (which it wasn't a true sacrifice, b/c I was giving the toys she doesn't play with away) or the meaning of less fortunate..

With every toy I picked up, I heard, "I need that Mommy", "That's Mine Mommy", "That Not Trash"! (I had a garbage bag to put them in) Finally with much persuasion, I convinced her that she doesn't need all those toys and that she would make another child really happy if she would give them some toys because they don't have any! We managed to get a garbage bag full and the next task will be actually giving them away! I pray that she will learn the importance of this lesson and not hold it against her Mommy for "giving her toys away".

Which leads me to the next point..a blog I follow....she was teaching her children the same thing and in return her children asked her to give up her most prized possession, her Coach Purse. She agreed and it is on Ebay and the last bid I saw was over $500..which she will be donating to the Hope Charity. I think that is awesome, but I have to ask myself, through teaching this to Brylee, am I really teaching her to be that way, or am I teaching myself to sacrifice. We have recently bought a new couch and oversized chair with an ottoman (spelling?) and my old ones are in my garage. I have had a price tag on them of $200..with several potential buyers...but I can think of many who NEED it but couldn't afford it, so with much prayer, I am going to ask God to lay on my heart who He would like to have it. It is in very Good condition..and I am ashamed of myself for not already passing it on. Now, I have always given clothes away, but at the same time, had that in the back of my mind how Icould have made a few dollars off of it, Isn't it funny how good God is to us, and we can be so lax and expect it? I am no better than any person who needs that and I could be the one sitting on a box and not have a place to lay my head. I hope this will be a first of my sacrifices..Sacrifice is a hard word for me b/c I am an only child, but I do understand the sacrifice my Lord and Savior gave for me and ALL people! And I do understand the great sacrifices that have been given for my eternal life...so I hope that the following verse will ring true in your heart as in mine.....

Each of you must give what you have decided in your heart, not with regret or under compulsion, since God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7