The Joy of Giving

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . singing carols while Phillip played the piano.

And another thing . . .

. . . all month I've been thinking that since Christmas celebrates Christ's birth, it would be good for our family to give Him "gifts" by serving others. I particularly wanted to involve Joy, so she would see this season as a time of giving and loving, not just getting.

Today I talked with her about how fortunate we are to have plenty of food, a warm home, clothes to wear, and even a few toys. I explained many families in the world don't have those things, then I showed her a catalog for Heifer International, through which we can give a family a goat, sheep, or other animal that will provide nourishment and income to help support their family. I asked Joy which animal we should help pay for. She chose rabbits, and I added a flock of chicks. It felt good to help other families take steps toward self-reliance.

When we were done, Joy said she wanted to help more people. I suggested that we sort through our toy bin and donate the toys we don't use to kids who don't have any. I was surprised to find that she had an easier time parting with things than I did. As she filled a paper bag with a third of her toys, I resisted the urge to comment about how cute one item was or how long we'd had another. I'm proud of her for being willing to give so many of her toys to others.