These Hands These Feet

If you are one of the four people who read my blog (hey mom! love you!) then you might know how it got started. I made a New Year's Resolution. Four years later, it's stuck around. And each year, I set and record new resolutions: 2013, 2014, and 2015

2016 is no different.

But this year, it all started with Evan. One December morning before the coffee had entered my bloodstream, Evan decided he wanted to go through all his toys and find the ones he wanted to donate to the homeless. I literally could barely form a sentence because of the lack caffeine in my system. I grunted something about plastic bags and to get started.

When I finally joined the land of the living (aka - finished my coffee), I joined him upstairs. He had some interesting questions. Orphans, St. Jude, homeless...

Then he proceeded to cry, in my arms, for 20 minutes...lots of crying. Big cries...sobs....and snot (on my new sweatshirt).

What 7 year old spends his Saturday morning crying over the plight of the homeless?? Mine. <sigh>

I took a picture just to send to my mom and ask "What am I supposed to do with this???"

Now a lot had been going on in our lives that particular week. St. George's just finished two pretty big service projects: Coins for Carson which raised money for St. Jude in honor of Carson Head, a student who was very close to all of us and blanket making for the homeless. Second graders joined fourth graders for a day of service. They made blankets out of pieces of fleece to give to the homeless. We also have a very good friend who just received their first placement of foster children. A much longer story than I have time for, but these two twin babies have been prayed over for quite a long time. We visited the babies and brought the family dinner all in the same week that the two service projects happened.

My sweet and sensitive boy just had a lot on his mind!

We spent a while talking about all the things he had questions about. I told him that when we have concerns we find a way to help. I told him to always be a helper...that he can make a difference. That's what we call being the hands and feet of God. I explained what this meant to me and how we already do this as a family, but there was always room for improvement.

Once again...this is happening way too often, my son taught me a life lesson. I made him a promise that morning. I told him I would find ways for him to be a helper...to be God's hands and feet. So, I made this my New Year's Resolution.

My goal is to find one type of service to do with Evan each month. He really wants to focus on homelessness and kids that are less fortunate. After some research, I have some ideas:
Union Mission - Serving meals to the homeless and making hygiene packs
Sack Lunch Saturday (I made this one up) - making sack lunches on Friday night, including a fresh baked cookie, and delivering them to the homeless downtown on Saturday.
Book Drive for Hope House and Porter Leath
Meals on Wheels with MIFA
Collierville Food Bank collect, deliver, and sort canned goods
Delivering and Sorting Thanksgiving Meals with Hope Church
Adopting a Angel at Christmas

If you have any other suggestions, I would LOVE to hear them!

What I don't want to hear is what a good mom I am, because I am not. Most days I can't even check the 'mediocre mom' box. This wasn't even my idea. It was Evan's. We all, as parents, like to find what our kids are interested in and help them blossom in it, whether it be sports or music or in our case, service. I wish I was as good of a person as Evan. I just hope this small thing I can do to help him allows him to see that he can make a difference.