Advent: Christmas Charity

by | Dec 18, 2018 | Holidays, Solutions

Advent: Christmas Charity | Keep a $20 in your wallet. Its my go to Christmas giving philosopy. But, what does it look like to give non-cash gifts at Christmas and who should be on your Christmas Charity list?

Thinking of charities is not something I hold for Christmas time alone. We are thinking of these all the year-round. But there is something in the air where giving becomes a greater topic during the Christmas season. 

Whether you have money from a bonus, want to teach your kids a lesson, or just are feeling generous, let me encourage you to think about some special places and people this Christmas

  • Arkansas Children’s – this hospital takes care of sick, sick kiddos and do it with such a grace that makes them happy even in the hardest moments. Their motto happy kids for a healthier tomorrow really resonates. They do an annual toy drive each year called Festival of Stars and it was held last Friday, but the giving does not have to end. They still have needs to met and will be giving kids gifts, delivered by Santa on Christmas and Chrismas Eve. These are kids who are spending those days in the hospital in Little Rock or Northwest Arkansas. Give Online. 
  • Arkansas Food Bank – I recently wrote an article telling the story of this great organization, but they are ones taking care of the hungry and hurting across Arkansas. GIVE ONLINE or purchase items from their GIFT SHOP.
  • Salvation Army – by now you have seen and heard them all over town. But, these folks do so much for so many. I was always thankful for the work they do and willing to drop in the change in my hand walking out of a store, but my mother in law shared a story with me about how they helped her daddy when he was little. That will always be special to me and it will always be what I think of when I hear the ringing bell next to the red kettle. GIVE ONLINE, the guy ringing the bell won’t mind.
  • Homeless shelter – this is a hard one for me to link up because there are so many services across the area. What I do know is that homelessness is real. There are lots of reasons people find them in this place and frankly, I’m over judging them or figuring out why. My heart was so significantly changed after reading and watching Same Kind of Different As Me, that I realized it didn’t matter. People are not meant to be cold and hungry and outside in the elements. It’s probably a greater problem than you know right in your own community.

Other organizations we consider include:

There are also many things you can do locally with items that is more than just donating money. Beware, it may require more of your heart to get involved!

  • warm socks and a treat are a great thing to deliver to folks in nursing homes
  • toy items for the hospitals in your area
  • blankets and coats for the cold and those who cannot afford them
  • food closets need canned food items
  • Organizations like Samaritan Community Center put together meal packs for families where kids are home for several days over Christmas break. When school is not in session, many of these families struggle to get meals going all week long.
Advent: Christmas Charity | Keep a $20 in your wallet. Its my go to Christmas giving philosopy. But, what does it look like to give non-cash gifts at Christmas and who should be on your Christmas Charity list?

And, I’ll leave you with this. Keep a $20 in your wallet. I’ll never forget the first Christmas season we were here in our South Arkansas town, I was on one of those “wander all the aisles” trips to my local Walmart. I was in the clothing section with a buggy full of items. Many of them I needed to try on and put back, but none-the-less, a full buggy. An older woman, I”m going to say she was short and of Asian Islander decent approached me and asked if she could have some money. I think she specifically asked for $5. I told her I didn’t have any cash on me. She looked down at my buggy and back to my eyes and turned to walk away. Embarrassed and confused, I too turned to look at something hanging next to me. When I looked back, she was gone. As I moved forward a little more, it hit me that she saw all that I had and only wanted a TINY portion. $5. I didn’t even look in my wallet, I had no idea what was in there, but I didn’t have time for her. I walked every section of that store and looked for her in the parking lot and on the road on my way home. 

I’ve never forgotten her. In my haste of wanting, I missed a chance with an angel. I”m convinced she was there that day as my wake up call. I can tell you exactly what she looked like and could paint a picture if I needed to. But, she was my reminder that people don’t need much. They need their basic needs met. And, when you do that, you can connect with their heart. 

Open your heart to someone this Christmas. It might even mean opening your wallet. But, meet a need. Whatever it looks like, big or small. Meet a need. Don’t know what to do. Pray about it. 

Last year, God revealed Himself to us in a very unique way when it came to our Christmas giving. We were looking for something very specific but couldn’t find it. We were on our timeline, not God’s plan. The same thing happened last week and frankly, we weren’t looking for it and had already closed our hearts. But, God in His sovereign way, met us even though we were not as open as we should have been.

Open your heart. It’s a blessing to unfold.

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