I wanted to tell you a quick story. A few years ago we felt like we should buy an extra tree for someone who might need one, although we didn’t know where it would land. Gabe made a few phone calls, and heard about a family who had just lost the father (and main provider of the family), and was struggling to make ends meet. The holidays can be a time of great sadness and financial strain for many, as it brings about memories of loved ones or the added list of things to fit in the budget. We called this family up, and let them know we happened to have an extra Christmas tree if they wanted it. There was silence on the other end of the phone for a minute, and then an emotional response that this would help them very much. We helped load it up to deliver to very grateful arms. It was the best gift of Christmas for me that year because it reminded me how we are all connected to each other on this earth, and it is up to us to take care of each other.

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Today’s Love in Action post was our kids’ idea. They really wanted to help “bring food to people who don’t have any dinner.” Local food banks across the country have a shortage this year due to so many natural disasters. As they are preparing to provide Thanksgiving Dinner for as many people as possible, we knew this would be something we could get our whole gang involved with. Food can be a language of love when someone is experiencing difficulty in one form or another. A warm meal and shelter during a holiday can provide a sense of community and support during an otherwise difficult time. It doesn’t have to be difficult to help feed the hungry! Here are a few ideas we came across after calling around to local places in our city: VIEW FULL POST

This was a tough year for so many people around the world. Before all of the noise begins that can come with the holiday season, we wanted to figure out how we could step away from it, and choose a little different route. How can we transmit love and service this year and all year around? I have come up short many years in a row talking about what we want to do a little too late, and allowing every other distraction to rob us of the gift of time. So this year, in lieu of gift guides (maybe I will get to those later, maybe not), I wanted to share with you all some of the things we are doing as a family to put our love in action. I would be honored if you joined us. Also, you won’t want to miss the end of this week! Today I get to share with you a project very near and dear to me.

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