Blessing Bags

I have mentioned Blessing Bags here before I think. I had read about this wonderful concept in the fall around the Thanksgiving holiday. Our family got together will some friends and made a simplified version of these bags over the Christmas break from school. Our kids wanted to make them for the homeless folks that we come into contact with in our day to day life. I thought this was a wonderful way to spend time with friends and to be a part of something big, something that would have lasting effects in the hearts of the folks that would receive these bags. The kids used paper lunch bags and decorated them with markers. Some of the bags were very colorful and others included short messages as well. We filled the bags with a variety of snacks such as pretzels, animal crackers, and peanut butter crackers and a water bottle.

I placed the Blessing Bags in my car. My heart was filled with good feelings knowing that our family would be able to help someone else even in a simple and small way. I feel like I just can't get enough of these types of activities...they do my heart good.

What I didn't expect was the reactions that I have received thus far and also the way it would make me feel inside as a result. I'm not saying that the money that I used to give wasn't helpful or anything like that, it's just that giving these bags that the children created and prayed over, had a deeper more profound meaning attached to them. There was love in that bag handed over from one hand to another hand, one heart to another...and I am grateful for the opportunity to participate in this project. I can't take full credit I was inspired by both a blog friend and a real life friend.

I have given money in these situations before, but there is something more humbling to my soul when I give these bags. Each person that I have given a bag to seems delighted to receive it. There have been gracious hands, smiles, and tender words spoken with each experience. There have been eyes that have met face to face and that will never be forgotten. I have driven away each time with tears flowing down my face. There are tears of sadness and brokenness, tears shed in the wonderings of the details of their lives and how they found themselves where they are at the present time, tears as my heart breaks for these people suffering in this cold and bearing the weight of various and difficult life situations. I hurt for them and wonder what more could be done to help them. There are also the tears of gratitude for my blessings in life, tears of gratitude for my ability to share my blessings with someone else, and tears of remembrance and perspective knowing all too well that no one is exempt from a life altering situation at any time. I also shed tears knowing that my kids are learning compassion for others, tears for the many ways to be active in doing something about the hurting hearts all around me, and of course tears for the realization that at times it feels so sad to know there is an abundance of hurt in this world. I am more and more aware of the ways to stop in my day to day hustle and bustle of life and to know that it ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS, makes a difference to share love...don't just think about it, DO SOMETHING.

Jeremy and the journey that we have been on ever since, have taught me many things. One of the most profound lessons is in the simple and even small gestures of love shown to others in need. Love begins as a feeling in your heart. Unless you act on that feeling and make it an action word, it stays in your heart, all bottled up for yourself. Love is meant to be shared. In fact, the bible commands that we love one another.

The song Hosanna by Selah has been playing over and over in my mind today. The lyrics are down right powerful.

Heal my heart and make it clean

open up my eyes to the things unseen

show me how to love like you have loved me

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

everything I am for Your kingdoms cause

I recently visited with a friend who was planning to make a dinner for a local homeless shelter with her girl scout troop. She shared the details of what they were making and invited the community to help be a part of this mission by helping to supply some or all of the necessary ingredients to make this meal. My friend also shared how a representative from the shelter had come to speak with the girls about the shelter. The representative had shared that she wished that more people would support the homeless community by giving out bottles of water and those packs of peanut butter crackers. She shared that for some that simple pack of crackers could be three meals for a homeless person on the streets. This very sentence uttered reminded me that yes, this simple gift, is very meaningful and worthwhile.

Another friend was planning and participating in an event at church where all of the children involved in their Sunday School classes would be making these Blessing Bags this weekend. Wow...

I felt the nudge to share. So, try it for yourself. Gather some lunch bags, water bottles, pretzels, and peanut butter crackers as part of your next shopping trip to the grocery store. Add more if you'd like...small toiletries are also sometimes recommended. Place these items in the bags and then keep them in your car. The time will come when the opportunity presents itself to share one of these bags with someone. Open yourself up to the love and blessings that will pour out in many directions.