CAKe: Acts 4 -8

For the past couple of years, Jeff and I have tried to seek out charities that help our local community. Last year we donated winter clothes to our bank for the Title I schools in the area. The year before that, we filled Christmas wishes for an Angel Tree through Amber's employment. This year, we were blessed to be able to volunteer for the Usana Kids Eat program to provide food bags to Taylor Elementary School for kids to use over the holiday break. There is so much need in the world! My heart breaks to think of the kids who depend on school breakfasts and lunches to eat during the day. Sometimes I don't stop to think what happens to those kids over school breaks. This provided us an opportunity to help in some small way. Usana gave us a specific list of foods to buy then provided bags for us to assemble. Jonas and I shopped for all the food (although when the other kids heard about the opportunity, they donated money or grabbed food for their own bags they wanted to assemble) and Sunday, December 7th, we assembled those bags. On Tuesday, December 9th, Jonas helped me deliver the bags to the school directly. It really hit home as I looked around at the students at Jonas's school and wondered if one of them could be the recipient of one of these bags. It just goes to show you that you never really know what trials others are experiencing.

Later that evening, we kept the Christmas kindness going! It was the night we knocked out an additional four acts. We started at the Dollar Store. Jonas thoughtfully chose several items to tape money to in hopes to put a smile on someone's face.

From there, we headed to Walmart. This is always a favorite. I love watching Jonas prayerfully consider each individual or family as we wander around the store. This isn't just a check list activity for him. He doesn't casually walk up to the first person he sees. He tries to be led by the Spirit as he observes everyone. This year, he was torn between a woman he had seen and a little family. Ultimately, he chose the dad and his two young kids. As we walked away from the brief encounter, emotion overwhelmed Jonas. He pulled me aside and I hugged him while he shed a few tears. He could sense the need of that family, especially at Christmas time. 

After we left Walmart, we headed to the laundry mat to drop some money and laundry detergent in the machines. This is probably our quickest (and one of the simplest) act because we try not to look suspicious or get caught; yet we hope in brings a little joy and light to each recipient. 

Finally, we ended at our town's food box. This box is located right by Jonas's school and is on the main road into town from West Mountain. I often drive by this box, and I have noticed many more people scouring its contents in the last month. Again, my heart aches to know there are families out there that wonder how they will provide food for themselves from day to day. Sometimes the need in the world seems overwhelming. Sometimes you wonder what your small donation really does in the grand scheme of things, but for that one person or that one family, it makes a difference. This year, while we were at Walmart, Jeff and Jonas helped me grab the food that we wanted to include in the box. We quickly loaded it up and ended our evening with smiles on our faces. Service isn't just about the person receiving it, but the person giving it is just as blessed.