Our total collection this season came to $98.50. Plus a few extra bonus items.
After scrounging around the house for spare change, we added $1.50 to round out the total to $100!
We decided to split the money in half--giving $50 to Worlvision and $50 to our local food pantry.
Amazing what those forgotten piles of spare change add up to. Amazing what we can give out of our abundance.
As small hands sorted change and tallied its value this morning, I was pleased that we were so close to our goal.
But we can do more.
God requires more. He asks me to give, not out of abundance, but out of faith. He asks for my firstfruits. When I give Him all that I hold in my hands, I say to Him, I trust You to fill my arms again.
Collecting spare change is good stewardship…but it hardly stretched my faith. It did not require me to step out of my comfort zone. And for that, I am not proud.
We are so blessed.
It’s time to start blessing others.
Because He is good. He is trustworthy. And He will provide for all our needs.
We are still deciding how to give out of faith…trying to determine what the giving of our firstfruits looks like.
May it be pleasing to Him.
15 comments:
The pile of guitar picks and paper clips looks a lot like the pile -- including some pocket lint -- the bank teller always brings me when I trade in my coin can. This is awesome, what a cool thing the Boggess family did with their loose change. Merry Christmas to you.
This is wonderful and so inspiring!!
Spare Change
To loose
then give up
a few
quarters dimes
nickels pennies
does not so much
spare change
as make it
I love how every penny is counted and accounted for. You are a blessing!
Bravo for all of you Laura!! The blessings will come back in measureless ways. It is a wonderful life lesson for your boys.
I wish we had done a bit more of this when our kids were still home.
My husband and I have given Christmas gifts to each other for the past couple of years in the form of donations to places like Samaritan's Purse and World Vision. I thought at first (being the selfish little soul I am) that I would miss having a present or two under the tree. The miraculous thing is, I don't! The Father fills us with those intangible riches. He is so good!
What a brilliant idea! I have coins dotted around the house in various containers, so I'm going take on your idea too!
Very truly inspiring Laura!
I used to do something similar with my weekly spare change, and I think I need to get back to it. You've inspired me bigtime.
My love to you and your family,
Merry Christmas!!!
Just dropping in to say: I am thinking about you, praying for you, and hope you have a wonderful New year! May GODS blessings abound in and through your life!
Hugs and prayers, andrea
Thanks for sharing this! It's great!
We love the practice of first-fruits giving here in our home!
You've given me an idea of what to do with the money my husband and I find throughout the year.
We started a little contest a few years ago when we were on vacation and we both kept finding coins on the ground....who could find the most money in a year. He always wins! He has a slight advantage where he works.
It's been fun and it's amazing how much money is literally on the ground. I find pennies almost everywhere I go...and a lot of the time dimes and even quarters. The other day at the grocery store someone had swept up a little pile of dust etc. and there in the midst was .13! The little pile had just been left there so I told my husband and he picked it up and it counted for my jar. :)
We each have our quart jar and it sits all year and we count it at the end of Dec. (say a little prayer....we still have 5 days left) :)
I am believing God that next year we will both have more than ever because I'm choosing to give it to the needy and believing God will guide us who to give it to.
Thanks Laura!
I'll be posting about this. :)
Love you!!!
lots of guitar picks, man!
Love this!
Sweet! I think we will start this. I have a laundry jar on the dryer...maybe we should use that. You wouldn't believe how much loose change (and bills) I collect there!!
Blessings!
In his Graces~Pamela
This is such a wonderful idea! It is one that I shared with my family this year too. But we discussed it a little too late. So, we decided to make sure we make it a part of our Christmas celebration each year from now on! Everyone of my kids were excited about doing this. I bet your boys love doing this.
Laura,
You're so right. We are so blessed that even our spare change can make a big difference! But I also agree that giving our first fruits and not our leftovers is really what God calls us to do. Finding the courage to step out in faith is the challenge, isn't it. I pray you travel further on this journey this year.
Happy New Year!
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