making headway - day 16

Today was a lovely day.  

I woke up to the news that our neighbor's baby boy was born at home, just down the street first thing this morning.  What a precious gift!

I didn't have a plan for once and prayed for God to make the day what he wanted it to be.  

Our morning was fairly low key and my mom came over to see us after having been out of town and David asked if he and Cora could have Nana all to themselves so I obliged at least some of the time and got some things done while Nana read books to them on the couch. 

Then I did what I rarely do and braved the big wide world with both kids.  We just kind of let things play out and did some fun stuff.  First I forgot to feed any of us lunch or grab snacks and it was approaching lunchtime so when David asked for a snack I pulled out a coupon we had from the summer reading program at the library for a free popcorn or candy sampler at the Toy Station (super healthy snack/lunch I know!).  We wandered through that very cool store (it was his first time to go), all the educational materials brought out the teacher in me and the month display on the way down the stairs had me teaching him the months, talking about his birthday, etc.

After he chose his lego shaped candy we went to the library where I had a lot of books to return and a lot of holds to pick up.  Cora really enjoyed her time getting to get down on the floor in the kids' section while David played and she squealed and squealed!

Then we went to Once Upon a Child where I was hoping to buy a denim skirt for my girlie and where we had another coupon from the summer reading program for $5 worth of a toy, book, etc. for David.  It was my chance to start introducing him to the world of retail and how to wisely spend money, etc.  If any of you have good suggestions about the ways you have taught your kids about money I'd love to hear them.  

He did well.  He picked a forklift and has been enamored with it ever since.  He will play with it a lot I think. 

We finally made it home where both kids napped at least briefly (I'm talking to you, baby girl!) but then Cora was absolutely charming after eating and played and played in the floor making adorable sounds at us.

We ventured out for dinner at Pei Wei where Cora downed chicken like she was boss.  I was astounded!  

And in the midst of all of this I finally e-mailed some ministries and also various people I know who I thought might have good ideas of places to be donate my excess to intentionally bless others.  That felt good.  I think one thing that has been holding me up during "possessions month" is that I didn't know what I was going to do with the stuff that I was able to let go of.  

So far I have gotten suggestions of giving things to:

the women's shelter

United Way charities

using a website to search for who they give grants to as a starting place 

Hope and Home foster agency

etc.  

This is a good start.  

I guess what I need to do with every closet and drawer I clean out and "liberate" I need to pray the prayer that Jen wrote in her book:

"God?  Connect us with people who need our stuff."

On the one hand I think the answers that prayer will be thrilling on the other hand I will admit there is fear, fear of things getting messy, not in my control or according to my plan or timetable.  

I think it will be good and I pray to be brave.

What about you?  What experiences have you had of connecting your excess with actual people who are blessed by it?

Kelly