I Want It All or Nothing at All

   "I want it All or Nothing at All".  Not only is this an extremely catchy, early 2000 boy band hit (Please, tell me I'm not the only one that remembers this song), it's also a materialistic see-saw I struggle with. 

     There are days when I look around my life and think, "Wow, I have so much stuff that I can't even imagine what I'd ask for my birthday/Christmas." My closets are full, my kitchen is fully stocked, and I have gadgets to occupy me all day.  Then the next day, "Oh, I wish I had more _______" or "I hope someone gets me ______." 

     It's gotten even worse now that I have a kid.  She needs some toys.  I need to give away loads of these toys.  How many toys should Santa give her?  Why do I feel like one present for her birthday is not enough?  She needs to learn to entertain herself with just a stick and imagination.  She needs bookshelves worth of books. 
 
    Ugh, the Jekyll and Hyde swings drive me nuts.  If my house burned to the ground tomorrow, would my life be empty?  No. When I die and head to the pearly gates, will I get to take my jewelry? No.  I heard once that the secret to life is being happy with what you've got.  Why is that secret so hard to grasp and so hard to embrace? 

   Do you struggle with this?  What are ways we can all find happiness in what we already have? 

Doing Charity With Kids For Kids

Sometimes I feel like the mere mention of tithing can cause a tidal wave of eye rolls through a crowd of people.  Some people have never started tithing, some people do it only when they remember, and some do it begrudgingly.  The truth is that tithing is a grateful heart giving back to God a portion of what is already his. 

We want our children to be kind, gracious, and sharing to their friends and family.  Including them in how you tithe as an adult helps them see how we are all connected.  It's not just about your child being kind to their best friend.  You want them to show that kindness to the gas station cashier, a complete stranger.  If we teach our children that God had a hand in making everything, then how can we not also teach them how to give thanks for all God has given them.

Handing your kids some spare change from your purse for the children's offering is all well and good,  but there are a lot more fun ways to do it!  Get them involved in some hands on charity! 

As the heat of summer feels like it's going to melt the rubber on shoes to the blacktop in early August, it means it's just a few weeks away for school to start up again.  Let your kids pick out what folders they think other kids would like best, what type of glue you should buy, how many pairs of pink scissors to get?  Let them dump the supplies into your cart and then into the donation bin after you buy it.  Let them know how thankful those kids will be for the supplies they picked out.  Every little box of crayons helps!

Food drives are especially fun once fall and Thanksgiving rolls around.  Let your kid pick out what type of canned fruit to buy, ask them which type of Chef boyardee kids would like the best, and how many cans of tomato soup to get.

Christmas toy drives are my absolute favorite.  There is nothing like rolling through a store with your cart, just pulling cool toys off the shelves.  Encourage your kids to pick out toys for both girls and boys, toddlers and teens.  It's a great lesson in self discipline to have your child be excited about all the toys in your cart, but also have them understand how great it is to give them all away. True selflessness for a kid is to have a toy in their hand, and then turn around to give it to someone else. 

If your an old pro at tithing and are used to doing it every month without fail, consider sponsoring a kid from a different country.  Both Christian Foundation for Children and Aging and Compassion International are amazing groups that can teach your kids how you can help people all over the world.  You can put the picture of your sponsored child on your fridge right next to your latest art project, write letters to them, and include them in your nightly prayers.

The easiest of all, I saved for last.  Going through your house to collect all the clothes and toys you don't use anymore requires little effort and absolutely no money!  Materialism looks wasteful when you start looking at all your unused items that cover your house.  Having your kids see unused toys or outgrown clothes as a way they can bring joy to other kids lives is a way to lessen the pull of materialism.  "Think of how happy a little baby will be when he's mama buys him the ball were giving away?"  "You loved wearing that shirt, so I bet the next little girl to wear it is going to be so thankful you gave it away for her."  We all know the best way to lead is by example, so be sure to rid your closet of all those outdated shirts and clean out your kitchen cabinets of that huge mug collection you've been hoarding! It's good for you. 

Carlsbad Caverns

What an amazing trip!  My parents, Kevin, and I decided to take the short 3 hour trip to visit Carlsbad caverns.  I had been there twice as a kid, but I was not prepared to be so taken a back by the beauty and mystery of the caves.  I didn't remember all the wonderful sites it held.

We decided to forgo the elevator, and venture in the same way the first explores found the cave.  It was a steep and plunging 1.25 mile trail that takes you deep into the darkness.  It was amazing to see new and bigger rooms unfold at every turn.  At the bottom, we stopped for a snack and to rest our feet for a bit.  Luckily, someone had the foresite to install bathrooms down there.  Next was the trail into the Big Room.  It's approximately 8.2 acres in size.  While less steep, this hike was just as long.  It took you twisting around massive stalagmites and precariously hanging sharp stalactites.  Dripping water from the dessert above showed that the cave is still alive and changing.  The cool 56 degree breezes (yes, there are breezes in caves) were a welcome change to the sweltering heat outside.  The tour ended with a speedy and much needed elevator ride back up to the surface.  We stuffed ourselves with greasy hamburgers, and then passed out for a much needed nap.

While I was nervous about taking my 3 year old on a trip that involves walking close to 3 miles down 750 feet down, she was a champ and walked on her own most of the way.  It was an amazing trip, and I'm so thankful that we got to take it with my parents.  We love to travel with them, and I'm so glad Clare gets to experiance all these things with them.

Start of our journey.  Clare's holding up 3 fingers to help us remember how old she was when we made this trip

The first twist and turns into the mouth of the cave

Unbelievable sights underground