I haven’t done a great job of keeping up with letting you know about all the giving the House of Hills has been doing. We’ve just been too busy giving and vacationing!

Having done our biggest give of the month with our Operation Christmas Child party, the rest of our plans seem rather paltry. However, we’re continuing to give as we see needs.

*We sent coupons to a family stationed overseas through Coupons for Troops over at The Happy Housewife. I was so excited when she said she had more families in need a few months ago. This was the first of many packages we will be sending. I love that there is someone who can use my unused coupons!

*I sent a beautiful burp cloth from Studio MCA Designs and a restaurant gift card to a new mom. I’ve got another burp cloth to give away so be looking for that soon! Here’s a preview of the one you could win!

*I sent a t-shirt that I had bought at my friend Katie’s fundraiser to a friend of ours because she wanted one to honor the occasion.

*I gave bags from Thirty-One Gifts with Disney cups and the new North Point Christmas CD to all my siblings’ families. They were a huge hit. Each individual piece was met with cries of “ooooohhh.” It was fun to give a gift  just because.

*I bought a package of glow sticks at BJs a few months ago when they had them out for Halloween. I brought them along to give to the cousins one night during our trip. There were enough that I could give this gift twice – once on Tuesday night and once Thanksgiving night. Oh. My. Goodness. The fun that was had running around with glow sticks after the sun went down. INSANE FUN! A highlight of the trip this year I think. We will add this to the permanent Thanksgiving trip list for sure!

*I was courteous and helpful to people in the Disney Parks. This my friends is a GIVE. It was amazing to me the lack of manners and patience of people while they were supposed to be on vacation.

* I bought the Princess a silly light up glow thingy at the Disney Parks. I usually don’t purchase this particular item and make her use her own money. However, I decided to give to her this year.

*We got the Princess’ silhouette done at the Magic Kingdom. We have gotten this done every year (except one we forgot) and given Grandma a copy for Christmas. Hey Grandma, guess what you’re getting for Christmas!

I’m sure there are other little things we’ve done in the last week that are escaping me right now. I know that when I went to bed each night, I felt like a “give” had been done. And that’s the point isn’t it. To go to bed each night feeling that you’ve somehow done something to make the world a better place than it was that morning when you woke up. You could be doing something as simple as holding the door for a mom loaded down with toddler and shopping bags to something as dramatic as spending the day in service of someone in need. Each act affects someone. Each act shows God’s love. Each act is a GIVE.