We all do for our kids. Sometimes we “overdo” because we did not have much growing up. My husband and I were in situations growing up in which kept us from getting everything we wanted…sometimes needed.

That being said, we might have “overcompensated”, not wanting our children to ever want something and not be able to get it. Oh, we set goals and they always had to contribute in some way..either through work or a financial contribution. We only spent a certain amount on jeans and tennis shoes, etc…they had to pay the difference if they wanted a more expensive pair of jeans or shoes.

But there was one thing that we did as the boys were growing up that I believe was worthwhile.   In fact, my husband and I still do this. We sponsor a child. We had a little girl through Compassion International (www.compassion.com) named Daisy. She was from a country in Asia. She was a girl and in between our boys’ ages. We all wrote to her and corresponded with her. We studied about her country and customs. She became part of the family.

We sponsored her until she aged out of the program, and then we began sponsoring a young man from Honduras, from One Child Matters(www.onechildmatters.org). We still correspond with him ourselves and enjoy doing so.

It doesn’t matter whether you sponsor a child, help out at a soup kitchen, or mow your neighbor’s yard..children need to be taught to think about others. They have to be made aware of the world around them…and that the world does not…

Revolve around them.

Being able to study other cultures, see others and their needs helps develop a compassion in young children that I believe as parents is very important.

And it stops and makes us think about it ourselves. I can complain about a lot of things…until I realize that I have everything I need…and a lot of what I want.

Giving…it isn’t all about US.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.” Philippians 2:3-4

~Be Blessed

TSA

*NIV Bible, personal graphics