Reasons to be Cheerful - I'm off to Belarus... (Week 47)

As you read this I'll be over in Essex at the UK head office of Samaritans Purse, the charity behind the Operation Christmas Child initiative.  You have probably seen me blog about OCC over the last 3 or 4 years or maybe you have even taken part with your local school, toddler group or church. It is a lovely initiative that I really appreciate. Yes, of course, it is immensely important for us all to give towards life-saving food, water and vaccines and Samaritans purse are also involved with that kind of provision too but for me, I see no reason why we can not provide a little joy to some needy children at Christmas as well.

OCC makes me so cheerful today (and every day to be honest) -

*   Firstly because every shoebox that is sent abroad gives joy to a child who has little else. The giving of this simple gift is called faith in action. I get so cross when people keep citing that OCC is a bad thing, as it is a Christian initiative and one of the aims is to share the Gospel with the world. The Gospel is about the unconditional love of Christ and this is what happens when a box is handed over with no strings attached, that child feels worthy, happy and loved. Sharing the gospel does not mean that they are force-fed Christianity.

*   Secondly, my kid's school have put together 108 boxes to be sent to Mozambique and it really encourages me when a community pull together.

*   Thirdly, I travel in 13 days to Belarus with OCC to see first hand how the deliveries work and to blog about the places I visit and the children I meet.

*   Then lastly, I love that the shoeboxes present such an amazing opportunity to talk to my children about how other children are living in our world.  My children understand that they are really lucky and yes I get the questions about why Santa/ God allows poverty, war and injustice to happen and we have to have some really difficult and honest conversations but it is the right thing to do. In my opinion, my children should not go on believing that they are the centre of the world and can demand anything they desire.  We need to cultivate the responsible adults of the future after all.

Short and sweet this week. 

How are you all? I must apologise that I never made it to most of the linked up posts last week.  I have no idea where last week escaped to, all I feel like I do at the moment is chase myself and I never seem to be catching up right now!  I can't even promise that I'll come to visit you all this week as we are heading down to visit my Nan, she is still hanging on in there, 4 weeks after going into the hospice. Sadly I'm told she is now really depressed and fed up, I'm hoping that taking in a DVD of my kids that I have made will cheer her a little.

So over to you now, what is making you happy/ grateful this week?

Write your post, add in the blog hop code if you fancy and link up. Then go hopping around some blogs and leave some comment love and I'm sure others will do the same.