I love to feed people. Not in an,  “I’d love to do it as a business kind of way”.  (Actually, I would hate feeding people that way, because then it would be work)

What I love is to share a good meal with friends over an unrushed period of time.

To take a meal to someone who needs a break,

or who has been under the weather,

or maybe just moved,

or maybe just  had a baby.

I have been blessed myself with meals for many of these reasons and oh, the gratefulness I feel to those of you who helped! (You know who you are!)

I hate the idea of parents worrying about how they are going to handle feeding little ones in the coming weeks. This is a stress no parent should ever suffer. (I think maybe my own mom suffered from this very worry from time to time though she never let on and we never went with out a meal.)

Ruthie seems to get this too…

Ruthie had a very special Birthday  Celebration this year. To fill you in on how she got there, read her daddy’s thoughts before you go any further.

It was a great party with a great assortment of friends. We are so blessed to have so many wonderful friends from so many walks of life that joined in to help Ruthie! She even had friends that contributed that weren’t able to make the party itself. In all, she collected 36 kits (her self made goal was 25) of various amounts of servings (families do come in all sizes after all). It was roughly enough food to feed 250 people. She understands that is was a lot, but I don’t think she truly grasped exactly how many people that is.

We have contributed to Helping Hands before through our church and through MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers). This was the first time I have ever gone to drop off food, that when I arrived I  saw a LINE of people in the waiting room there to receive food! Normal. Everyday. People. Just like us.

I wanted to cry and did later.

Ruthie had no idea what the people were there for. I think she thought maybe they were bringing food too. We didn’t talk about it until later, because I wasn’t sure what she would say out loud while we were there, being that she is only 6 years old.  The voluteer that helped us, Shelia was so sweet and told Ruthie that she was so excited about these gifts. She told Ruthie that spaghetti donations were one of the hardest to come by for some reason! Boy did that make Ruthie smile.

Honestly, it would have been easy to say no to her party, and I really did think about it. Parties are a lot of work, even if they are for a good cause.

I’m so glad I didn’t though. That room full of families was eye opening, and I would have missed the opportunity to encourage my child to love others as she loves herself the way Jesus told us too. I would have also been telling her that it wasn’t worth the work to help others, so why bother.

I write this blog not to brag about my kid, although, I am very proud of her. But more to encourage you to watch out for those times when your little one has a big idea, that you think can’t be done. Encourage them, and give God the opportunity to show them just how big He is…and maybe, in the process, you will you will be reminded just how big He is too!

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