Hands and Feet of Jesus

Let me just start out by saying yes...I do keep scrapbooks of my children's accomplishments, pictures of their birthday parties, and 4H ribbons.  However, I am not a "Scrapbooker". 

I grab any adhesive that is within reach, slap in the picture/newpaper article/artwork with tape/glue/rubber cement, write in a quick label, and call it good.  No cute decorations, borders, glitter, or caligraphy.  I'm just not that patient, nor do I have the time to be that creative with the number of scrapbooks that I have to keep up.  Quinn's will be #8, (And actually Overachiever Travis had 2 scrapbooks.. sheesh!)  I also have to keep Lifebooks of all the foster children we have had, so you can see why I shoot for a very efficient method of documenting my kids history and accomplishments.

Anyway....the last time I was putting some basketball pics in a scrapbook, I was thinking of all the great things my kids do that don't make it into the scrapbook.  Things like volunteering to help me at the Food Pantry, playing violin in church, helping the residents at the Nursing home on Bingo night.  Things that, in my mind, are equally important in the building of their character.  At LEAST as important as a basketball tournament, am I right??

So, today during homeschool I introduced our newest project.  We are going to keep a scrapbook of our, for lack of a better term, Good Deeds.  We are calling it "Hands and Feet of Jesus" book, and will work on adding pictures and descriptions each month of the projects that we will choose to do.  We started by making a calendar to write in the months that we already have particular projects that we work on, such as helping with 2 Vacation Bible Schools in June.  We will post pics of the activity and have the kids write up a little description or essay on each project to go with the pictures.

They were already surprised and kinda proud of themselves when they saw the list of what they already have committed to do!  February already has 3 activities-working a Food Pantry shift,  presenting a church service at the Nursing Home on the 12th (Bri will be playing violin and Luke will be helping with the service and communion) and assisting with Bingo at the Nursing home on the 28th.

Not too shabby for a short month.

My goal is this: I REALLY want them to understand that those activites are as important as passing swimming lessons, earning a purple ribbon at our County Fair, or getting a gold cup at Violin Contest. 

I want them to LOOK for opportunities to do good deeds, find ways of volunteering or helping out in their community, do for those who aren't as fortunate as they are. 

 Luke 12:48-  For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more. 

(It inspired millions of Americans when Kennedy used this quote, I'm hoping that it will work for me as well!)

 This scrapbook will give me the opportunity to recognize and celebrate my family's efforts for their time and energy spent helping others. 

And as a mom, I know I will be able to look back on this scrapbook and feel as proud of these accomplishments as I am of their ribbons and trophies.