Day 15: Spreading the Word.

Day 15: Spreading the Word.

Because I like to keep it real.  This Finding THANKS in GIVING act started off UGLY! There was NO joy in preparing for this act. There was lots of complaining. And Frustration. Even a couple of time outs. I even started lecturing them at one point.

Evidence that Satan is real and doesn't want us encouraging others with the word??? BINGO!

Thankfully, I felt the ever so slight punch from the Holy Spirit.
So, I retreated to my room. And prayed.

I was turning this act into a task. Forcing the kids to take part.. How were they learning ANYTHING in that? My heart wasn't in the right place and neither was theirs.

When I could feel my blood pressure return to a normal rate, I headed downstairs and went straight to the stereo and put on a mixed Christian CD. I asked the boys to come into the living room where I asked for their forgiveness for how I was acting before my timeout. I explained that I wanted them to do this for the right reasons, because they wanted to. Not because I was shoving it down their throats.

With that, I began writing out bible verses and sayings in Spanish on 3x5 cards, in hopes they would be interested in what I was doing. The boys continued doing their own thing.

A couple songs into the CD- the boys started to sing along with Casting Crowns-

And then, Caleb asks how he could help, followed by Shane and Ian. I suggested they brighten up the notes  I had been writing with doodles to make whoever received the message smile.

We wrote and colored FIFTY 3x5 cards.. 

Translation from top to bottom: 

"Smile, Jesus loves you!" 

Numbers 6: 24-26

"Believe, He loves You!

John 3:16

"You are a child of God" 

Proverbs 8:17

Then, we were off to the local mall to SPREAD THE WORD! :) 

So thankful that the frustration was replaced with joy. The complaining replaced with eagerness to spread the word. The unwillingness replaced with willingness. They had a blast. I had a blast watching them run from car to car. When they all hopped back in the car, we sat and watched as several different people found our note. Only one out of the five we watched threw it on the ground and drove away. The rest smiled..

Shane insisted on hopping back out of the car to go pick up the one thrown so he could put it on another car that didn't have one. I was actually surprised at how into it they all got. We prayed for the people that would be getting our notes. We wondered what kind of day they were having. If they would hold on to it as a reminder or simply throw it on the ground.

 As we drove out of the parking structure, the boys actually asked when we could do it again. HA!

They were PUMPED and filled with JOY! 

After the PAINFUL beginning to this act we ended up finding THANKS in GIVING!!!

BOOYAH!