I can tell you from the receiving side of it, that there is a great deal of guilt not being able to provide for your family. I really struggled with that even though it was a really short time period, if was hard.

But I will never forget the experience and it has made me a better person

I will never forget this. It brings tears to my eyes when I think of it. We had nothing, trying to make it on one income with my new husband, who took on supporting me and my two daughters from a previous marriage, which I hate to say there biological father decided he could walk away from them. But in the long run, it was the best thing that ever happened to us, having nothing and working our way up, my girls had a father, and we have since then added to the family and come a long way.

I don’t give as much as I probably should but every Christmas my kids pick out a kid to give to off of the giving tree and we go shopping for them, the sad part it many of the things that are being asked for are necessities. I had a baby one year, they were asking for diapers. I always try to give more than just what is listed, and I always add extra to the package for mom or dad, because you know if the kids are getting nothing they probably won’t get anything either.

I also had a struggling mom on e-bay that wanted what I was selling but could not pay for it right away, her son had medical problems and she ended up quitting work in order to care for him. It brought back memories of my earlier years, so I boxed a bunch of items up and sent them out to her for no charge, she was so grateful. Memories like this last a lifetime for the receiver and the giver.

Thank you for your gentleness of spirit.
Your children will surely reap the benefits of these actions.
I know your Mom & Dad are surely grateful for your response to others.

“The Ultimate Gift” is a wonderful movie rendition of what America has been built upon. That is, hard work for others and then reaping the joy from doing it. What a joy to the recipient and the giver!

That’s part of why we’ve been the most blessed nation in history!
Another part, is that you have been blessed by such a group of people as you have on this blog, commenting in such a heart felt fashion.

May our nation be blessed as we approach the most significant election in our history.
For, I believe this is crucial to our continuing as a capitalistic, GIVING society.
Giving, from a God loving heart.

God bless America!!!!!

Giving a gift is enjoyable when you know that it is truly helping someone who needs it. My wife struggles with giving to large organizations because you have no idea what the money goes to. These organizations obviously need to advertise to get more donations, but when you think about an organization that you support sends out thousands of mailings each month that cost thousands of dollars, you start to wonder how much good your money is really doing.

I am making it a goal to find specific needs with people or groups of people and meet those needs. For example, a group from my church visited a village in Zambia and drilled a well there, helped set up an orphanage (many of the children have no parents thanks to AIDS), and set the community up to be self-sufficient from now on. That is results. That is what giving should be. But it doesn’t have to be in Zambia; it can be your elderly next door neighbor or co-worker.

As for other reasons of enjoyable giving gifts; I have been crochetting afghans for many years and have enjoyed seeing the receivers use it afterwards. It just makes me smile to go into a home to whom I’ve given the gift to and see my afghan laying over the couch or rocking chair for display or to see that they use it in bed. It just makes me feel so proud that they love what I made (by hand) for them.

-Barb