shoeboxes.

This is the first year we've participated in Operation Christmas Child.

I've always thought it was a great idea. We've always talked about doing it. We've always wanted to do it. But we've never been organized enough to pull it together in time.

This year, I was determined to make it happen.

We all went shopping together tonight. The kids had so much fun picking out things to put in their shoeboxes. I had lots of ideas to suggest, but forgot to write them down, so I didn't remember several of them until after we got home.

We packed up all these goodies, plus some jars of play-do, some candy, and a couple stuffed animals...

I had the kids watch this video before we started packing... they were pretty mesmerized. It's the third time I've seen it this year and I still got teary. I want to do more things like this with the kids. I feel like I need to work on their hearts. Soften their hearts to the needs of others. Make their little lives be less about them and more about serving others. This is a good start...