Pile the family in the car and together shop for supplies to fill your Blessed to Bless Bags.

I know that just the planning has already changed and softened our hearts.

Nicolle put it so beautifully, and brought me to tears when she shared her recent experience of handing out simple, but thoughtful sandwiches and the bags:

i want to feed everyone that is hungry.
i know i can not do that, but i can do a little.
i asked these men their names because i think sometimes they are just "no ones" to us.
their mamas gave them names when they were sweet little babies.
i think of my own sweet baby boy.
i hope that somehow these men can find their way back.

Are you crying yet?

Because I sure am.

I feel like we need to give out the bags even more than the people we give them to will need them.

Give.  
You will be surprised at what actually you will receive.  


11 Comments

  1. SO so true! I am inspired! Happy holidays :)

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  2. Julie, your blog has always inspired me to be better and do better! I'm am just so touched that you linked to me here. I'm just a little no one with a small blog. After reading your post about the bags and about Leslie sharing the idea as well and you both making the bags, my heart has just been overwhelmed. You are SO right, we receive so much more than we give. It's an amazing and beautiful feeling.

    bless your heart! :)

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  3. our bags will be packaged up tomorrow morning...we have both sides of our family helping with supplies, packaging, praying and driving around to pass out here in costa mesa. thank you for sharing this post! i posted a few pics on my new blog of us prepping to pack our blessings in a bag. www.thesunnyside.me

    happy thanksgiving to you and your family julie. and thanks again for meeting up with me!

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  4. Love that! I am thinking of just the corner that I hand out one of those bags! I'm gonna do it!
    Happy Thanksgiving, my Cali friend!

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  5. Julie, I love that you posted that part of Nicolle's post. That part made me cry too. My little boy has a name and how important is his name! More important is his name to his Heavenly Father. I can't stop thinking through all this that He sees everyone. He knows our names.

    And Nicolle, God's favorite thing is to use the "little no one's." Because then He gets all the more glory.

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  6. I love that she asked their names. I smile and try to meet their gaze when I see a homeless person because I remember hearing a man's story once about being homeless and how the worst wasn't being on the streets, but feeling transparent, like no one cared to even acknowledge him.

    We bought our supplies today and we'll be making bags tomorrow!

    I've been talking with my 3 year old Grace about it, explaining to her why it's important, etc. She calls it a "surfing project" (service project) and one night before bed she was really quiet and pensive. I asked her what she was thinking and she told me that she wished she could put a bathtub in the bags b/c she just knew the homeless men would love a bubble bath. That's when I knew she got it.

    Thank you for sharing this with us. It's really made our Thanksgiving and we'll be doing it throughout the year too!

    Happy Thanksgiving!

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  7. Praise the Lord for this idea, message and the delivery of your bags.
    I can only imagine how full your heart will be, the day you hand out your first bag. Do tell us about it when you do.

    Love you Julie.

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  8. We're too late for tomorrow, but we'll be making these ASAP . . . don't know how I missed the original post. I think it's a RAD project for the Youth Group at church to do too . . .spreading the love.

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  9. i hadn't had a chance to read that post about the 'blessed to bless' bags til tonight ... and thanks for linking to nicole's post too. oh the tears! i'm already emotional enough tonight as it is. *sniff*
    wow, count your blessings. who am i to complain?

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