Jeannett has taken the reigns of this year's Happy Day Project, and today is my favorite task of them all.
Blessing bags.
Originally shared by my dear friend Leslie from Top of the Page, as a way to tangibly help those in need with the small necessities that we each take for granted.
If the idea of Blessing Bags is new to you, please check out the original post here, how we assembled them together at Thanksgiving, or last year's Happy Day post.
Now this is where I get all honest and weird....
I love cute printables.  I have ridiculous, crippling opinions about fonts.

I also know the last thing in the world someone with a cardboard sign on the street corner needs is a cute printable.
It's gross right?
They need to be known.  They need to be seen.  They need to be acknowledged.
The need help.  They need hope.
They do not operate in a world of rainbows and unicorns.

What does a minivan driving mom on her way to soccer/ Target/ school drop off/ playdates/ know what it is like to stand in their worn shoes?

Honestly?  Nothing. 
I know different pain, I know different brokenness.  I know that each one of us has an ache in our hearts to matter.  To be known.

A cute printable cannot fix their hurts.  A ziploc bag filled with snacks, socks, and cough drops, cannot change their situation.

What words could I even jot down that would make any difference?
I have no idea.
That doesn't mean I won't try.

Regardless of how they got to that corner, they matter to the creator of the universe.  He knows the number of hairs on their head.

What He loves, I love.
It is not my place to judge their current situation.
It is my place to see them.  To offer a small bag of comfort.
To encourage them that they matter.
Even if thousands of cars pass by them, pretending not to notice.
God notices.
How can we not?

In this season of abundance and thankfulness, take some time with your family and friends to assemble Blessing Bags.
Notice those that the world pretends not to.

Include a printable with a few handwritten heartfelt words jotted down.  Your words, your care, your notice, might be the only love that they see that day/ week/ month/ year.
It matters.


(Printable available here.)

1.  $25 shop credit at Rags to Stitches.  2.  You Are My Sunshine print by Blossom and Vine.  3.  ABC Sampler print by Little Bit Funky.  4.  Camera painting in color of your choice by Paint Me a Picture.  5.  Print of your choice from Songs Kate Sang.  6.  White Rose Earrings by Ragamuffin Beauties.  7.  Pearls and Knots Necklace in Houndstooth by Ragamuffin Beauties.  8.  Peach Mum Earrings by Ragamuffin Beauties.  9.  Chevron table runner by Knitty Bitties.    10.  Brick Red Rosette Earrings by Ragamuffin Beauties.  


LINK UP HERE.
Thanks darling friends.
Sparkles and unicorns all around.

This girl.
This joyful, delightful, charming, little girl.

Each and every day she wakes up with a smile.
With a request for a pretty dress.
Preferably this yellow pretty dress.

Here entire life is one big happy day.

But sometime in the future, that will change.
Sadly, inevitably change.

I don't want it to.  I want her whole life to be filled with opportunities to give, to serve, to help, to see those who need a smile, a treat, an encouraging word.

That is what I loved most about the Happy Day Project.
Taking time out of what was a CRAZY TOWN week, to think of others first.  To work together as a family to spread sunshine.

To notice ways that we can help.  Share.  Give.  Love.

Thank you for taking this journey.  Thank you for taking time to love those who needed love.  Thank you for taking the challenge and then making the week more than we could ever had imagined.

I don't want this to just be one week.  I want this to be something that we continue to do.  That we come back to.  In fun and surprising ways.  Are you with me?

Share your stories, your tears, your experiences spreading sunshine.
Whether you did one day or all seven.  I have a feeling that your heart was changed in some way.
Let's celebrate and encourage each other together.

After Leslie from Top of the Page shared her idea of Blessing Bags last year, and assembling them with my family during Thanksgiving, I knew that they would be a great project to wrap up The Happy Day Project.

I just happened to be co-hosting a Pinterest party with no-blog Alicia, and decided to rope my friends into the shenanigans.  Crafting plus giving?  Yes please.
The Evite potluck list option made it really easy for each of us to sign up for items, and mid-projects, we took a break, spread out everything on the island and began putting together our bags.

During assembly we chatted about how much we take simple things for granted, like Chapstick or cough drops.  It might not be much, but each item in the bags will hopefully bring some comfort and hope to those who need it most.  Now each of us have bags full of basic daily necessities to pass out when given the opportunity.

Leslie and I brainstormed as to what the printable to tuck into the bag should say.
It is not easy.
What is appropriate?  What is meaningful?

Inspired by this song, she came up with Love knows your name...

To many the homeless are nameless.

To God they are not.

Let them not be nameless to us.

Share a bag, ask their name.

Let them know that there is love, and love does know their name.

Consider assembling Blessing Bags with your loved ones this Thanksgiving.
We have so much to be thankful for, and it means even more if we are able to share it.
Read more about what to include here.

I am thankful for you.  So thankful for taking this challenge.

 One of our students is across the country, freezing cold, missing home, at Army basic training.  We are so thankful for his heart to serve our country, and extremely proud of him.  We thought a little care package of treats would brighten his day.
Who doesn't love happy, yummy, mail?
As an extension of Veteran's Day, we would like to highlight The Wounded Warrior Project.

"With the mission to honor and empower wounded warriors, WWP is the hand extended to encourage warriors as they adjust to their new normal and achieve new triumphs. Offering a variety of programs and services, WWP is equipped to serve warriors with every type of injury – from the physical to the invisible wounds of war."


They are there when our soldiers need them the most.  Just as our soldiers are there for us when we need them the most.


Consider donating as an act of thankfulness for all that our military and their families sacrifice for us each and every day.

Happy Friday friends!
How is your week going?

Today is all about refreshment.

Amy from Living Locurto made a super cute set of water bottle tags.  Seriously, super cute.
Download your own printable tags here and here.
Take a bucket of waters to a local park, on a walking loop, hey, even in front of Target.  Shopping makes one thirsty right?
Who wouldn't want to be greeted with a cold water?

But I got to thinking... these little tags cold fit on say...
A cranberry-strawberry-lime slushie from Sonic?
An iced coffee from Starbucks?
A fountain Diet Poison?
But wait, the goal isn't to get my favorite drinks...  but I could roll through Sonic during happy hour, and do a little ding dong slushie-ness to my friend's porches.
Or pay for the car behind me in the Starbucks drive-thru and leave a tag for the barista to slip on the unsuspecting caffeine addict behind me.

Who needs a little refreshment in your life today?

If you know me, I can't talk about water, without talking about WATER.

Clean water specifically.  It is the desire and passion of my heart that every single person on this beautiful planet has access to clean, safe, water.
I will keep fundraising, keep advocating, keep talking about it until the day comes when I don't have to.  Oh, how I look forward to that day.

My friend jenny, whom I adore, has the biggest heart for the needs of this world.  She was able to travel to Kenya this summer and drink from one of the wells funded by our church.  For her birthday this year she chose to help Charity:Water fundraiser for their September campaign.  All of the September campaigns are going towards funding another drilling rig.

Dare you to watch this video explaining it.

The 2011 September Campaign. Our 5-year-anniversary video from charity: water on Vimeo.


I'd love for you to visit Jenny's campaign and think of how many people lives you could change with even a small donation.  About how you could help refresh thirsty people all the way in Ethiopia.

I love water.  I love Jenny.  I love your heart to help.