Sandra Heska King

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A Gift of Compassion

December 14, 2010 By Sandra Heska King

I just looked through this catalog, and I’m so giddy with excitement that I can’t sit still.

My heart leaps with joy at the creative possibilities.

Perfect gifts.

That teach the real meaning of Christmas.

That don’t cost an arm and a leg.

Unless you want to spend an arm and a leg.

Or spend enough to save an arm and a leg.

Because you could give a gift of major surgery.

Many gifts are much less expensive.

For instance, $25 can provide a vaccination for an impoverished child in your son’s or daughter’s name. Attach the gift card to a cool box of Band-Aids and slip it into a stocking.

Just $10 buys a mosquito net and malaria prevention education. The catalog suggests you pair the card with a couple citronella candles. I think your grandma would be delighted.

Give hope for health.

My husband is so hard to buy for. I suggested my daughter order up a $16 chicken for a family in El Salvador and then pick up some fresh eggs from a local farmer, buy a jar of homemade jam, bake a loaf of banana bread, and create a coupon for a special homemade breakfast.

Help provide education supplies, baking supplies, new mom kits, and more. Give these in the name of the person who is trying to declutter (like me) and pair the gift cards with inexpensive practical suggestions in the catalog–or come up with something even more creative.

I love, love, love this!

I might get a soccer ball “for” Gracee.

In fact, I think I might buy something (or somethings) for myself.

Shop from your laptop.

Save on mall stress and wallet expense.

Make a difference in the life of one (or more) of the least of these.

Meet real needs.

Now that’s cause for rejoicing!

And I think I hear applause from heaven.

Check out the Gifts of Compassion Catalog here.

This post is part of the One Word at a Time Blog Carnival hosted this week by Peter Pollock on the theme of Rejoice.

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Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Sissy says

    December 15, 2010 at 7:51 am

    is one of my favorites. They give animals, etc. with the requirement that the receiver “pass on” the gift to someone in their community.

    • Sissy says

      December 15, 2010 at 7:56 am

      Heifer Project International, that is. Apparently I didn’t do the html tag right initially.

      • Sandra says

        December 16, 2010 at 5:20 pm

        Yep, that’s a good one, too.

        How come I’ve never gotten a Christmas cow?

  2. Louise says

    December 15, 2010 at 8:50 am

    this is lovely — I go to Canada Helps and send gift certificates for people to give to the charity of their choice.

    • Sandra says

      December 16, 2010 at 5:23 pm

      I never heard of that. That’s very cool.

  3. Michelle ~ Blogging from the Boonies says

    December 15, 2010 at 9:44 am

    I can’t wait to sit down as a family and choose a gift or two. 🙂

    • Sandra says

      December 16, 2010 at 5:23 pm

      Or three . . . 😀

  4. jasonS says

    December 15, 2010 at 11:38 am

    Our family has done things like this in the past–so great! A wonderful resource you give here. Goes so perfectly with what I wrote. Thanks Sandra!

    • Sandra says

      December 16, 2010 at 5:32 pm

      I loved how the little boy in your church brought in the donation box for the children in Bangladesh!

  5. Sandra says

    December 17, 2010 at 11:23 am

    Thanks so much!

    JasonS, above, posts a list on Friday of some of his favorite posts. Really, some good reading there. And I’m honored to be part of it this week.

Trackbacks

  1. Light Friday Hit List: 12/17/10 says:
    December 17, 2010 at 7:58 am

    […] A Gift of Compassion by Sandra Heska King (SandraHeskaKing.com). I’ve participated in something like this before and this went right along with my urgency post for that same day (in a practical sense). Love when it works out like that! […]

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