"Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility regard others as better than yourselves~ Philippians 2.3"
My Giving Story
When my daughter, Cami, (yes I am Cami's mom), first told me about the 29 Day Giving Challenge, I was immediately interested. However I really didn't count on it affecting my life as it has. I am naturally a caregiver type of personality so I give all the time, however much of the time I wasn't thinking about what I was doing. As I started the challenge I found that it was mostly quite easy, but as I begin to really pay attention to what I was doing and giving I started to see a change. Of course it changed the direction of my thoughts to focusing on others and not myself. I began to notice I had more energy and was happier in general. I soon found myself looking for opportunities to give and of course found them all around me.
One of the most interesting "side effects" of completing the challenge has been with Larry, my husband. We have been married almost 39 years and after that long it is easy to take each other for granted. When I started the Giving Challenge, one of the things I did almost everyday was to make coffee in the morning so it was ready before he went to work. I found that soon he was taking time to talk about what he had going on that day and ask about my day. I also made sure that I told him I loved him as he left for work and he told me the same. I found that he was better about calling to let me know if he would be late, asking me if I wanted to do something with him in the evenings, we were both being more considerate towards each other. It has been a really nice change, not an earth shattering one but very nice and to think it started with something as small as making coffee.
The challenge has also made me more aware of things people give to me and I have gotten much better at accepting. I am realizing that I do not always have to be the one to give. I have a friend who has moved back to Kimball, she has had a really difficult few years and has many problems. We have reconnected and she is one of the people that has been on the receiving end of several of my "gifts". On Sat. she asked if she could use my washer and dryer for a few loads, I was working at the store and not at home. When I got home she was cleaning out my flower bed in the front yard, a job that I do not enjoy. At first I thought I should pay her because she has so little, but then I realized that the weeding was a way she could give back to me and that by trying to pay her for doing it I was taking away her opportunity to give. She is going to help me with the rest of the yard and I will pay her for those hours, but the hours on Sat. were a wonderful gift to me and I want her to enjoy the fact that she was able to give something that I really appreciated and was made more special because it was also an unexpected gift.
I am planning on starting again on a 2nd challenge, this time I want to do more anonymous giving and keep track only in a journal--then at the end write about what happens. I hope to be more open to receiving gracefully and without the feeling that I need to give something back or return the favor. I have found out that I am not very good at letting others take care of me--I think I need to do the care-giving, but I want to change that and be not only a generous giver but also a generous receiver.
One of the most interesting "side effects" of completing the challenge has been with Larry, my husband. We have been married almost 39 years and after that long it is easy to take each other for granted. When I started the Giving Challenge, one of the things I did almost everyday was to make coffee in the morning so it was ready before he went to work. I found that soon he was taking time to talk about what he had going on that day and ask about my day. I also made sure that I told him I loved him as he left for work and he told me the same. I found that he was better about calling to let me know if he would be late, asking me if I wanted to do something with him in the evenings, we were both being more considerate towards each other. It has been a really nice change, not an earth shattering one but very nice and to think it started with something as small as making coffee.
The challenge has also made me more aware of things people give to me and I have gotten much better at accepting. I am realizing that I do not always have to be the one to give. I have a friend who has moved back to Kimball, she has had a really difficult few years and has many problems. We have reconnected and she is one of the people that has been on the receiving end of several of my "gifts". On Sat. she asked if she could use my washer and dryer for a few loads, I was working at the store and not at home. When I got home she was cleaning out my flower bed in the front yard, a job that I do not enjoy. At first I thought I should pay her because she has so little, but then I realized that the weeding was a way she could give back to me and that by trying to pay her for doing it I was taking away her opportunity to give. She is going to help me with the rest of the yard and I will pay her for those hours, but the hours on Sat. were a wonderful gift to me and I want her to enjoy the fact that she was able to give something that I really appreciated and was made more special because it was also an unexpected gift.
I am planning on starting again on a 2nd challenge, this time I want to do more anonymous giving and keep track only in a journal--then at the end write about what happens. I hope to be more open to receiving gracefully and without the feeling that I need to give something back or return the favor. I have found out that I am not very good at letting others take care of me--I think I need to do the care-giving, but I want to change that and be not only a generous giver but also a generous receiver.
Comment
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Comment by Ruth on January 25, 2009 at 10:45am -
You and Cami are an awesome twosome.
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Comment by Stacey S. on October 22, 2008 at 7:05am -
What a greaat story. it is so wonderful how this challenge brings us closer to the people in our lives. Thanks for sharing your story and your daughter with us!
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Comment by Carol Walker on May 19, 2008 at 8:59pm -
Cami--Thank you-- we couldn't ask for a better daughter either. I am so glad we have grown to be friends as well as mother and daughter. I am so proud of you and what you are doing with the Giving Challenge and how much it is helping others. I love you MOM
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Comment by Cami Walker -- 29Gifts Founder on May 19, 2008 at 6:31pm -
Wow Mom. This is a great story. Thanks so much for sharing it. I'm so happy that the giving challenge helped bring you and dad closer together. I love you! Thanks so much for all of your support of this project (and my life in general). A woman could not ask for a better mother!
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