Have you been to the grocery store lately?  If you have, you have probably seen someone standing outside next to a bucket with a red apron on ringing a bell.  I had the pleasure of being that bell ringer over the weekend last weekend. I braved the not-that-cold weather and honestly I was completely blown away by people’s willingness to give.

The donations benefit The Salvation Army.  I started the four hour shift checking my watch every five minutes and then decided I would think something nice about everyone who walked by.  I tried to say something nice, at the very least “Good Morning/Afternoon” and “Merry Christmas” to as many people as I could.

Of all the generous givers two in particular stood out (and no it isn’t those two cute helpers who came by to see me).  The first was a little girl who dropped two dollars into the bucket.  I could tell by how excited she was to give that it was her own money (and ya’ll if I am being honest it is the other way around for me.) I asked her and she said it was the money she had earned for making good grades.  She and her  mom went back and forth into the store a few times and finally I stopped and talked to them again. As it turns out her mom was working on getting her rent paid.  What a giving heart! Their willingness to give amidst all the other things going on in life touched my heart.

The second was a man who gave me his Minnesota quarter.  We started talking and he told me that he was collecting a quarter from every state and MN was one of the ones he needed so he was going to keep that one.  About fifteen point three seconds later he decided that he wanted to give the quarter he needed for his collection. He said we are supposed to give even when it hurts. Wow. I think I have a lot learn about giving love.

How can you give love this season? Share with us!  #giveLOVE