silly bands and rwanda

This afternoon the kids brought me this...
a gallon sized ziplock bag full of silly bands. I am way over silly bands at this point but not my kids, they LOVE them. They eagerly wait to trade for tie-dyed ones or glow in the dark ones or even sparkly ones. I don't get it but in their minds they are valuable and lots of fun. As I am handed the bag I am told that they would like to SELL their 317 (I have not counted them myself) silly bands in order to raise money to go to Rwanda to get their brother and sister! The price tag they have placed on the bag is $50! I was also told that if they didn't sell they would like to take them to the orphanage to give to the other children that live at Home of Hope (where we think our kids are coming from). This is all coming from the kids who earlier in the day frustrated me because they wouldn't stay focused on school and because they ran out after lunch without clearing over and seemed to be particularly messy today. At the end of the day the dirty feet, left out toys, toothpaste in the sink, sloppy school work and overly loud voices and fast moving bodies didn't seem to matter any more because they blessed my socks off with the "sacrifice" of silly bands. As their mom I knew it was a sacrifice. I continually pray that their hearts will be turned towards the Lord's and that they would learn to put others before themselves. Today I think it is working, I think we are making progress. I pray that I will give up things that mean so much to me in order to give to others, especially those who have so much less. I am not saying giving my material things will make anyone happier, just talking about sacrifice in general and recognizing our abnormal abundance here. We are in a temporary place, with temporary things and we have been given the role of managing things like money and stuff by our Heavenly Father, whom it all belongs to anyway.

2 Corinthians 9:6-8 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work .