I'm a firm believer that God blesses his people so that we may in turn be a blessing to others. During a month when we typically spend a lot of time giving thanks for all our blessings, it's good to consider how we can pass those blessings on. As a family, we try to do this in many ways, but one of our favorite ways to bless others at this time of year is to pack Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.

OCC is a branch of Samaritan's Purse. Each year they collect boxes filled with all sorts of goodies for children the world over. It's a tangible way to spread joy and share the Good News of Christ with those who may otherwise never hear it. OCC collects the boxes during the third week of November every year. If you want to pack a box, click here to look up a drop-off location near you, and get to packing!

Over the years, packing shoeboxes has been a powerful teaching tool for our girls about selfless giving, sharing the gospel, and being a blessing. I'm just going to be honest here and say that our kids sometimes get upset about giving away items that they like (there was a particularly epic battle over a light-up bouncy ball last year), but if we don't teach them how to be cheerful givers, then who will?

It's nearly impossible for my children to understand the depths of poverty in the world, but OCC helps connect them to the unfathomable and teaches them how to put others first. This year, both of our daughters chose to pack a box for a girl in their age group. They each helped choose the items in the boxes, and I thought it would be fun to show you what we packed. So, let's take a look, shall we?

There you have it! One of our OCC boxes for the year. What did you put in your boxes this year? Let's share tips and ideas below. 

Until next time, grace and peace.