Are Mondays hard for you?  If so, we are about to change that!  With this family-directed, service-oriented idea, we are going to take the focus off ourselves each dreaded Monday and start focusing on others.

The idea comes from reader, Kim Sullivan, and she and her family call it: 

Make a Difference Mondays.

Each Monday, Kim and her two boys (ages 8 & 10) find a way to serve others.  Some of their service activities have included making homemade chicken noodle soup for a friend who was sick, her boys helping an elderly neighbor clean up her yard and collecting food for the local food pantry.

One Monday, the boys cleaned out their rooms to find items to donate to others.  Kim had them research different organizations online and select a charity.  In doing the research, the boys discovered that needs of children were many.  So they went back to their rooms and found shoes and clothes they could offer as well.

This past summer, Kim’s husband was the special recipient of the week.  He was having an intimidating surgery so Kim and the boys made him a care package for the hospital.  They researched five Bible verses relating to the comfort that God provides and wrote their dad a letter with each verse, sharing how the verse can help him to not be afraid.  Kim put each letter in an envelope and wrote on the front, “Open If You Are Feeling Anxious” or “Open and Read to Know God is With You.”  The envelopes went into the care package along with pictures, drawings and their dad’s favorite treats.  Their dad wasn’t going to be able to see his boys for five days, so I imagine the care package was very dear to his heart that week.

Other ways Kim’s family focuses on serving:

“We are really trying to instill the concept of having a servant’s heart. We have also done large group activities with their youth group from church.  At Christmas time last year, we went and decorated the dining room at a senior apartment building.  The residents were so appreciative and our youth group got to share the Gospel with a few of them.  It was an awesome experience!  This year, we will be going to our local Senior Center and decorating their Christmas tree.”

Thanks so much for sharing all your ideas with us, Kim!  I love your Make A Difference Mondays.

What would be an idea your family can do together to serve others?