Dare #9 - A BLESS Dare

Sacrifice....an inescapable part of the Easter story, particularly if you are someone who considers the price paid on Good Friday.

A God who sacrificed His Son...for us.

A Son who sacrificed His life....for us.

A season of sacrifice....to bring us life.

I wonder if we could engage in a sacrifice dare to bless someone else this Easter week/end?

“Sacrifice is a part of life. It's supposed to be. It's not something to regret. It's something to aspire to.”  - Mitch Albom

Perhaps you could sacrifice some of your precious time to help someone else out? Is someone moving? Newly home with a baby and you could offer to do washing? Under the weather - maybe you could mow their lawn?

Perhaps you could sacrifice some $$ to give a money blessing? A friend who has a particular need? A stranger who needs some extra $ to pay for an operation? A chaplain who has worked so hard this term who might just need a little anonymous $ gift in their mailbox?

Perhaps you could sacrifice a favourite TV show this week to use that time to bless someone with a phone call of encouragement? Or an hour of writing letters - to your sponsor child, your grandparents, someone who has blessed you this year?

Perhaps you could sacrifice a day of meals and donate that $$ to a charity who works with those who have little food?

What other creative, generous, sacrificial ideas can you come up with??

And remember some of the greatest, most meaningful sacrifices might actually be made very close to home, within your own family. Yes you're tired and it's been a long day, but maybe you could still give that back rub? Or play that game of hide n seek? Or....?

And I guess part of the dare is not to say anything about what you are doing. To make the sacrifice of acknowledgement and pride too.

God bless you as you seek to bless others this Easter.

K

We were the recipients of generous sacrifice last weekend
when 5 great men arrived to help us lay our new turf.
What a blessing that was, as many hands truly do make light work.

Dare #8 - A CHANGE Dare

Dare #7 CHALLENGED us to read a chapter of the book of Proverbs every day this month. Are you doing it? What are you learning? I am appreciating the reminders to live a life of good old fashioned common sense. The kind of wisdom that God gives freely. Those wise actions enhance our lives...every part, but in particular, our relationships. And I am appreciating the extra insights being added to the I Dare You Facebook page by wise readers.

Dare #8 is all about CHANGE. Can you make one change to your life (for the better) in the next few days and keep it going? Try thinking for just a few quiet moments about 1 or 2 things you don't like about yourself or your life. Then, rather than dwelling on it and getting depressed, come up with a simple action plan to make a CHANGE.

Photo Source

Here's a few of my personal thoughts....

I didn't like how much money I was spending. There always seems to be something 'fun' but mostly 'unnecessary' to buy. Be it stuff for little j or for the house or for me. Photo books, toys, more clothes, baby stuff, craft supplies..... I actually have plenty of all of these and need to focus on what I have (and actually use and enjoy it) rather than always be looking for something more. To me, my spending was signalling a sense of dissatisfaction in a life that I am actually very blessed and very satisfied in.

So at the end of February I made the decision to implement a 'no-spend' month in March. Sounds great in theory but as we all know, there are some things you just have to buy...food and fuel (and bill paying) amongst them. So with those as the essentials, I am trying to not be in the habit of buying something every other day - almost what I was doing. It is admittedly a fairly big shift in thinking, and in what I do with my time (as I'll explain soon) but the benefits have been less time in cyber-space, less fixation on money, forced creativity as I rely on what I already have rather than taking the easy option of buying something new.

That said, I have had a lapse or 3 with things that seemed just too good to pass up - but what I have bought so far this month has all been on sale (ebooks) or 2nd hand (op shops and 2nd hand pages on-line) or for someone else. I also had/have my parents' 40th wedding anniversary, a friend's 50th birthday, a new nephew/niece to be born and an engagement party and accompanying costs (a good reason to cut back on the spending I was doing...presents needed!)

Another change I have made is spending less time on-line. Last year I did a Lent fast from Facebook and it was great. This year, I am trying to cut back on the amount of time I spend on ebay and FB sale sites - the classifieds and MCN buy/sell pages have taken up way too much of my time and attention and downloads in January and February. So my change in March was to not visit these pages...at all. I am also trying to check FB just a few times a day...morning and afternoon....and maybe evening. Sure beats the ridiculous 14+ log-ins/day that seemed to be taking over my life :(

Maybe the things you'd like to change are very different to mine. Maybe they involve...fitness, growing better relationships, getting more sleep, reading more and watching less, speaking more positively, being more 'focussed in the the moment', healthy eating, being in touch with friends (hey..these are ALL changes I need to make!)....  But will you join me in making some new habits in the last couple of weeks of March?

A change is as good as a holiday they say. So maybe March can be a break from our 'norms' as the start of a new-improved you (and me) in a couple of small ways.

Let me know what you are thinking and planning and how you are doing.

"A year from now you will wish you had started today." - Karen Lamb

Blessings - K