Last year I participated in “Operation Christmas Child,” a program that gives gifts to children in need around the world. It was a wonderful, and easy, program in which to participate. Who doesn’t love giving to a child? Seeing his or her eyes light up when he or she opens the box. That’s the gift for the giver.

Although you don’t get to see the recipient directly, you can imagine a child in another country opening a shoebox full of candies, crayons, books and maybe a teddy bear or stuffed animal. Toys they’ve never seen before. Many of the children who receive one of these special boxes may have never received a Christmas present before.

My family packed one box for a pre-school age girl and one for a boy last year. We’ll do the same this year. I’ll get my son involved this year to pick out the small gifts to go inside the box, we’ll pack it together and take it to our local drop off location.

National collection week is November 17-24 where all the boxes will be picked up from the local drop off locations, hauled in trucks and then sent to the countries so the children can receive the presents in time for the holiday.

It’s a great family project and you’ll feel great about giving.

Related:

• Pack a shoebox.
• Find a drop off location near you.
• Donate online.
• Read what former President Clinton says about Operation Christmas Child.

Mommy blogger, Stephanie Nielson, was recently in a plane crash where more than 80 percent of her body was burned.

Her readers have united to support her and her husband (who was also injured and burned in the crash) and to help pay medical expenses.

One of the things that set Stephanie apart from the pack is that she inspired mothers through positive stories. So much so, that more than $100,000 has been raised through contributions from blog readers. This is powerful.

You need to watch the story as it ran on the “Today Show.” I’ve included the clip below.

Related:

• Read the full story, “Blogger mom hurt in plane crash inspires support” here.
• Stephanie’s blog, Nie Nie Dialogues.
• Contribute to Nielson Recovery.
• Read one of Stephanie’s inspiring ideas where she created a feast for her kids in celebration of back to school time. It’s includes their family theme for the year: Be prepared.

So often I have good intentions to do something nice for others. It may be to make a meal for someone who just had a baby, to send a sympathy card, or mail out birthday cards and presents. I think of these good deeds all the time, but I don’t always follow-through. Too bad my friends and family don’t know of my intentions.

This weekend we had friends that took action to do something nice for us (thanks Ryans!). It’s one of those things that I might have thought of, but probably wouldn’t have been able to get my stuff together to do it.

My husband and I have been caring for his ailing mother, driving 4 hours each way during the weekends to assist where we can. It’s a stressful time. Our friends called to ask what they can do to help and offered for our son to come to their house to have a playdate with their daughter.

Amazing is all I can think to say about this offer. It it something that came at the right time. My husband and I dropped off our son at his friends house (they had a great time playing together) and we went to a movie. It was a great afternoon and something that was unexpected.

The next time I have good intentions I’ll try to remember being the recipient of kindness and follow-through.  It might be the difference for someone else!

I was blog surfing tonight and found a great tip from Courtney over at aisforbeautiful.com. On her list of “100 things about me,” number 49 struck me as an idea all families can adapt into their lives to gain more time together.

49. My family and I have a goal to go hiking every time there is a fifth Sunday.

What a great way to decide to do something special together, every time there is a fifth Sunday. Make it a family day. Maybe it’s a special dinner, or a day at the park, the zoo, a day to visit grandma. Maybe it’s a day to volunteer, or maybe it’s just family lazy day.

This year there are 4 fifth Sundays:

• March 31
• June 29
• August 31
• November 30

How will you spend them?

December is such a stressful month. I’ve been writing about how much I have to do with Christmas creeping up on me. Today, while pulling out of the Einstein Bagels store parking lot a woman in a mini-van waved me into traffic. It was a simple, but great gesture that really put me in the right frame of mind for the day. You see, I was already running late, having run out of the house without eating anything when I decided I needed nourishment for the long day ahead of me. So, stopping for a bagel meant I was pushing the envelope even more. When this woman waved me in it gave me some time back. Here are some ideas of things we can do for each other this month:

1. Let a car in front of you.
2. Let someone with only one item go ahead of you in line at a checkout counter
3. Put money in the Salvation Army kettle. Those bell ringers work for long hours, often in the cold. Put something in.
4. Skip the parking spot nearest the store — let someone else park there.
5. Put your neighbor’s newspaper by his front door one morning.
6. Pay the toll for the car that is behind you.
7. Offer to return the shopping cart to the store for someone who just put groceries in his car.