It’s over. Here I sit, surrounded by stale decorations and obnoxious lights. Why is it that the second the holidays are through, all my lovely decor feels like gaudy clutter?
With the new year come new resolutions. Who am I kidding? This year’s list looks suspiciously like last year’s. The only difference is the fact that we’ve decided to scale it back a bit. Regression is the name of the game.
My mother reminded me of something we did growing up that I think we’re going to try. When I was a kid, there were a few years there where our family had a yearly “theme”. I personally can’t remember a single one of them, but it was apparently really good for my mom. I guess sometimes the stuff we try so hard to drill into our kids is really just good fodder for us parents. To teach is to learn twice.
So with no more ado, this year’s theme is going to focus on Charity. But I need a catchy phrase, something like, “Charity, just do it,” or “Charity is just a nice way of saying don’t hit your brother.” You get the idea. Since you’re all usually far more creative than I am at this kind of thing, I thought I’d throw it out there to you. I’m sure Kristina can’t wait, she’s such a charitable soul.
I’ll be looking for your suggestions in my comment box. If someone hits it just right and comes up with a catchy phrase that I really love (kid appropriate), I’ll do a blog review with a week’s worth of links (that means that for one week, every time I blog I’ll link to you and suggest people go over and visit your amazing site).
Can’t wait to see what you’ve got.
“Charity. Not Just the Girl All The Boys Dated in High School.”
You don’t disappoint, do you.
hahahaha my husband dated a complete crazy pants named Charity in college, and it’s exactly what I was thinking about when you mentioned your theme.
I liked this quote by Bob Hope regarding charity:
If you haven’t got any charity in your heart, you have the worst kind of heart trouble.
I’m thinking… Charity is the good kind of heart attack.
Only the best for you.
I like several quotes on this one. The first is:
“Life is short. Be swift to love! Make haste to be kind!” ( Henri Amiel )
The next is simply:
“You must be the change you wish to see in the world”. ( Mahatma Gandhi) This is my favorite and I have a ring that I wear on my finger with this quote on it.
The last is:
“Let us not be satisfied with just giving money. Money is not enough, money can be got, but they need your hearts to love them. So, spread your love everywhere you go”. (Mother Teresa)
I would shorten it to something like, “People need your hearts to love them. so, spread your love everywhere you go”.
I hope these help. I have several different types of quotes. I am rather a collector. So, if nothing suits your fancy, than let me know what you are looking for and I will try some different ones.
Charity: A fancy word that means be nice to each other.
Charity: It’s what Jesus really would do.
Charity: Not just for the Relief Society.
(ours for this year is: Rock the Casbah!, which to us just means Be Awesome.)
Wow. How does that quote fit on a ring? Someone must have used the world’s smallest engraver.
And my contribution is: Choose Charity.
It would work with my kids, anyway.
Nice Melanie, short and sweet.
I love the idea of a family theme. I’ve been thinking about putting one together for our family. Until then I will try and help you with yours, although Kristina pretty much took the cake on this one. Here are my deep thoughts:
Charity. Because doing good feels good. (variation: Charity. Because doing some good feels so good.)
Charity sometimes faileth; let’s pick up the slack.
Charity. Because other people have problems too.
Charity. Because the grass is often greener on our side.
Charity makes the world go ’round, or at least makes it a nicer place to live.
Perhaps you can take one of those and run with it! 😉
I would say Charity: Give and Get Back. Because that’s how it works, right? We give, but the blessings we get back in return far outweigh what we’ve given. And then I would sing the Beatles song “Get Back” all year long.
Because what can make us think about Charity more than singing about sweet Loretta Martin who thought she was a woman, but she was another man…
I just read Emily’s comment and I love the one about the grass being greener on our side. I vote for that one.
I think there’s this famous one thats something like “Charity Never Faileth.” but don’t know that its that kid friendly. Hmmmm.
“Can’t we all just get along?”
“After the house is clean, let’s do our Charity Chores!”
“Charity means never having to say your sorry.”
or maybe
“Charity makes mom happy!”
I know, I’m so freaking awesome at this its astounding!
“Charity makes mom happy” is seriously brilliant.
I LOVE Charity: The good kind of heart attack. And am lovin’ the grass is greener one too… but since I want in on this gig too, I will put this out there for ya:
Charity is giving enough to feel the pinch.
(this came from the idea that giving a dog a bone isn’t charity- sharing your bone with the dog when you are just as hungry as the dog, now THAT is charity.)
or
Charity begins at home, but shouldn’t end there.
or
Charity: you already love one another, now show it.
Pam, that last one is fantastic.
We have been having a family theme for the year for the last few years, and we just finished our charity year. It’s too bad too, I could have used a lot of these ideas! I have four kids just about the same age as yours and it was great! I was actually sad to see this year end, we did a lot of neat things trying to teach the concept of charity to our kids. I’m still having a hard time coming up with our theme this year.
Charity: It’s what’s for dinner (and breakfast, and lunch)!
My parenting goes something like, “Change your attitude or I’ll change it for you.”
So…
Maybe,Choose Charity or I’ll chose it for you.
or
Charity, choose it or lose it!
Really like Kristina’s though.
Charity never faileth.
Wait, that sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Open your heart to love; Charity and compassion.
Share-ity Charity!
Charity Makes/Helps Tintles Twinkle 🙂
Hug to the left!
Hug to the right!
Charity! Charity!
Fight, fight, fi…
..wait a minute…
Never mind.
Kristina took my answer.
Charity-Your Mom Does it…
Well unless your mom is my mom and she is a selfish beast.
(sing with me now)
Charity is the word I use to desriiiiibe
All the feelings that I have deep down insiiiiide.
I don’t know how many time I wish that I had SERVED you
I don’t know how many times I wish that I had PRAYED for you
la la la la la
(you get the idea)
These are all so good, DeNae, you are hilarious! How about “Charity will help us get to Heaven”? or you may change the verb to “take us” or whatever but I’m very big on getting my Grandkids to think about getting to Heaven.
Charity makes you skinny! The best exercise is when you bend down and lift someone up! This is what my Dad use to tell me!
Need some clarity in your life look no farther than charity
I’m probably late in the game, but how about :
Kindness begins with me.
Unless you really wanted the Charity word, then you could stick it in front with a colon (the punctuation kind of course).
Or (one more):
Love How the Lord Loves.
I decided I maybe like it better if it says: Love Like the Lord Loves.
Charity – Seeing the need and doing something about it.
or maybe, Charity – Angels in disquise
or – See the need – Do the deed
Charity: the gift you can’t keep to yourself.
I totally don’t expect you to use it, but I heard one yesterday that I just HAD to share cause it was just TOO funny!
“I’ve upped MY Charity- now UP YOURS!
I’m totally having an art attack here (which is rare since I’ve pretty much got less artistic ability than a zoo elephant). You could do something like “Charity Champions” and make some ribbons or stars or something the kids/family leave behind when doing a good deed.
Or…I’m remembering a Conference talk about warm fuzzies/service. You could even do “Charity: A Warm Fuzzy,” and have a warm fuzzy jar of your own (just those weird little poof ball things you can buy in the craft aisle.
This one is a real contender.