Shopping for a Cause

I love shopping. No, like, I really really really love shopping. What's more is that I'm also really good at it (just ask Darreck), but my shopping adventure today was extra fun because some of it went towards a really good cause. Let me explain...

Every six months a local mother's group has a children's consignment sale, and I've bought some things for Max at these sales in the past. Today I went twice, once to their regular price sale in the morning and then to see what was leftover that afternoon during half-price hours. I managed to get 35 items of clothing for $33.25. You can't beat that at most garage sales, and all the clothing at this sale was way nicer than what you'd find anywhere else. But that's still not the best part. Over half of what I purchased today will be going to the YWCA mercy home to clothe the women and children who seek shelter there. Our ward is doing a drive to gather needed materials for the shelter, and I have found a very good excuse to go shopping!

All joking aside, I really feel strongly about the purpose of the mercy home. I can't even imagine how terrifying it would be to leave an abusive home with next to nothing. Our family is going to, over the next six weeks, continue to get items needed at the mercy home, and Darreck and I feel really good about being able to help in our small way. I'm so thankful to the members of our ward who developed this project, and it has inspired me to keep looking for more ways to serve locally. We may not have a ton, but we have been blessed with so much more than so many others. We feel that it is our duty, not only as Christians, but just as human beings to share our abundance with others. I hope that this can always be one of the guiding principles of our family.