Dear Lindsey,
I love the idea of “required acts of service,” for my son’s school, but the pressure to do it feels wrong when he’s fighting the clock. Couldn’t the intent backfire by hardening his heart if a teen resented being “forced” to serve someone? I have had this thought many times in parenting: when I have “forced” an apology, “forced” sharing, “forced” reading, “forced” good action when the child’s heart was not in it with me. “If the right action is taught, the heart can follow,” I concluded once again, knowing I can teach the action, but only God can change the heart.
This incident began as a school requirement.
Or maybe it began when I went to Guatemala to visit orphans in October.
…Or when we started splitting allowance into Giving-Saving-Spending jars when he was 6.
God knows when the idea began, but a new chapter was written last week when Casey, my 15-yr-old, was completing his requirement of 3 hours of “Christian service” due last Friday. In the past, he has done lawn work for less fortunate, or volunteered on a soup kitchen team with classmates, but now he was down to the last week and needed to think fast. He asked me if I had any ideas.
My thoughts pelted: “He could ‘make dinner for a neighbor’ and checkmark his requirement for the grade. He could babysit a friend’s kids for free; but that wouldn’t help his heart in reaching others in the name of Christ, which is probably the teacher’s goal.”
That’s when I heard noise outside. Christine, my 9-yr-old philanthropist-wannabe, who loves the thought of owning a business, had begun another one in the driveway: selling “arts and crafts” that were made from the trash in our garage. She and her neighborhood friend, Karsen, had decided to raise money for the orphans in Guatemala. She was yelling up and down the street like a town crier: “FINALLY! SOMETHING TO MAKE YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT SPENDING MONEY!” She yelled to an empty street, waving a poster in her hands.
There are less than ten houses between ours and the street’s end, so less than ten cars would be passing – probably after 5pm, and it was only 2:30. JR (7) sat patiently by the cash box in the wagon, waiting for customers. Another Norman Rockwell scene at the Brady house.
Kind dog-walkers (who must have brought their wallets!) bought $4 worth of painted soup cans and cardboard houses.
Christine was elated! She had a goal to raise money to sponsor an orphan for a month ($35min).
“That’s a lot of decorated trash to sell,” I thought.
That’s when the idea developed. Casey and I ran with it.
“We could sell dinners to the neighborhood, and raise money for the orphans!”
And so it began.
Chris, the marketing expert, taught them how to word a flyer that would go out to the neighborhood. “’What’s in it for THEM?’ is what you want to put first,” he said.
The three (Casey, Christine and JR) decided “what’s in it for their customers” was
1. Donating to a good cause and
2. Yummy homemade dinner
They worded and reworded the flyer until it looked like this, with the subject line: “Donating Through Dinner.”
To all of JP [our neighborhood]: the Brady kids (Casey 15, Christine 9, and J.R. 7) are hosting a fundraiser to earn money for orphans in Guatemala, and would like to offer to make your lives easier by bringing you dinner! We have made delicious potpies, brownies and cookies, and all you need do is reply with how many potpies you would like. The price is $10 per 9″ pie, and for an extra $1, you will also receive 6 cookies/brownies/a mix, of your choice. Please reply, first come first served! 100% of the profits will go to Forever Changed International, to support Dorie’s Promise Orphanage. Simply answer back with your address and we will bring dinner to you! (all that is required is oven heating). Thank you for helping us make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate. The Brady kids! (P.S. If you have concerns about food allergies, we do too! Just ask!) (P.P.S Please hurry and answer before dad eats all the brownies!)
His dad doesn’t know what a pastry blender is (an old joke in our marriage), but Casey 
made the crusts from scratch (with a little help from me in the rolling) and loaded the meat and veggies into pans, while Christine made brownies, JR made cookies and I stood in awe as foreman. The kitchen was full of joy – the kind that only comes through serving others. Even the cleanup didn’t seem like work. They had lost themselves.
They sent the flyer through email distribution to our neighborhood that night, and headed for bed.
Within 15 minutes, my email was active: all of the pies were sold. Orders continued into the night, and I thought about announcing they were sold out, but I tried to sit back and let the business owners decide.
The next morning on the way to school, I told Casey all of the potpies he had made had been requested and asked what he wanted me to do with the remaining orders.
He was shocked, but thrilled.
“So let me get this straight: I worked for four hours and we can sponsor an orphan for five months?!” he said as he did the math of their proceeds.
“If this rain cancels soccer tonight, I hope we can do more!”
His heart was in it!
Whether it’s time or money, the joy of giving can be duplicated in no other way than …giving. Sometimes you act, and the heart follows.
19 pot pies: $190
17 desserts: $17
To an orphan: 5 months
A heart changed: priceless.
God bless,
Terri
Proverbs 11:25 Whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Potpie recipe: click here
Orrin Woodward @Orrin_Woodward
A person doesn’t feel, then act; rather, he acts, then feels. Change actions to change feelings.
At the heart of our problems is the problem with our heart.
Letters to Lindsey 
This made me cry! What a treasured lesson to teach your amazing children! I believe we will be implementing this at the Huber house soon. Thank you so much for taking the time to share your wonderful stories Terri. I absolutely LOVE reading your blogs. You are such a wonderful example. Love and miss you all. PS: I’m guessing that picture is of Casey, and if so, I cannot believe that is him!! He has grown so much since I saw him last! I would never have guessed! God bless and thanks again. 🙂
So awesome! This is what it’s all about. Inspires me to want to serve more. Thanks Terri!
Good Morning Terri, just yesterday while in a conversation with friends we talked about this! It’s all about the heart change, what a beautiful demonstration of that! This encourages me to continue to bring my hearts desires to Jesus and allow Him to work on their hearts! Thank you for sharing yours 🙂
So true Terri! So convicting, so inspiring and so much fun!!! Thanks once again for your great family examples and lessons! Blessings!
What a blessing — thanks for sharing a piece of your family’s story with us!
Terri, your stories are always an inspiration to me. Thank you so much for sharing! Is there a book you could recommend for kids to read to help with changing their heart. We are always looking for good books for the kids will enjoy, our kids are 9,10,12,14.
Thanks again Terri for sharing your amazing stories I feel so blessed to be a part of such an amazing organization!
Such a good idea! Who wouldn’t want homemade pot pies!
My stepson was having a very difficult time with his father and the divorce that his mom started. Rather than blame her, my husband got all the unfair and undeserved blame when we married. No matter what he did, the son had an unforgiving heart. I told my husband, to accept any and all blame, even the undeserved blame, and to ask his son to forgive him. I then told the son, to say, I forgive you for ————–, to his dad, even if he did not feel like it. (and none of it was true, but perceived by his immature reasoning as being true) I told my hubby to not defend himself. When he said, I don’t feel like forgiving, I said, ok, but say the words, in time forgiveness will come, because just as Christ forgave you, you must forgive. My husband sat in the chair, and took the anger, the son said, “I forgive you” and his heart immediately changed. He was amazed that as soon as he said, “I forgive you dad for….” his heart really did change. Since that time, the relationship has been restored.
What an inspirational story, Terri. While it seems silly to ‘require’ acts of service, those acts can promote a change of heart that the Holy Spirit then can work through as children (and adults) learn to walk with the Spirit of God. Through the journey, they can develop a richness of soul, purity, inner confidence, and a quiet strength that has a sense of purpose which is not only attractive and appealing…..but one that becomes magnetic to the outside world and glorify’s God…..all through our little lambs required acts of service.
Wow! What a heartwarming story! Thank you for sharing!
Terri, what an awesome story! How great moments are, when kids actually “get it”!! Thank you so much for sharing it.
Terri,
What a great lesson and story with this. My daughter would love to do something like that. I think I’ll talk to her about it too. Thanks for sharing this story.
I pray to God about how thankful I am to have great mentors like you to show me how to be a woman after God’s own heart. I learn so much from your Blog on how I can change my thinking and help my children with theirs.
Thanks a bunch.
Marie-Claude Troli
So Awesome! ❤
What an inspiration you and your family are! Thanks for sharing your story.
Can’t wait to do something like that in my home. What fun and What memories!
Love it!
You are always an inspiration. Thank you for writing and sharing your family with us.
Wow ! I’m inspired by this story , your children are amazingly creative ! A changed life is generational .
WOW Thank you so much! Very inspirational! I always need these little reminders to focus on the things that truly matter. It also reminds me that when I might not feel like praying–that’s when I need to the most! –Always…
Great teamwork to come up with an appropriate service!
What a great story & what a great example of sacrifice through love! God Bless them! 🙂
Thank You for sharing. We’re going to feature this on the blog for Forever Changed International. I hope you don’t mind, but I used one of your pictures. – Arwen FCI Content Manager
Great story Terri. Thank you for this and all your posts. It is great to hear of a family at work together for a common cause. With LIFE that can become the norm.
Terri,
Thanks so much for sharing this incredible story! I will be reading this to my kids this morning, so we can brainstorm and find an opportunity to bless others through. What a blessing it is to see God using your children in such a way.
What an inspiring story of what God can do with a willing heart! Thanks for sharing!