Last night, several dear friends gathered in my studio to create “blessing bags”. Blessing bags are a fairly simple concept. You gather tolietries and non perishible food and put them in a ziplock bag. They are small enough to keep in your car to give when you pass someone in need.
NO MORE do you need to look down and avoid their eyes! This is simple, humble but hopefully effective. No, you aren’t saving anyone, but perhaps you are giving them a little bit of hope.
My favorite part of the blessing bags we made in the studio last night was there was a little note in each and every one! We made perhaps 70 bags – EVERY single one had a simple note that wished hope, comfort, and love.
So it’s simple. Gather items, package them up and be prepared should you pass someone in need. You never know what life is going to throw you, you’d best be ready.
A friend stopped in my studio last night. This woman is a giver like no other. She shared with me that there was a young man she’d pass often who was down on his luck I offered her a blessing bag or two. Tonight I received a note from her. I asked her if I could share it. Please note that it is less than 24 hours after I gave her the bags.
She wrote, ” I gave the 30+ man a comfort bag today…I have passed him by without looking many times…he looked straight at me and said Thank You …Thank you, then the light changed …I will be ready with comfort bags and things like gloves Hats socks …I pass by his corner at least 2x a month thank you for putting the bags together and sharing them with me.”
The need is clearly there- I feel so blessed to be able to share what I have with someone else. I hope that this inspires you to begin gathering items for your own blessing bags- we will create them again in January at the studio.
Remember socks and gloves, not to mention handwarmers – all good things as the weather gets colder. How did YOU feel the last time you put on a new pair of socks? Delicious right? Pay it forward my friends… we are blessed- share the love.
The next gathering at Create Art 4 Good to create blessing bags will be on January 26th at 6PM. PLEASE begin gathering the following items:
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Tylenol (individual packet of 2)
- Tissues
- Antibacterial wipes individually packaged
- Bandages
- Razor
- Juice box (water bottles should not be kept in hot car)
- Granola Bars
- packaged crackers
- Safety pins
- small sewing kit
- Socks
- Deodorant
- Bar soap and shampoo (the ones from hotels are GREAT!)
- Mouthwash
- small lotion
- Comb
- mint lifesavers
- individually packaged dried fruit
- any small packaged food that is calorie rich and non perishable
- socks
- handwarmers
- hats
- gloves
- gallon ziploc bags
- quart ziploc bags (for tolietries to keep the soap etc away from the food)
Thank you in advance for your generosity.
In peace-
Susan