Let me ask you a question: Are you full?
Is your table full of food? Are the chairs full of family and friends? Is your freezer full of ready to eat meals? Is your house full of comfortable furniture? Your desk full of technology? Your garage full of cars, and tanks full of gas? Kids’ playroom full of toys? Closet full of clothes?
Now let me ask you this: Are you fulfilled?
Do you enjoy time with people you love? Are you grateful for the abundance? Do you take the time to consider those who have less? Do you plan to share? Or is your schedule, your life, and your mind all so full that your forget to say, “thank you” and “how can I help you?”
I confess that I am often full but not fulfilled. I am by nature a task oriented person, and I easily become bogged down in checking things off of my to do list instead of checking in with people. A simple text to say, “how are you?” A plate of cookies for a neighbor. A play date with a stressed out momma. Paying for a coworker’s coffee, lunch, etc. Putting my phone down and really listening to my kids. We love food at OAMM – obviously. We love seeing the freezer stocked full of meals. But we also want to challenge you to live fulfilled lives. We have all heard, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
Don’t just freeze food. Freeze it Forward!
We challenge YOU to get your head out of your checklist and check in with your family, friends, neighbors, coworkers, church family, even a stranger. Find someone in your life who would be grateful to receive a freezer meal and share one (or more) with them.
To keep each other accountable for the challenge, we are going to ask you to share what you do here in the comments or through social media (leaving out names for the sake of privacy if needed). Pick your favorite: we’re on Facebook, Instagram and Google+. Don’t forget the hashtag #freezeitforward so that we can find it easily. It is that simple. Bless someone with a meal and share the experience with the OAMM community from March 16-22.
We will be posting some helpful tips this week for you such as which foods gift well and how to package and deliver them. But first we just want to get you started thinking about to whom you will give. Maybe the answer was clear as soon as you received the challenge, but if not, here is a list to help you brainstorm or maybe to expand your list!
Give a Meal to…
- someone who lives alone or is single
- widows and widowers
Here are a few single serving meals I (Kim) prepared for an elderly member of my church.
- newlyweds who are still learning to cook (give it to them in a pretty serving dish they can keep)
- those who are elderly or shut in and struggle to cook for themselves (don’t forget to visit with them too!)
- a family that is struggling financially or recently unemployed
- a family that relies on seasonal work (i.e. construction) for their main income
- someone struggling with chronic illness (cancer, auto-immune, etc.) or recovering from surgery
- women who are expecting a baby or have just had a baby (especially if they have older children to cook for)
- families with a baby in the NICU
- military families (especially those who are parenting alone during deployment)
- someone who is getting ready to move or has just moved into a new home
- foster parents or adoptive parents, especially those who may have just welcomed children into their home
- moms or dads parenting alone (could be a permanent situation or a temporary one like travel)
- families who have recently lost a loved one
- someone who deserves a thank you for what they do in the community (pastor, teacher, emergency responder, ER nurses and doctors, etc.)
- someone who is special to you that you’d like to thank (your boss, your parents, a friend who has given to you in your time of need, a hostess gift, etc.)
- missionaries who have returned on furlough
- that friend or family member who just doesn’t like to cook
- someone who has just been diagnosed with an allergy or food sensitivity and needs help getting started on a new lifestyle
- someone who is renovating or having construction done in their home
- those who have suffered a natural disaster
- anyone who has a stressful, busy schedule!
- Be creative! Any more ideas? Please share in the comments!
Just to summarize:
The challenge: Gift a freezer meal and share with the OAMM community using #freezeitforward or in the comments below. Share pictures via Facebook, Instagram or other social media! Be proud that you’re helping others! Make sure to mark them with these hashtags:
#freezeitforward #oamm #onceamonthmeals #freezercooking
The dates: March 16-22
The goal: The one who gives and one who receives will be both full and fulfilled.