service ideas

Summer Serve Fun Ideas 2020

June 20, 2020 Kimmy

The summer is shaping up to be super different this year, but that shouldn’t distract us from serving and loving others with our little ones. There are so many fun ways that we can still serve this summer despite the restrictions in place due to Covid-19 and all that is going on our world and in our own hometowns.

Here are some fun and simple ideas that you could use and adjust for your family as needed to love and care for your neighbors at the same time:

1. Host a Sunday Sundae Party! Invite a few neighbors over to your front yard, serve ice cream or make homemade ice cream and have lots of fun toppings to go along with all the yumminess. You can also do this socially distanced by inviting your friends to bring their own chairs and ice cream yumminess and just provide a fun evening spread apart yet hanging out together!

2. Showing Love to Healthcare workers! Most of the media has sadly moved on from highlighting those serving in this capacity in our region; however, our numbers are higher than ever and they are working more and more! Spend an afternoon baking cookies, making cards or posters, praying for those that are sick and serving the sick, and drop off at your local hospitals and doctor offices to offer encouragement and a little joy!

3. Love missionary friends well! Several of our missionary families from our local church have had to make the difficult decision to come back to the states because of virus related issues in their countries. They need our support and love and encouragement during these weird days! If you know a missionary family who is back, drop off a gift card to a favorite store, invite them over for dinner (if you can safely do so), text or call and just say hey! Include them into your friend groups and hangouts and welcome them back “home” during this season.

4. A little Happy Fri-yay Gift! Do you have a friend who just needs a little encouragement and happy? Take a few minutes to grab their favorite little goodie and drop it off to remind them they aren’t alone and you are praying for them! Ask your little ones to pick a friend that they are missing or just want to love a little extra and let them do the same! Take some time out of your Friday to make it extra special for someone else. Don’t forget to remind your little friends that Jesus loves them big!

5. Go on a Summer Fun Prayerwalk/Scavenger Hunt! Look for summer fun things like pool floats, bicycles, sidewalk chalk and beach balls and point out simple ways to pray around those items! Here’s a simple printable to guide you along the way!

Now more than ever is the time to show love and kindness to those we meet along the way and friends and neighbors who need encouragement! Have a blast this summer being creative as we love Jesus and serve others! Be sure to share your fun ideas with us too, by tagging us over at Instagram!

On Mission

Fun Summer Service Ideas

May 21, 2019 Kimmy

Summer is my favorite!! Mostly because I truly do love to be outside, sitting on my back porch and playing with the girls in the sweltering heat. What’s not to love about that? But I also love the freedom of our schedule being wide open! No school! No early mornings! Very few extra activities that we “have” to be at. Just me and the girls and fun and friends!

Each summer I strive to choose a few ways to encourage the girls to serve and love others. Summer seems to be an easier time to do this because of our more open schedule. Here are a few easy ideas to help us make this the best summer ever!

1. Invite a few friends over for a popsicle and water playdate! Try to Invite friends who you don’t see often or need encouragement or maybe the mama that seems to have it all together – cause chances are, she may be longing for fellowship too!

2. Set up a lemonade stand and either give ice cold glasses of lemonade away just to simply say “we love our neighbors” or if you do decide to sell it, donate your profits to a local non-profit or church to use.

3. PrayerWalk a neighborhood and then spend a little while playing at the park. We have a local event called Pray & Play and if you’re local, join us for the next one on May 30 at 10:00am. Our little ones can pray too – they don’t have to be elaborate or fancy but they can be simple.

4. Spend an afternoon serving together at a food pantry or clothing closet! We did this last year with my oldest and my two nieces and we had a blast! I answered lots of questions and we may have not gotten a ton of clothing hung on hangers but my girls were challenged and their eyes were opened to the need right in their community!

5.!Make cards and a care package for friends serving Jesus around the world! Send a few pool or summer toys for their kiddos to enjoy too! Families love to get a little taste of home! If you don’t have someone that you can encourage, let me know and I can help you get connected!

What are fun summer ways that you have served Jesus? Share with us over at Instagram so we can all be encouraged!

On Mission

Storytime Alive Update

April 18, 2019 Kimmy

We had such a fun morning serving together with our little ones at Storytime Alive last week. It was a chance to gather together, read a story, make a craft and then serve together. I chose Last Stop on Market St which is a great book that tells the story of a sweet little boy who rides the city bus with his nana to serve at the Soup Kitchen every Sunday after church. After we read our story together, we began to make sandwiches for our local Soup Kitchen. Our little group was able to put together 80 sandwiches!! How awesome was that!! But even more awesome was that our little ones learned about what a Soup Kitchen is and that they can be a part of serving others.

We also had fun taking a “ride” on a city bus, making cards for our friends who would receive the sandwiches, making our own bus and playing at the sandwich shop!

Serving others doesn’t have to be complicated – it can be as simple as reading a story and letting it come alive like it did for us!

What other books could you read with your little one and then serve in some simple way?

Blog, Mission Ideas

Service Project Ideas for the Fall

September 12, 2018 Kimmy

Every season change reminds me how much I just love the season to come! Okay, maybe not winter, but that’s just me… I’m a summer and fall kinda gal! And after a great summer, I’m even more excited about the new season coming. What’s not to love about cooler weather, beautiful leaves, mountains, and apples and pumpkins! If you don’t live in the south, I’m sorry…. hehe

In the midst of all the Fall Family fun, I want to make sure that we, as a family, are focused on the most important things, the eternal things, and I pray that is the desire of your heart as well. Here are some simple and fun ideas for ways to serve others this Fall.

Love and Serve a HomeBound Neighbor or Friend.

Who doesn’t love getting flowers?! Let your little one go with you to Lowe’s or Home Depot and let them pick out a small mum or other fall plant. Schedule a time to stop by and let them deliver the sweet little gift. The cool thing is that both of you will love it! Your neighbor will love the visit and gift and you will love watching your little one take part in something simple. Offer to rake their leaves and help them with their yard! This is a fun way to serve and love and little ones love to jump in the pile of leaves at the end of a hard days work!

Adopt an International College Student.

We live in a college town and there are students from all over the world, right at our door step! We decided this year to not miss out on helping one of those students get settled and have a great experience here in America. You could invite your student apple picking with you and your little one. Or invite them over to make s’mores or roast hot dogs. Invite them into your home and share your lives with them and share Jesus too! Become a friend to someone who is “different” than you and watch how blessed both of your lives become! If you are unsure where to start, just contact your local college or your local Baptist Association office more than likely has a way to connect you.

Mail a Missionary Package.

This is a perfect time to put together a package for that family that you know and love that serves Jesus in a really hard place! Find out things they love, but chances are anything that you put together – especially handwritten notes and pics will put a smile on their face! It will also more than likely arrive before Christmas and who doesn’t love extra goodies around this time of year! Make sure to check their security status and whether they can receive packages beforehand! You don’t want them paying customs and taxes on a gift you send their way…

Host a Neighborhood Fall Festival.

Get together with another neighbor and put on a neighborhood fall festival. Now this could be a bit more work and planning, but I’m sure all the neighborhood kids would love it! This is a great way to introduce yourself to those neighbors that you haven’t met yet. It’s also a way to love and encourage neighbors that you do know! Pull out the last of the summer fun like water balloons or sidewalk chalk. Carve Pumpkins! Grill hotdogs and make s’mores (are you seeing a trend in food here yet?) just have fun and love and serve those truly at your door step!

Serve friends when they are sick.

I’ve noticed since school started back, so have the mommy posts about sick kiddos and germs spreading. When you notice a friend mention sick kiddos, take a few minutes and reach out to them and see if you could help out! It’s hard being a mama, much less with a house full of sick kiddos! If it’s a really close friend, just show up with that container of soup and flowers and leave it at their door. (cause you know you don’t want to catch anything either! ha) Have your little one draw the kiddos a card and pray for them.

What ideas or service projects have you done with your little ones in the Fall? Share your fun ideas below in the comments or over on our Instagram Post! For more fun ideas, be sure to follow our On Mission Moms Pinterest Page!

Blog, Mission Ideas

A Little Easter FUN!

March 27, 2018March 27, 2018 Kimmy

Easter is this weekend! What?!

Although Lent has been going on now for 40 days, this year Easter seemed to sneak up on us around here! Here are some fun ideas for you and your family to share Jesus with others around you. I pray that you will take this opportunity to share Jesus with your neighbors, family, and friends and that you will invite them to join you in worship on Sunday or maybe at your church Easter Egg Hunt or event. Many families are open and willing during this season – we just have to ask and invite!

You’ve been Egged!

I love this idea and look forward to doing this with my girls at some point this week – can’t give it all away, right?!? While this specific sight is not necessarily “christian” – it has great ideas that you can add your own personal touch to and share Jesus as you desire!

2. The Jelly Bean Prayer

This would be a GREAT and easy idea to give to our homeless friends along with a blessing bag and encouragement! Sometimes a little “extra” love and joy and candy goes a LONG way! ha

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3. Easter Basket for the Nursing Home

This could be an easy and quick craft that you could then go and take to some of our elderly and home bound friends!

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If you are LOCAL to Spartanburg, we would love to invite you to join us at the Upstate Egg Hunt at Barnet Park! It’s super fun!! But be sure to invite someone to come with you too!

And there are MORE ideas posted over on our On Mission Moms Pinterest Page!