Never tell a child what they can't achieve

I am sure so many of you now know the aspirations of my sweet lil girl.  But I still feel the need to put it to words.

Mostly because I believe my sweet 7 year old is wise beyond MY years!

It all started a little around Christmas time.  Alia had been particularly crabby.  I didn't think much of it other than to call her a 7 year old going on 17.  But that all came to a shocking light the night of her little sisters birthday.

we had just enjoyed a wonderful day at the aquarium for Alyssa's birthday.  That evening something seemed particularly bug Alia.  When I asked her what was up, she finally put to words what she had been feeling.  "Mommy, how can I be happy on birthdays?"  she asked.

"What do you mean?" I answered.  "Well," she began, "how can I be happy when I know there are children out there celebrating their birthdays and they don't even have enough clothing to wear"

I was stunned with her answer.  I really had no idea she was so burdened by this.  I asked a dear friend who works with a local shelter to help me out.  So she took her under her wing a bit and gave her thoughts direction.

On her own Alia created "Simply 7" that very next day.

"Well mom, it is because I am 7.  I want to hand out 7 birthday bags EVERY month, AND I want to ask/tell 7 people EACH month to do the same thing.  If I do that lots of kids will have happier birthdays and know they are loved by someone"

how could I say no to this dream?  So instead I took the mom approach.  Ok honey I answered.  I said she could earn allowance from me (something I haven't done thus far) and I would help her put some bags together each month.  And the asking part, that was her own to do.  It was a sweet lil arrangement.

That is until the next week when I went out with this same dear friend and Alia overheard us talking and heard that for Easter there were going to be 80 or so children at a park event.  The next day she decided "I want to give EVERY child a bag there too!"

I told her ok, but this one I was not going to fund.  She needed to write her own letter and pass it out and ask all on her own.  She got right to work (this was about 3 weeks before the event) and handed letters out.  She received lots of oh how sweet, sure I will see if I can do something.

but as a wise adult I advised her to not be disappointed with her results.  That most likely she was just going to receive like 10 maybe 20 sets to create bags.

Little did I know that God had a MUCH GREATER plan.  He was going to use "the faith like a child" to bless beyond measure.  Bless the children in need, bless their parents, bless us adults, bless me.

Her goal was reached....and exceeded...she was able to hand bags to every child she could find there, and has half left over!!
Some of her grand totals (which are short because I found several items I forgot to include later, when I was counting)

          101 KIDS shampoos
          154 Boys and girls socks
          172 KIDS toothbrushes
          138 KIDS toothpaste
          100 mini beanie toys
          181 snacks
          1 large blanket made by kindergartners
          48 single packs of Kleenex
          27 additional toys
          3 undershirts
          3 underpants
          80 adult toothbrushes
          80 adult toothpaste
          10 boxes of Ziploc bags (to fill)

Like I said even these numbers are short, they are just an estimate...

Pretty amazing.  I figured however, after all this she would be tired, bored and frankly not want to do it anymore.  And I told her that was ok because she had done so much already.

Not so.  Simply 7 was truly born.  She informed me that was her original plan and she was sticking to it, this was just extra.

The even more amazing part.  With her recent "fame" with the new article and a soon to be print article she was VERY concerned.  You might wonder with what, since being "famous" might be fun for a kid.  Well it is fun, but she asked me tonight; "Mom are you sure I should do all this?"  Why not I asked.  "Because I want to be really sure everyone knows it is NOT me.  I want them to know it is God"

Amazing.  Simply stated.  Faith like a child.

Wise.  Very very wise.

So in case you want to help, do your own, or just simply follow her story..........she now has a blog, I will write and she also wants to write her own stuff.

We will track as other people in other states partake, and use Simply 7, so she/you can see just how many states, just how far, one little girls dream of "making a child smile: can go!

simply7birthdaybags.blogspot.com
simply7@ymail.com