Many of us talk about wanting to live more simply or do more to help the world, but one young family is really putting that in action. The Sheaffer family is selling their home and most of their belongings in order to embark on an RV adventure around the country. Their goal? To "give every day."
The family of four says their pledge is:
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To spend intimate, quantity time with our family.
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To actively help the poor, the sick, the lonely, and the helpless.
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To value, protect, and advocate for children.
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To de-emphasize the importance of “stuff” in our lives.
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To take well-thought-out risks and to get out of our comfort zone.
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To bring publicity to good causes and good people.
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To live with intentionality, as if this year was our very last.
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To observe the needs in our country/community – and then do something about them.
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To give – every day.
The Sheaffers put their house up for sale this week, making a big move towards making their dream a reality. Stephanie Sheaffer wrote on the family blog:
As it stands right now, we have the American Dream – a comfortable house in a suburban neighborhood, two cars, two kids, two masters degrees, good jobs, close friends.
Yet, every night for the past two years, Tim and I stay up late and talk about how the world is hurting – how people are poor, sick, lonely, uncertain, hungry, helpless, and hopeless.
We know – without a shadow of a doubt – that we can’t just sit here. We won’t.
This week, we jumped off of a cliff…to the unknown.
The couple, who admit to being "scared out of our pants" say that they consider the endeavor an "intelligent risk." They add that they "are convinced that most of the best things in our world are born out of risk and a willingness to leap out of the ordinary into the extraordinary."
Tim Sheaffer is a pastor with a background in law enforcement and psychology, while Stephanie Sheaffer was a high school guidance counselor who now does PR work and runs the popular blog, Metropolitan Mama. They also have two daughters, ages 1 and 3.
Tim and Stephanie both run small businesses that will help fund the project. In addition, they're accepting business sponsors.
On their blog, Give Every Day, they describe how they envision their days:
Each day will be a new adventure of giving. Some days, we will be helping individuals and families -fixing computers, painting houses, delivering meals, etc. Some days, we’ll be serving at soup kitchens, homeless shelters, orphanages, nursing homes, and hospitals. Some days, we’ll be hosting Twitter 101 and Social Media Workshops for non-profits, using our expertise to help good people communicate their messages to a broader audience. Some days, we’ll rally people in select cities for volunteer events. Every day, we will wake up and pray and say, “How can we help people today?”
Visit the site to learn more about the family, subscribe to their blog or follow them on Facebook or Twitter. If you know of a need, you can even invite them to visit Mankato or any other city.
Families can certainly follow the Sheaffer's lead on a smaller scale, too. While not all of us may be willing or able to undertake this sort of project, we can all find ways to give every day. If you like, get an inexpensive blank book and start a family giving journal, with each family member writing a note with the date to log acts of kindness.
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