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NOT Setting Goals: Preparing for 2015 OCC Collection Part 1

As I begin to prepare for the 2015 Operation Christmas Child collection week (a year away) you would think the first thing I would do is set a goal.  But I am purposely NOT setting a goal.  Well, not a goal with an exact number of boxes to pack anyways.  My goal for 2015:  to pack as many shoeboxes as possible without tallying them.

Operation Christmas Child Shoeboxes

The main reason I am choosing to not set a goal for the number of boxes I will pack is because I want to look at the individual box, not the whole.  I want to think about the ONE child who will receive the ONE box I am packing.  I am a "numbers" gal, so I tend to forget about the humanity behind the
boxes and focus on the numbers.


My love for numbers began as long back as I can remember.  It came to maturity in high school when I won our state Office Education Association accounting contest.  I was hooked on numbers and went on to work in accounting and purchasing until I had children.  And in accounting it is all about the total, the final balance.  So it is natural for me to add up boxes to come to the final count and "balance my boxes." I enjoy it, it is fun. But I tend to loose the child in the numbers.

One of my "girls" in a dress I sent with Dress A Girl Around the World.
Her smile reminds me of what the little girls opening their box will look like.
So this year I am going to work as hard as I can to reach as many children as I can thru as many boxes as I can pack.  But I am going to focus on the individual box, the individual child.

  • I want to imagine her eyes lighting up when she lifts her little doll in its sleeping bag from her box and cradles it in her arms.  
  • I want to "hear" his laughter as he sees his new funny bear friend for the first time.  
  • I want to "see" his look of pride as he packs his new school supplies in his new tote bag made especially for him.  
  • And I want to think about how beautiful she feels in her new dress designed just for her and sewn with love.

I want to forget about the numbers, and remember the child.

Smiling Faces!  On EVERY Christmas Child!  Photo copyright Operation Christmas Child.


Happy Packing!

4 comments:

  1. AnonymousNovember 18, 2014 at 2:43 PM

    Love this - thanks for the reminder. I have not yet finished packing 2014 boxes (I have another couple of weeks as I work in a processing centre, but I do forget about the individual child) - I needed to read this

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  2. Cheryl @ Simply ShoeboxesNovember 18, 2014 at 2:52 PM

    Thanks for letting me know it helped as a reminder to you, too. What fun to work in the processing center. I got to volunteer twice, but would love to work more. I'd love to work in the "shoebox hospital."

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  3. AnonymousNovember 22, 2014 at 2:39 PM

    I thought about the 4 kids i packed for - last year I got a bit rushed with 10 boxes and being a bit OCD but I thought about what I wanted to include this year and set a budget and feel happy with my boxes and hope the kids who get them will love them. I already have ideas for next year!
    Susanna

    ReplyDelete
  4. Cheryl @ Simply ShoeboxesNovember 22, 2014 at 3:02 PM

    Sounds perfect, Susanna. It's great to have ideas so early -- you can work on them all year long and keep your eyes out for items that will work into what you plan. Happy Packing!

    ReplyDelete

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