Posts Tagged ‘family’
The Family That Gives Together
It’s a new decade, and another Christmas is firmly in the rear-view mirror. We all love to give and make time to spend with loved ones during the holidays, but that Christmas spirit often gets lost when we fall back into our busy family routines. But what if togetherness and generosity were the family routine?…
Read MoreHard Conversations Are Worth Having
Wise will planning is much more than just dividing assets after you die or thinking about charitable bequests. The type of assets you have, your values, the needs of your loved ones and the type of relationship you have with them must all be considered in your planning. That is part of what makes conversations…
Read MoreThe Key to Hosting a Good Holiday Party
Growing up, hospitality was very important to Gordon Baergen’s family. His father was a Mennonite minister, so they often had visiting missionaries stay with them and people from the church stop by unannounced. “Our home was always open to whoever wanted to come,” remembers Gordon, “Back then, generosity … was giving what we had ……
Read MoreStarting the Conversation
Advice on how to talk about your will and values with your children Part One of a Two-Part series It is time to update our wills. When we last made them our kids were in junior high and elementary school; now, they both have University degrees and their own careers. But our kids aren’t the…
Read MoreEngaging the Next Generation in Generosity
Last fall, Greta Thunberg gave a compelling call to action against climate change[1]. She was 16 years old at the time. Greta has Asperger’s Syndrome, OCD and Selective Mutism, which she explains as “only speaking when necessary.” Her frustration with the lack of action against climate change caused her to speak up. She recalls learning…
Read MoreThe Business of Being Generous
The business world is often described as a battle ground. Competitors are to be crushed and customers are to be won over. The bottom-line rules. Companies may strategically give away products and skills. Yet, the root goal is brand awareness or making useful relationships. Is this what generosity looks like in the business world? Doug…
Read MorePassion for Giving, Passed Down Through Generations
For Alain Reimer, learning to be generous started when he was a child. “We were taught that giving was just a part of life,” he says of what his parents told their children. On Sundays, when the family attended church, he remembers being given money to put in the Sunday school offering. “If we had…
Read MoreGenerations of Giving
Evelyn is an avid volunteer and gives to various charities. Most of her holidays are spent with teams of shoe box distributors: building water filters for homes, providing medical services in needy communities, and supporting agriculture projects (food always in the home). “After annually packing shoe boxes, I was curious about the distribution at the…
Read MorePut Generosity Under Your Tree
The practical demonstration of generosity is displayed every year under a Christmas tree! The season begins for many people with the same old question, “What do you want for Christmas?” What do you get the person who has everything? When I was asked that question as a kid, it was a welcome invitation to describe…
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