I was impressed with this past Sunday's (December 2, 2007) "The Mini Page" for children. I couldn't find a link to the specific article, but its front page focus was on "Gifts of Self." The article suggests that the best presents are giving our selves away. Some of the ideas mentioned are:
~ Giving your time (walk a neighbor's dog, play games with people in a retirement center)
~ Giving your talents (play a musical instrument for someone or give lessons in a sport to a younger child)
~ Share something you know (reading to young children or to the elderly or baking cookies and delivering them to friends and neighbors)
We as adults can encourage this type of giving in our children by modeling it for them and by working side by side with them as they give the gifts of self.
It would also add some intrigue and excitement to try to come up with some ways children could secretly do special services for others.
10 comments:
I got an email with ideas of what Jesus would want for Christmas - see below
If you want to give Me a present in remembrance of My birth here is my wish list. Choose something from it.
1. Instead of writing protest letters objecting to the way
My birthday is being celebrated, write letters of love and hope to
soldiers away from home. They are terribly afraid and lonely this time of year. I know, they tell Me all the time.
2. Visit someone in a nursing home. You don't have to know them
personally. They just need to know that someone cares about them.
3. Instead of writing George complaining about the wording on the cards his staff sent out this year, why don't you write and tell him that you'll be praying for him and his family this year. Then follow up. It will be nice hearing from you again.
4. Instead of giving your children a lot of gifts you can't afford and
they don't need, spend time with them. Tell them the story of My birth, and why I came to live with you down here. Hold them in your arms and remind them that I love them.
5. Pick someone that has hurt you in the past and forgive him or her.
6. Did you know that someone in your town will attempt to take their own life this season because they feel so alone and hopeless? Since you don't know who that person is, try giving everyone you meet a warm smile it could make the difference. Also, you might consider supporting the local Hot-Line: they talk with people like that every day.
7. Instead of nit picking about what the retailer in your town calls the holiday, be patient with the people who work there. Give them a warm smile and a kind word. Even if they aren't allowed to wish you a "Merry Christmas" that doesn't keep you from wishing them one. Then stop shopping there on Sunday. If the store didn't make so much money on that day they'd close and let their employees spend the day at home with their families.
8. If you really want to make a difference, support a missionary,
especially one who takes My love & Good News to those who have never
heard My name. You may already know someone like that.
9. Here's a good one. There are individuals & whole families in your town who not only will have no "Christmas" tree, but neither will they have any presents to give or receive. If you don't know them (and I suspect you don't) buy some food & a few gifts & give them to the Marines, the Salvation Army or some other charity which believes in Me & they will make the delivery for you.
10. Finally if you want to make a statement about your belief in and
loyalty to Me, then behave like a Christian. Don't do things in secret that you wouldn't do in My presence. Let people know by your actions that you are one of mine.
Just love Me & do what I have told you to do. I'll take care of all the rest. I'll help you. And do have a most blessed Christmas with all those whom you love.
I'd like to add that we should do these things year round, not just at Christmas. People have needs throughout the calendar year.
Great ideas, in both the post and the comment. I plan on making a great deal of my gifts this year...they're from the heart.
Deborah
www.therhythmofwrite.com
I have asked my Lord to show me who I can give a "gift" to. I was looking for some large revelation. Come to find out it is a small 300 piece puzzle for a young lady who is 14. It is a long story - but it will be a great "gift". We have to be willing to see the "small gifts"as well.
Indian Lake Papa
Indian Lake Papa,
You are so right! We just have to be willing to give and to follow through with it - the size doesn't matter just the attitude of the heart of the giver.
Merry Christmas!
Robin,
You list three "ideas"
1. GIVE TIME (my thought, take time to talk to a stranger, say something encouraging, Christ centered)
2. GIVE YOUR TALENTS (we all have the talent to talk, make Christ a passion and you will want to share that! Develop that as a talent)
3.SHARE SOMETHING YOU KNOW (tomorrow find that stranger / friend that needs to know about the Christ who was born in a manger. Let them "know" you know this Christ child intimately.) I almost took the word "tomorrow" out. But I need this challenge as well. I need to give a gift - tomorrow.
Merry Christmas Robin (& family)
Indian Lake Papa
Hi Robin,
Thanks for visiting my blog. I enjoyed peeking at all of yours. Good stuff.
Going to pray and write today!
God bless!
Robin, I will give you some advice about visiting in nursing homes, but first I need to update myself on the new HIPAA regs. That's the privacy act instituted by Pres. Clinton to protect patients rights, but it has put up some barriers. Some people have interpreted it too literally. It also depends on the individual nursing home administrator. One I know said all future volunteers will have to have crimnal background checks, TB tests, hepatitis shots, etc., and I told him he would never get any more volunteers. I understand they don't want people coming in off the streets and wandering around the rooms, etc., but when a church has been doing a ministry there for 34+ years and has a new volunteer, it is an insult to tell that person she can't visit without all that stuff being done. I will talk to some activity directors and see what they say,as I know some things have already been deemed too ridiculous to regulate and have been changed. Besides, most nursing homes are glad to have volunteers.
Thanks Momstheword... Looking forward to finding out whatever you can share :)
I thought I posted this but I don't see it. I will try to do it again. After thinking about your wanting to take your children to visit in a nursing home, I realized that there is a simple way to do that. If you just want to visit, you might just take your kids with you and walk around a little. Find some folks just sitting around killing time. If, and they will, anyone shows interest in the kids, introduce yourself to her/him. If she seems willing to visit, do so. Now you know someone in the nursing to visit. No one can stop you from making other friends while you are there. At first don't go into their rooms, just stay in the public spaces. If, when you first go, someone asks you if you are looking for a specific person, just say you are looking around and showing your children what a nursing home is. It's very likely you will be shown around and introduced to some of the folks. If you are interested in doing something as a church ministry, you need to clear it through your pastor and the activity person. Just remember, not all nursing home administrators are as hard-nosed as the one I mentioned. God bless and have fun. You might find this post on some other part of your blog:-)
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