It's hard to believe I'm already talking about Christmas as November is barely beginning - but believe it or not - it's Shoebox Time!
Teaching our children to love Jesus and love one another is not an easy task. Parenting is not a one-step, one-conversation experience, but instead layers of discussions, modeling and living out our faith. The Operation Christmas Child project is a way Bret and I have helped expand our children's worldviews larger than themselves.
As our culture becomes more and more "me-centered," it is essential that parents speak the language of "loving the other" and not give into the selfish ideals of our society. I can easily make the assumption that most children in our churches will have more than one Christmas present this year - if not more than two or three Christmas parties! Our children are being inundated with social media narratives of "needing" more things to be happy. They are quickly becoming more and more confused between wants versus needs and are even more lost in our self-absorbed culture of comparison and entitlement.
I am always on the look-out for opportunities to wake us out of our slumber, say no to our culture and provide a different narrative with which to participate. That is where Operation Christmas Child comes in.
When my children were young, I would take them to Target/Walmart, give them a shoebox, let them choose to pack a box for a girl or a boy and then choose the age of the child. Children make good observations when we begin walking around filling a shoebox...
"My box is too small." Children immediately recognize the toys they personally want would not fit into a tiny shoebox. Not only that, but shoebox toys cannot be electronic, or even need batteries. This concept alone is mind-blowing to a child! A simple stuffed bear, or jacks are great choices instead!
"There's not much room for a toy." I direct my children to fill their boxes with a few hygiene items first. After a toothbrush, toothpaste, hairbrush, soap, and chapstick, the box is well on it's way to being full. This observation is important as they become aware of children who do not have basic needs (soap) and recognize the many luxuries they have daily. Oftentimes (our prayer at least!), this generates not just an awareness of childhood poverty, but thankfulness for a child's own blessings.
As a parent, this little shopping trip has been a worldview changer for my children. It has fostered compassion toward children in third-world countries and opened my children's eyes to the many hurting people around our world. I've even used the globe to show my children where the Shoeboxes were delivered and as we can now track our boxes, we enjoy watching the video Samaritan's Purse puts out of the presents being delivered (this helps expand their worldview in a tremendous way!).
Not just that...but each box has the Gospel message of Jesus Christ placed inside in the child's own language. Boxes are taken to local churches, were children can pick up the presents and then have follow-up spiritual, physical care by a church near them who loves Jesus and speaks the child's language.
I love this project because of the fruit I have seen in my own children and in changing young lives in countries around our world.
If you have children, I encourage you to help expand your child's worldview beyond themselves in the simple act of filling a shoebox. Follow this link (SHOEBOXES) for additional information!
If you have Shoebox stories to share (even about your shopping experience!) I'd love to hear them!
May God's grace and peace be with you as you intentionally parent your children toward love and good deeds!
Connie
No comments:
Post a Comment