My favorite part of Christmas is that our daughter has a lengthy break from college. It allows us some time together when she isn’t forced to spend a lot of time on schoolwork. This year instead of spending all of that free time with your kids in separate rooms doing different things or stuck with your total attention on devices, make a difference.
How you make a difference is totally up to your family’s creativity, energy and resources. I love this cute little idea from the Women’s Ministry at our congregation. It’s not only a little something to brighten someone’s day, but it leaves them with the name of the church of the (hopefully) nice person who was so kind and friendly to them.
Want other ideas? You can go to our parent website at Teach One Reach One and find a lot of other ideas for service projects. Or if you are on Pinterest, follow our founder Thereasa Winnett or search for her service board, where she has pinned other great service ideas from around the internet.
Service projects are a great way to teach your children lots of godly commands and principles. It gives them real world experience in who, how and why God wants us to serve. If done well, it can also give your children practice in beginning to share their faith with others. Hopefully, what you do will also make a positive difference in the lives of people who need to experience a little more of God’s love in their lives through your family.
So pull out your family calendar. Gather your kids and start planning your Christmas of serving!
Let’s be honest. Thanksgiving prayers and sharing can become a bit routine over the years. Sometimes, it may seem the thanks to God are standing in the way of all of that good food you are about to enjoy. You may also have people at your table whom you haven’t seen in months or not know well at all. Why not switch things up a bit and make the mealtime conversation a prayer of sorts to God and have fun reconnecting in the process?
When I meet someone who left the church during their teens and early twenties, I often ask what their parents could have done that might have kept them from leaving. Surprisingly, almost everyone mentions they wish they had seen that their parents’ faith made a difference in their lives in some way. The sad thing is those parents would probably be able to share multiple ways God touched their lives over the years. Yet, they never shared this with their kids. As a result, their children thought serving God was a waste of time.
Family devotionals are a great way to expose your children to God’s Word at home. Even if you use a devotional book or read from scripture and pray, it’s often difficult to find a consistent time to have them regularly. Why not shake things up a bit and have family devotional theme dinners?