I couldn't help but talk with my kids about it today, when Thanksgiving came up. They hear it all the time (we participate in the mentioned-above lesson at least once a day), but can they really grasp it?
My husband is particularly sensitive to this, and fears that we are raising materialistic, selfish beings, entitled and arrogant.
Something else we as a family are finally going to do is put our kids to work...at the regional food bank! Next Thursday, I pray their little eyes will be open and their hearts will beat wildly in their chests for the thousands of people they will help feed this holiday.
Christmas presents are also going to be downsized at our house this year. We always feel like we have to spend so much, but there's so much more to it than that. And I hope we build a foundation of outward focus for the boys, not of internal satisfaction. One way is that we have always packed shoeboxes full of gifts and necessities for children in other countries through Samaritan's Purse.Can you make a difference this year in your own children? Check out Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child, or find a local food bank to help stock, box, serve!
As a family you should consider not eating meat every day of the week. Think of the difference you could make by cutting out meat and animal products several times a week! Think of the environmental pollution, energy, and personal health savings!
ReplyDeleteAngie, it's such a good idea to get the kids involved. My daughter Bridgette volunteered at the local soup kitchen in Georgia for Thanksgiving last year (at age 17). What an eye opener for her. She also helped hand out toys to needy families at Christmas and came home filled with so much joy after a few tears hearing the stories of the mothers who were struggling and only wanted their children to have a good Christmas. It is true that our generation of kids experiences more of a sense of "entitlement". I wish I had started way earlier with mine. Kudos to you for getting your hands dirty and your kids involved too!
ReplyDeleteBling- That is so great to get that experience as a teenager in today's culture!! I wish I had the foresight when I first had kids, to not put such an emphasis on "stuff"...I remember getting so excited along with them when they got something new.
ReplyDeleteBitter Lamb- I am still trying to figure out how cutting meat out helps our need to feed others since that was what I wrote about? Perhaps you didn't read the whole article? I wasn't talking about "what" we eat, but how we can give a sense of selflessness to our children to help other those in need.