Serving
by adustyframe ~ December 20th, 2007This Christmas, I was given the opportunity to fill out a questionnaire for families in need.
I filled it out, but I was struck with the realization that we have what we need.
We do. We have some nice things purchased when Lee was working.
We have a warm home. James is clothed. We have food. We have things we enjoy.
Many things have been given to us or purchased very inexpensively, nevertheless, we still have them and get to use them and enjoy them each day.
James hears some things that I’m concerned about. I try not to burden him. I want his childhood to be as carefree as possible–difficult in this circumstance!
Paying the bills each month always is a prayer request. God faithfully provides and blesses us beyond measure.
So, yes, while we are not well to do, we have what we need.
I can’t buy a lot of things that we’d love to have or even things that we could really use, but they are just things.
I don’t want James to think that he’s a “needy” child. I always work with him to count blessings. I share things with him that God does for us.
I want him to see and understand that God uses other people to bless us and that we can in turn bless others.
On one of our first days home from the store, we did fun things all day. One thing we did was make a Christmas to-do list.
James said that he wanted to make cookies and share them with the neighbors. I was so blessed that he came up with that one his own.
He went Angel Tree shopping with me and I had him choose some of the gifts.
I told him what Angel Tree was and reminded him how nice it was for him to get a gift from Daddy last year. He asked why we were getting the presents.
I told him that we’re doing the shopping for the Daddies because they can’t shop.
“Oh yeah! I guess they can’t.” he said.
We also rang bells for Salvation Army last Friday afternoon. James has wanted to do this for a long time, but we never had time in the schedule.
He decided he was “bored”, but I later heard him telling Lee on the phone,
“The man said that people give more money if someone is ringing the bell!”
So I know he was glad to help. The “cute factor” helped. Lots of Grandma’s donated and told him he was doing a great job.
I am glad that we can give back in various ways. We can’t be the ones putting $20′s in the kettle. We can’t be the ones doing huge monetary things, but we can do small things.
We can see the needs of those around us and do what we are able to do.
What would happen for the cause of Christ, if we each truly did what we were able to do? What if we served one another in “small” ways even if we can’t do “big”things?
I pray that God will give James and I more opportunities to help those around us.
December 20th, 2007 at 3:49 am
God bless you and your family in this time of difficulty. Your post is so inspiring.
Thank you
Antonella
(Italy)
Thank you, Anotonella for stopping by.
December 20th, 2007 at 6:41 am
Hi, I just thought I would share how doing a service with your child (such as working for the salvation army) will empack him more than just “telling” him to serve others.
I recently blogged about how my mother would drag me around when I was in 5th grade to deliver “Meals on Wheels” for elderly people. I whined and complained –I am sure I felt bored–Yet as an adult I look back on those memories and see how much of a servants heart my mother had and I try to emulate that as an adult.
Now I have a son in 6 th grade and I have him volunteering at a food shelter—He is enjoying it and I know he is learning what it means to have a servant’s heart.
So keep up the teachings–they learn so much more by what we “do” then just what we “say”
God Bless!
Thanks! I think you’re right about what we “do” than what we “say”.
December 20th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Wow! I am impressed and convicted by your servant’s heart.
December 20th, 2007 at 11:25 am
Your site was such an encouragement to me today. When life has challenges it can be so easy to be discouraged over time. For me it is not always at the time of mega change/shock/difficulty but as time goes on into years it is easy to get tired and weary in well doing. Praying For You Today
Thank you, Heidi, for praying. I agree (and it was nice to hear you say) that the enduring over years is where it gets so hard.
December 20th, 2007 at 12:37 pm
Coming from someone who grew up with “very little” (I didn’t know it at the time), I think you’re doing an incredible job at giving James an amazing perspective on life. I remember my family going to the homeless shelter at Thanksgiving to serve meals, but I also remember Christmases when people would bring gifts for our entire family. At the time, I didn’t know we were “poor,” and couldn’t have told you why they brought us gifts, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
We always had food–maybe a gift from the neighbor who worked at the food pantry, but that was fine, we always had clothes and I thought hand-me-downs were normal. All that to say, I am blessed by your attitude and how you are raising your son. God bless you.
Thank you, Bethany, for sharing that. We were poor when we were kids too but we didn’t know it.
“Poor” is a relative term though. We have what he need and my son is very blessed.
December 20th, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I was just reminded of this today…..Telling isn’t teaching….modeling for a child is the perfect lesson plan….you seem to be doing a wonderful job of being honest with your son and demonstrating with love….the love of Christ. God Bless, Pam, South Bend
Pam, I like that “telling isn’t teaching”. I’ll try to remember that.
December 20th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
You have a very inspiring story! It’s stories like yours that really encourage me and I think people need to see and hear more of. You are a wonderful testimony of how God can use someone during hard times and trials, and how He can bring good from a bad situation. My dh and I are in the ministry and it gets hard to see people make a decision to live for God and then not long after, life gets in the way and they just seem to fall right back into the same old life pattern. It’s sad. I know we all mess up and fall, but the world needs to see Christians stand back up and respond differently to what this world throws at us. When people claim the name of Christ and then live like the world, what testimony does that bring? I am sorry for rambbling. I have been struggling in this area because it’s something I can’t understand and I never will. I am thankful for God’s grace and pray that He will grant me wisdom, grace, and mercy during hard times in my life so I can be a light and example to those around me. That is my concern, that God would be glorified. Thanks for doing that with your blog!
Thank you for your thoughts. I agree that it gets difficult to understand why people say they are following God yet their lives don’t back that up. I’m working on following my Dad’s advice. “Keep your eyes on Jesus!”.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:49 am
What a wonderful job you are doing with your son, your atitude is amazing.
Keeping you, your son and your husband in our prayers,
bws
Theresa (UK)
Thank you, Theresa, for your prayers. We are so thankful for the prayers that others offer for us. God is good.
December 21st, 2007 at 3:32 pm
Hello,
I was here yesterday, linked from someone else’s page, and I read your post about when you found out your DH was involved in something… the detective calling, etc… I can not find the post in my history or on your blog, so if you wouldn’t mind taking the time, would you please comment me back and give me the permanent link?
Thank you, and God bless you and your family.
Sally