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It's almost that time of year again! My absolute favorite time of year is just around the corner. That means decorations, baking tons of sweets, and listening to Christmas music. It also means a time to give to those who are less fortunate.
There are so many ways to help people especially around Christmas. Operation Christmas Child and The Salvation Army Angel Tree Program are two that are really dear to me. Both require some leg work with the shopping that needs to be done for them but are totally work the effort that you put in.
Most of us know about Operation Christmas Child and their shoe box program. I'm not sure if the Angel Tree is a nationwide program or more regional. Low income families apply with the Salvation Army during the fall for their child/children to be placed on the Angel Tree, which are Christmas trees placed in different locations with tags with a child's name on it. The tags list the child's age, clothing sizes, and a toy wish. You choose a child's angel tag and buy his or her presents, preferably a suit of clothes, a pair of shoes, and a toy. The Salvation Army then delivers your gift to the child's parents to give them on Christmas. These are children who may not get any other gift if other's don't help. Their parents have provided proof that they probably won't be able to.
It has been very important to me to "adopt" some of these angels at Christmas time ever since I discovered the program right after my husband and I were married several 6 years ago. I cannot imagine how it must feel as a parent to know you probably can't provide your child with a gift like everyone else and then how it must feel to have a total stranger buy for your child. I believe it must be a bigger blessing for the parents than the children.
It is also very important to me to teach my children to be charitable and to give to others in need. I want them to learn to give in Christ's name and for His glory not for any benefit or praise of their own. I want them to learn to give cheerfully not because they feel it is necessary.
"But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:
That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly" Matthew 6: 3&4
"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver." 2 Cor. 9:7
Teaching a young child to give can be a struggle. It is not in our nature to want to give what we have away. I have prayed since I was expecting my first son that my children wouldn't be selfish, but it's there in all of us. It is human nature to be selfish.
I have been trying to prepare my oldest son who is 4 for what we are going to be doing in the next month or so. I have learned that with anything new we do it is best to talk to him about it a lot and try my best to prepare him for the new situation. We will be doing a lot of shopping for the items for the shoeboxes and also a lot of shopping for the toys that will be gifts for the Angel Tree children. I keep telling him that we are going to buy toys for some little boys and girls for Christmas presents so they won't be sad at Christmas. I keep repeating to him that he is really blessed because Mama and Daddy can buy him presents but some moms and dads can't so we are going to try to help them. He nods and usually repeats some of what I say back to me.
However, the hard part is going to come when we are actually in a store picking up a new toy and excepting that it is not for him. He is not used to getting a toy every time we go to the store. I have made it a point not to make that a habit. When something grabs his attention, I say something like, "Wow. I see. That's really neat, huh?" and we keep walking. He is used to that, but I know it will be a little different when I am actually putting toys into the cart and trying to explain to him that he can't have them.
My children are always with me so doing the shopping when they are with a sitter isn't an option. I will most likely pick angel tags that aren't boys the same age as him. I'm not a mean mom who would stuff the cart with the coolest Hot Wheels toys and army men and then say you can't have them! It will be hard enough for a 4 year old brain to except in the first place!
I have been praying that the Lord will help him understand and help me with it. I hope if he can get used to giving at such a young age that it will be easier as he gets older and that he and my younger children will have hearts for it.
