As you can already tell – the holidays are just around the corner. Just yesterday, I put up the x-mas light at our house. If you are like my family and I, you’ve probably determine what the basic plan of action for the holidays will be!
If you have young kids, the conversations about what should they want from Santa has been replayed on several occasions. That’s the story at our house. We have three beautiful kids – our oldest is 11 and his two sisters are ages 8 and 3. Christmas is a special time at our house and my wife and I have worked hard to create meaningful traditions for our kids.
For the past several years – thanks in part to our church’s participation in this ministry – we’ve made it a point to involve our kids in Operation Christmas Child (link to OCC). Every year, our kids have prepared a few boxes and brought to our church as part of their holiday tradition.
This year, my wife and kids decided turn it up a notch. Together our family is preparing more than 50 shoe boxes for Operation Christmas Child. Our three season porch is filled with supplies and all three kids have worked hard – there is still much to me done – to carefully assemble the content of each box.
When they are working on the project, they can’t help but ask meaningful questions about what they are doing and how it makes a difference. It’s a fun activity for our kids and it helps them understand the true meaning of Christmas. It’s been fun to watch our kids grown through this experience … I thank my wife for making it an tradition.
To top it all of this year – our kids, along with a few friends – will make their way to the operation center in Minneapolis and see the process to the end. They’ll be there to load the boxes as they prepare to travel to places the world over. Granted our kids won’t see the reaction of the children receiving these boxes, but I know the experience will have a long lasting impact.
It’s not to late for you to get involved. I hope you’ll consider it.
Blessings to you during this holiday season.
