The giving heart of a child

Last updated on: December 10, 2011 at 9:29 am by Kellie "Red"

The giving heart of a child 2011-12-10T09:29:06-06:00 Kellie "Red"

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Please forgive my long absence. I took a temporary blog break in November, but thought I’d emerge from that break to share briefly about Advent, and the virtue of generosity.

At Christmas we celebrate God’s greatest gift to the world–Himself– and there is just something about preparing our hearts to receive the Christ Child at Christmas that inspires all of us to be more generous and mindful of others in need. I want my children to be inspired as well. I want them to thank God for all they have, and to think about the very real poverty of other children in this world.

Thankfully, opportunities to teach this lesson abound. They hear the bells of the salvation army outside of the food store, and they see the tags on the giving tree in our church. They ask questions and in response I hear my sometimes selfish children ask how they can help . They drop coins into the St. Vincent DePaul poor box, they rummage through our pantry for canned goods, and as they smell their own dinners I again remind them to pray for those without.

While these are all wonderful ways to teach the virtue of generousity and giving to my children, last year we made the choice to forgo additional errands (like purchasing a toy for a needy child), in lieu of ordering a giving catalog and making a donation. I’m sure there are many such organizations out there, but both Food for the Poor and Samaritan’s Purse are two wonderful organizations with beautiful picture giving catalogs. They both serve families and children in very poverty stricken areas overseas.

The catalogs come in the mail in November (or you can go online) and the children LOVE to flip through the pages and pick out what they are buying to help other children in need. One moment they are fighting over legos in our playroom, and the next they are looking with wide eyes at pictures of families in need of homes and children in need of food. After turning only a few pages, it seems they give without even thinking, emptying their piggy banks and bringing tears to my eyes as they explain why they picked “feeding a hungry baby for a week” or a “fruit tree.” I began this tradition to teach them about generousity, but instead, they they are teaching me.

And so today I am thanking Jesus for this beautiful season of giving. I am thanking Him for my vocation, for the privilege of raising beautiful children who can teach their mama so many things. And I am praying that their hearts don’t become hardened by this world. I pray they remain generous, and that my own heart always remains open to those in need.

“Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Children

Education & Homeschool

Liturgical Seasons

Previous Post

December 9, 2011

National Marriage Project Finds Recipe for Married Parents' Happiness - ABC News

Next Post

December 11, 2011 My Statistically Unlovable-Improbable 3rd Child

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Builders' Favorite Posts Children Education & Homeschool Food and Nutrition Health Home Organization Inside Our Inbox Keeping It Real Liturgical Seasons Marriage Miscellaneous Motherhood and Parenting Nature and the Environment NFP and Fertility Politics and Current Events Pregnancy Recipes Spiritual Life The Catholic Church Thoughts for Thursday Uncategorized

Select a Month April 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Judas Iscariot James Simon Peter John