christianparenting

It is National Volunteer Week (April 27 – May 3, 2008)!  I’d like to encourage anyone who is not volunteering to get involved somewhere. Check out your church or local community outreaches and schools. Give up some of your time to make a difference in someone’s life. There is NOTHING more rewarding. 

As Christian parents we should be modeling a life of faith and that includes serving others. You can even bring your kids along with you and serve side by side. Last Saturday we had volunteers from preschool to retirees come out and serve by planting a community vegetable garden. What a wonderful sight! 

At my church we’ve also had our kids make teddy bears for foster kids, bracelets for children in an orphanage in India and APC Bible books for children in a school in Kwabeng, Ghana. Your kids are never too young to serve.

Here are some easy projects you and your child can do together.

- Get a trash bag and clean up a local woods or park close to you.   

- Help an elderly neighbor with yardwork

- Make soup or bake cookies for someone who’s not feeling so well.

- Make a card for a soldier

Look at what James has to say about faith and our deeds…

James 2:16-18 (New International Version)

16If one of you says to him, “Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? 17In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.  18But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.”
      Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by what I do. Check out what Lyfe Jennings (hiphop artist, I will post more about him later) has to say in his song “Made up My Mind” “But if you speak about it, you should be about it. Not just preachin’ about it all day.” 

How can you help others and volunteer? How can your family serve together? Any ideas to share?