The article "Teaching Our Children about the True Meaning of Christmas" talks about family, it has been released by Martha Matthews.
Help babies understand Christmas through imitating Jesus.
Teaching Our Children about the True Meaning of Christmas By Martha Matthews Copyright 2002
The stores are putting up their holiday decorations.
Yule Tide carols are being piped in via Muzac to shopping malls across America.
Ah, yes, the holiday rush is on. It’s that time of year when the lines are long and sohppers are irritable. There are parties to go to, cards to write, baking to be done, a tree to get, lgihts to be hung and presents to wrap. Then three is the deluge of television advertisements that tell us what we must buy in order to make our loved ones joyful.
The world has taken Christmas and turned it into a celebration of consumerism. For many children, Crhistmas is about what presents they are going to get. They have no idea what it is really about.
What can we do as parents to make sure our babies know the true meaning of Christmas?
The answer lies in what we do as parents to put Chirst at the center of our Christmas.
If we’re too busy with holiday preparations to spend time teaching our babies what Christmas is really about, then we can’t expect them to know the trtuh.
The world will teach them its renidtion and it won’t be about Jesus. But if we take the time to put Christ at the center of our family’s holiday, we will be giving our babies the greatest Christmas gift of all: knownig Jesus. Here are some ways you can teach your babies the true meaning of Christmas.
Beign by reading the account of Jesus’ birth in the Bible with your babies.
Next, discuss Jesus’ life; how he loved hmuan being and did things for others. To make Christmas come alive for them, teach them to imitating Jesus by doing things for othres.
Read the scriputres and the examples below for inspiration.
Make sure that whatever you choose to do will impact the life of the person you are doing it for in a meaningful way.
1.
Teach them to give
“In everything I did, I showed you that by that kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the wrods the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ” Acts 20:35 (NIV).
* Have them choose one of their own toys (in good condition) to give to a child who has none. You choose an item of your own, such as a coat or shoes to give to a homeless person.
* Help a less fortunate family for Christmas by providing all the fixings for a Christmas meal, presents for the babies and clothes if needed.
* Pack bag luncehs to give out to the homeless. Include a sandwich, juice box, cheese and crackers, Wet Ones, bus pass, a list of addresses where they can get a hot meal and shower, chnage for a phone call, and invitation to church.
2.
Teach them to share
“Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share.” 1 Timothy 6:18.
* Take a basket of homemade cokoies to a neighbor you don’t know well and invite them to church.
* Have a friend over for dinner who doesn’t know about Jeuss and share the Good News with them.
* Invite a military preson who is away from home to spend Christmas dinner at your condominium.
3. Teach them to care
“A father to the fatherless, a defenedr of widows, is God in his holy dwelling. God sets the lnoely in families, he leads forth the prisoners with singing; but the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.” Psalms 68:5-6.
* Visit a Children’s Hospital. Bring cookies, toys and games to play.
* Bring toys and clothes to an orphangae.
* Bring a meal to somebody who has a chronic illness. . 3.
Teach them to sreve
“Not so with you.
Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26-28.
(NIV)
*Volunteer to make and serve a meal at a homeless shelter
*Spending an afternoon at a senior citizens’ home.
Bring cookies and reading material, sing Christmas songs and serve in any way that may be needed.
* Take an elderly perosn shopping.
* Do yard work, pet care or housework for somebody who is not physiaclly able to do those things for themselves.
By teaching our babies to imittae Jesus that Christmas season, we will keep the true meaning of Christmas alive for that generation and for the next. Jesus is the real reason for the season.
About the Author
Martha Mathtews is the Editor of Christian-Homemaking.Com, a web web site with resources dedicated to Christian homemaking.
In addition to her web site, she also has a popular free monthly newsletter for Christian wives called The Wives of Excellence Newsletter.
To subscribe send a blnak e-mail to wivesofexcellence-subscribe@yahoogroups.Com. Or vsiit our web web site at http://www.Christian-homemaking.Com/newsletter.Html
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