As you know, if you’ve been reading, for quite some time, I’ve occasionally been running little installments called “Mama’s K.I.S.S.” I know that lots of readers could give many more and far more creative ideas than I can offer, but these installments are just a few tried and true and mostly old-fashioned ideas for putting service hearts in our kids. This is number 75 of a list of one hundred ways we train our kids to serve. K.I.S.S. is an acronym for “Kids In Service Suggestions”.
Handwriting, Creative Writing, Grammar, Art, Bible…There’s so much academically in this one. Have your children write/draw a letter to each of your congregation’s elders. Take a few different sit-down times to complete these. Take one to list what you love about each one of them. Take a different time to have your kids draw pictures of each of your elders. Perhaps you will want to caption the picture with this phrase from Numbers 12: My servant (elder’s name)….He is faithful in all My house.
On a separate sheet, then, have your kids write (or you can write as younger ones dictate) this list using their age-appropriate creative writing skills in paragraph form. (Example: “He gives us candy,” turns into “I love to hug you in the foyer when you pull out those peppermints from your grey coat pocket.” OR “He is so kind,” turns into “When you get up to tell the church something, we know you care about us because, sometimes, you cry, and you always tell us a scripture.” You get the point.
In yet another sit-down session, have your kids learn to address an envelope and stamp a letter, if they do not already know. (A learned adult recently remarked to me that many college kids do not know how to address envelopes.) I can’t imagine that being the case, but make sure yours get that basic skill in your home whether or not they are being taught it elsewhere. Then mail the letters. If you want to include a handmade bookmark for each elder’s Bible, that’s something the elder will use and treasure, but the letter and picture is a lot of work for younger ones and it is sufficient. My husband got a similar letter only a few days ago, from five-year-old Mark, and that letter is not going in the trash. I have heard Glenn telling several people about it.
Handwriting, Grammar, Art, Bible, etc….But the greatest lesson is not academic. It is a service and gratitude lesson of the heart. It will resonate.
