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 77 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”.
This one’s a win for everyone involved. Take your older kids to visit a widow or widower. But first, let your older child call a young mom in the congregation and see if her two or three-year old can come visiting at the designated time with you and your older. Arrange for car seat swap-off and installation and let the toddler proudly ring the door bell with a plate of cookies in hand. Be sure you tell your child that “we are training this little one to serve.” You will serve a very happy widow. The little one will be blessed in the training. Your older one will have fun with the toddler, while learning to teach and serve. (Toddlers are always funny.) The young mom will have a (likely) much-needed break. And you, Mom, are training your future care-giver, to love and respect the opportunities to serve that she/he will be afforded through life. Everyone involved will hope this is not an isolated incident. (Well, YOU may have a moment or two when you think, “What was I thinking?” but you will quickly get past it!) Relationships that will serve your child well are being formed. This one is a five-star opportunity. (I can hardly believe it, but there are parents who are doing this one now, who were the toddlers in the car-seat for our family’s tag-along escapades….It’s the morning of service that affects the next generation!)
Two weeks ago, in this graduation season, we witnessed the graduation to glory of a faithful woman of God in the West Huntsville family. I love looking over at every single service and seeing two or three reps from our wonderful youth group flanking newly widowed Donald Dodd as they worship with him. It’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen to watch them singing loudly and fervently beside this man of God. I know that Don is encouraged by this. He never sits alone! But I am just as sure that the young men and women that are sitting beside him leave with hearts that have grown three sizes! It’s also neat that, so far, the teens who are surrounding him are doing so in family groups. For instance yesterday morning, the Anderson twins were on his pew beside him. Last night it was the three Wright kids. Last Sunday, I believe I saw the three Clarke kids. There have been others, too. I love that families are making this a “thing.”
Last year on a whim we took a jigsaw puzzle to a newly- widowed woman in our congregation. She was having some people stay with her for a few weeks due to her own medical issues, and we set the puzzle out and started it on a table in her side room. As ladies came to visit and stay with her, they would each put in a few pieces while they talked. Several of them commented how much they enjoyed the time working together on the puzzles and how easy it made for them to have quality conversations together. When the puzzle was completed, the new widow had so many great memories of her friends working together on the puzzle. 
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 52 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”. Wow! we are over halfway there!
Include a note about the church or a tract about salvation in your goody bag.