The Blessing Tree

The Blessing Tree

And if anyone who is my disciple gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones, truly I tell you, that person will certainly not lose their reward- Matthew 10:42

 This year at DP Kids we are making giving the center of our celebration!  On Sunday November 25th you will find two "Blessing" Trees, one upstairs and one downstairs for the kids at DP.   These trees will be for an offering to children around the world.  For each dollar your child gives they will be able to choose whether they will buy clothes, toys, or food for an impoverished child.  These donations will go to World Vision's basic needs (which multiply 12 times due to food and clothes donors).  Money for toys goes to this fund They will take a little food, clothes, or toys ornament from the blessing tree home as a reminder of their gift.

This is a great opportunity to teach our kids the truth about giving this holiday.

2nd Corintians 9:7 

God loves a cheerful giver.  

Isaiah 58:10

¹⁰ Feel for hungry people and give them food. Help those who are troubled and satisfy their needs. Then your light will shine in the darkness. You will be like the bright sunshine at noon.

Proverbs 9:17  

If you help the poor, you are lending to the LORD--and he will repay you!

1 John 3:17-18 But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love live in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth

Some ideas for how kids can get dollars to give?

• Have little fingers raid the sofa and heck, under the beds and car floors for change.
• Do chores for say, 25 cents a piece or more for bigger jobs.  Need your windows washed?  Want your bathroom sink to shine?  Set those little people to work!
• Make a your dining room into a restaurant and have your kids serve you dinner!  Enjoy a meal sitting down as they play waiter, bringing the plates and clearing them away, and then be sure to tip your waiters.
• Ask them how they want to earn the money.  Set those entrepenuer minds to work!

So get those kiddos ready to GIVE clothes, food, or toys.  Make them excited to share. I can't wait to see small hands giving and proudly bringing ornaments home, being Jesus's hands and feet.  It makes me want to cheer, Go Jesus!  Your children are glorifying you! Let's feed and cloth some kids this season :)

Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed.1 Timothy 6:18; 

What's In A Name, by Jen Cesario 2s and 3s teacher

The first and only time that I heard the audible voice of God was one evening while I was lying in bed.  Just about to fall asleep, I heard the Lord clearly say my name.  That was all that I heard.  Just my name.  "Jennifer."  I can't explain it, but hearing the Lord call my name brought me great delight...and comfort.  It reminded me of how intimately acquainted He is with me.  And, too, there's just something special about hearing someone say your name. 

This was made very clear to me one Sunday morning when I was the lead person in the 4 & 5 year old room at my church.  Normally, I am the lead in the 2 & 3 year old room; however, this particular Sunday I was covering for someone else. 

After I got over my initial shock by the quantum difference between the "interactive level" of the 4 & 5s versus the 2 & 3s...(Can I just say that I had A LOT of offers from the 4/5 girls to assist, yea, even RUN the classroom that morning! )...I then had to get acquainted with the children and their names. 

Many of them were "graduates" from my 2 & 3 year old class; however, many were new to me.  Then there was the added challenge of siblings in both classrooms.  Which, on this particular morning, was the case.  I am quite familiar with precious, little Mercy Rich who is a regular attender in the 2 & 3 year old class; however, I am less familiar with her bigger but close look-alike sister, Grace--who, of course, is a "regular" in the 4 & 5 year old room. 

So, there I sat at the front of the classroom...trying to get the attention of my highly interactive 4 & 5 year old precious little ones...when one of the Rich girls was very involved in a conversation with another child.  I called her name several times to try to get her attention.  "Mercy."  "Mercy, eyes up front, please."  "Mercy."  The more I called her name and the more that she didn't respond; I have to admit, the more the fruit of my spirit was being tested .  After a few moments of this, the polite little girl turned to me and said, "My name is Grace."  Ha!  You can imagine my embarrassment...and my quick repentance for nearly loosing my composure.

I profusely apologized to Grace and clumsily tried to explain that I thought she was her sister, Mercy...and that I am so used to having Mercy in class that I forgot that I was in the 4 & 5 year old class where it's Grace and not Mercy and blah, blah, blah.

It was only later in the day...when my surroundings and my spirit were quieted...that the Lord reminded me of the value of a name...and the importance of knowing a name.  Like "Jesus."  The name above ALL names.  Kind of like that!

Anyway, it was one of those "accidental" lessons that morning.  One that I won't forget.  And all I can say is, "Thanks for granting me mercy, Grace!"