family devotional
Advent Acts of Kindness - Ideas for Incorporating Kindness into your Christmas Traditions
November 19, 2014
Christmas. This word, this season, so easily becomes overwhelmed with thoughts of the baking, the card-making, the gift-giving, all of the hustle and bustle of too much busyness packed into the mad rush of weeks from the day after Thanksgiving until December 26th. And while no one thing is “bad” or “wrong” in itself, when all piled one on top of the other, I find myself scarcely able to breathe.
Every December, I struggle with how to refocus my family’s attention on Christ, on giving, on thinking of something or someone other than ourselves. I feel like my little light upon the hill begins to waver and weaken rather than shining brighter and stronger during the season of the birth of my Savior.
Until two years ago, when two friends and I decided to fight back against the holiday insanity and joined forces for our first Advent Acts of Kindness.
Our inspiration was found in Mark 12:28-31:
We rotated between community acts (quarters in the laundry mat, cookies for the police department), national acts (Red Cross Mail for Heroes, Toys for Tots), and international acts of kindness (World Vision, International Justice Mission, Heifer International).
As our children helped us deliver items and write cards, we found ourselves talking about Christ, talking about sacrifice, talking about the true meaning of Christmas in our families and amongst ourselves. They delighted in secretly picking out a family whose dinner we paid for in a restaurant, and I watched as their own small lights upon their own small hills sparked to life.
And, truthfully, my eyes focused less on the commercialism of Christmas as I looked for ways to be intentionally kind. Our project was fuel for my own wavering light; it grounded us and allowed us to enjoy the cookies and parties and gifts without losing our focus -- Christ.
My family will be doing celebrating our Third Annual Advent Acts of Kindness this Christmas season, and we invite you to join us we celebrate Advent in a way that serves Christ and others in a tangible, physical way.
Need ideas? Here are some links:
Every December, I struggle with how to refocus my family’s attention on Christ, on giving, on thinking of something or someone other than ourselves. I feel like my little light upon the hill begins to waver and weaken rather than shining brighter and stronger during the season of the birth of my Savior.Until two years ago, when two friends and I decided to fight back against the holiday insanity and joined forces for our first Advent Acts of Kindness.
Our inspiration was found in Mark 12:28-31:
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”We celebrated Advent (24 days, plus our Christmas Finale) with a daily kind act -- most of which included our children’s direct participation -- but this could easily be scaled back to a weekly kind act or any number that fits your life and your schedule.
29 “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ 31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”
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| Kristin's girls with coats to donate to One Warm Coat |
As our children helped us deliver items and write cards, we found ourselves talking about Christ, talking about sacrifice, talking about the true meaning of Christmas in our families and amongst ourselves. They delighted in secretly picking out a family whose dinner we paid for in a restaurant, and I watched as their own small lights upon their own small hills sparked to life.
And, truthfully, my eyes focused less on the commercialism of Christmas as I looked for ways to be intentionally kind. Our project was fuel for my own wavering light; it grounded us and allowed us to enjoy the cookies and parties and gifts without losing our focus -- Christ.
My family will be doing celebrating our Third Annual Advent Acts of Kindness this Christmas season, and we invite you to join us we celebrate Advent in a way that serves Christ and others in a tangible, physical way.
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| Don't forget to print off our cute cards! :) |
- Here is our free printable (you can print in either color or black-and-white, your choice) to go along with your Advent Acts!
- Here's what we've done in past years: Check out our recap posts (pictures and everything!) from our first year and our second year.
- Other sites with resources: the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, 30 Days of Service Challenge, 52 Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness, Being Kind Counts, 30 Days of Kindness, Our Advent Countdown and 32 Random Acts of Kindness.
Are you looking for more kindness resources? Have you checked out our books?
Our newest book, 100 Daily Acts of Friendship for Girls, is written specifically for girls ages 8-12 as they navigate friendships in upper elementary and middle school. With a scripture, short story, reflection questions and 50 fun activities to do with you or friends, it's a wonderful way to encourage your daughter, niece, granddaughter, God daughter and her friends to build healthy friendships from an early age.
Julie, Kendra, and Kristin
And our adult friendship devotional, The One Year Daily Acts of Friendship is a perfect compliment to our book for tweens. With a daily scripture, story, and friendship prompt, its encouraging and slightly challenging (in a good way!) as you find, keep, and love your friends.
We've also written two kindness devotionals, The One Year Daily Acts of Kindness and 100 Days of Kindness. They tell the story of how our families embarked on a one-year journey of kindness, and include our successes, failures, and the encouragement you need as a family to incorporate kindness into your own life.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
We would love to walk alongside you in encouragement, inspiration, and community. You can follow us on Facebook and Instagram as The Ruth Experience or sign up for our monthly newsletter (no spam, ever), here.
If you already have one of our books and love them, we'd so appreciate it if you leave a review on Amazon.
We're in this together,
Julie, Kendra, and Kristin
We are once again linking up with the lovely Holley Gerth, Jennifer Dukes Lee and the SDG Sisterhood.
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