Shine the Light

Posted by Tammy | 0 comments

A few years ago after several people had mentioned this book to me, I finally picked up The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson at our local library and read it to my children during the month of December.  We enjoyed the story, giggled a bunch, and had many discussions about the children in the Herdman family.  Those children were definitely full of life and curiosity which led them into all kinds of mischief!

But the book was eye opening in a surprising way.  It told the story of children who had no knowledge about God, God’s Word, Jesus…..nothing.  That perspective led to some interesting discussions among my children whose background has been involvement in a church from the day they were born.  After all, they thought, it’s those who live in third world countries found around our globe that know nothing about the true living God, right?

Sadly, this scenario can be found right here in America today and it is most noticeable around this time of the year as Christ has slowly been taken out of Christmas. The standard greeting at stores during this month becomes “Happy Holidays!” rather than “Merry Christmas!”  It could be a great discouragement to those of us who know the Savior, yet it could also be a great encouragement as this season presents opportunities to share our faith which are not typically available during other times of the year.

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness , and the darkness has not overcome it.” ~ John 1:4-5

Homeschooling gives us a flexibility of schedule during this season to involve our children in ways to shine the light of Jesus onto others who may not know Him.

Here’s a few ideas:

*Volunteer in a food pantry, bread line, or meal center as helping hands for a ministry that reaches out to those less fortunate.

*Make a visit to a nursing home to sing and smile with the elderly residents who often don’t have nearby relatives to shower them with love.

*Get involved with Operation Christmas Child or Operation Shoebox which allows you to stick in a note to let the receiver know how much God loves them.

*Spend some time ringing the bell at the red kettle for the Salvation Army and greet each person with a smile.

*Have your children help sew a lap quilt to donate to a pregnancy resource center which can be wrapped around a young women in a crisis pregnancy situation as you remind her of God’s love wrapped around her during this time.

*Drop off some homemade chicken noodle soup at a the home of a neighbor who has been sick with a cold or the flu.

Perhaps the greatest thing we can do during this season is PRAY! Our churches will be filled with families who bring visiting relatives to worship services – relatives who may be walking through the doors of a church for the very first time.   As you sing praises to the newborn King, whisper a prayer for those around you who not have heard about this Savior knowing that the Holy Spirit can do some awesome work in a heart that is prepared for Him.  You just never know when there may be an Imogene Herdman in your midst who has Christmas come all over them at once for knowing Jesus really is the heart of the matter!

Married in 1980 and still living in the same house in a woodsy rural setting, Tammy Dallmann’s homeschooling journey began in the fall of 1987 when her oldest turned six years old. As rather new believers professing Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, homeschooling was a way to live out the principles found in Deuteronomy 6:4-9. Through all the challenges of life Tammy has stayed the course growing to a family with nine children who presently range from grade school age to college graduates married with children. Her role has transitioned from learning everything she could about homeschooling to becoming an encourager to others coming along the way. Please visit Tammy at Garden Glimpses.