Our youngest learned about the Good Samaritan during our rotation model Sunday school lesson. Our oldest focused on reaching out to the community with deeds and words. I skipped out of my class and picked up trash in the churchyard. I skip class a lot. It's one of my talents. Sorry, trying to be honest here.
During the church service, our beloved Reverend Robinson focused on running the Christian race, based on 1 Corinthians 9:24. He spoke of many sports-minded quotes and shared how major coaches pull the best out of their athletes by reminding them of the power of practice. A good quote which I actually repeated to one of our children, who is preparing for an upcoming talent show, was:
"Practice is not what someone does when they are good, practice is what they do to become good."
As mentioned earlier in this blog, sports are not my thing, not where my interests lie. But I do like a good analogy.
The moment which really caught my attention was the "Moment for Missions" presentation. One of the members of our mission committee presented a simple way to collect money for missions in our church. The Two Cents a Meal idea has been going on for many years now at the church. I was very interested how this simple idea works. Each time you sit down for a meal, each member of your family sets aside their two cents. The youth decorated cups for families to leave by the table. For the month of February, our family will be gathering pennies from around the house and collecting them to return to the church.Now, allow me a math moment.
Five people in the house eating three meals a day (2 cents a meal) = 30 cents a day.
Twenty-eight days this February X 30 cents a day = $8.40 total donation for the Donahue family at the end of the month.
Simple, easy... right?
At this point, I am certain that it would be easier to just write a check at the end of the month. But I don't think that is the only point to this lesson.
Certainly we will collect money and create change in our community. But I have been teaching school children long enough to know that people remember things better when they are done repeatedly or when something is done out of the ordinary. Taking time to consider those who have less each time we sit down to eat, now that will make an impression.
After a month, a penny will become quite scarce around the house. The kids will have to search them out. Couch divers, the lot of them! Hunting for such a small item, an almost devalued coin, will certainly make them reevaluate. Taking them to the bank, exchanging bills for coins, should also help them understand the importance of this small sacrifice. Fighting over who gets to dump the change into the jars at church each week will further concrete the experience.
One particular hymn that seemed to fit in with my quest for simplicity was sung today and I'd like to share a small part of it with you today.
Now, back to that math lesson... Let's say 100 families give this a try during the month, then $8.40 becomes $840! Not bad when you look at it that way, eh?
Combine that with churches around the Roanoke Valley, Virginia and around the United States and then you have an economic challenge on your hands.
Anyone want extra math homework? Extra credit?
The important thing is that huge change could happen because we are taking the time to notice and collect small change.
The analogy? Putting value in helping with the problem of hunger is simple when a family looks at how they can make a nearly painless donation. Consider today how this lesson also fits in with spiritual growth. I do know that if I keep my bible on the stack of all the other books that I have waiting for me, then I am more likely to read the bible during my daily reading time.
Penny is to hunger relief as daily bible reading is to...?
Link of the day...
PS - USA Cents-ability... http://gamc.pcusa.org/ministries/hunger/what-cents-ability/
Quote of the day...
Be faithful in small things because it is in them that your strength lies.
Mother Teresa
Bible verse of the day...
“For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me...I tell you whenever you do these things for the least important of these followers of mine, you did it for me.” -- Matthew 25:35-40
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