April: "Service" w/ Little Ones

There is an angle of service I think could use more attention—that is, letting people serve us.

"I want to learn how to be the best receiver I can ever be. Because I think graceful receiving is one of the most wonderful gifts we can give anybody.”—Fred Rogers

I looked in the scriptures for how Jesus received help throughout His life. He relied on others to supply food, housing, and money for His ministry. He received strength from the friendship and hospitality of His friends in Bethany. He took time to sleep, and to get away from crowds for rest, eating, and prayer. He graciously accepted a special gift on his feet of very expensive oil by a grateful woman. He asked His apostles to be present with Him when suffering in Gethsemane, because, in part, He didn't want to be alone. He received strength from an angel when there was no other support around Him. When He, a god, couldn't hold the cross up anymore on the way to Golgotha, He let a man carry it for Him.

It appears that Jesus was very interdependent, and He didn't seem ashamed about having human needs and limits. All these moments of letting Himself be served seemed to bring Him closer to those around Him.

Our Family’s “Service” Jesus Celebration 🎉

This month, I created a simple, multi-sensory, heart-centered way to help our family explore the principle of service as a way to connect closely to Christ and others.

Below are a few of the ways we experienced it together.

1. Reflection Questions — Storytelling Magic

We share stories about what our relationship with Christ has felt like and helped our 6-year-old recognize moments of her own relationship growing.

Us Parents: We both reflected on this question:
When have we graciously received others' help?

Our child: We shared a specific time they have expressed gratitude for being helped by someone and we praised this.

2. Create & Taste — The Tray of Treasures

The Setup:
Instead of a standard snack plate, we used a small tray (a muffin tray would work too). We filled it with different "treasures" (small portions of fruit, crackers, cheese, etc).

The Activity:

1. The Presentation: I had my child sit comfortably and brought the tray to them with a cloth over my arm, acting as a "server."
   
   
   
2. The Prompt: I said, "I have prepared this special tray of treasures for you because I love you. Would you like to receive it?"
   
   
   
3. The Lesson: Before she ate, I talked about how I felt making it. "When I saw your eyes light up and you said 'thank you,' it made my heart feel happy. By letting me serve you, you gave me a gift, too!"
   
   
4. The Interaction: I let her pick one item to "serve" back to me, practicing the eye contact and the "You're welcome" that completed the circle of connection.
   
   

   3. Children's Book — Heartfelt Learning
   
   

    

   I chose to read my children A Sick Day For Amos McGee to show the dual need for love and care we all have. Not only will what we send out return to us, but we are built to need each other, and it's a beautiful thing. I love how this book conveys that truth in a cozy way.

   To set the tone, we added a theme to the banner we reuse each month:
   
   “Like Jesus, I Am Served & I Serve.”

    

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