Hi friends! This weekend at church the Dove Tree was put up in the narthex. This tree holds paper dove ornaments. Each dove has boy or girl written across the top with the age of the child. These are children from our congregation who are from financially struggling families. It is all done privately, through the church office. These children can ask for a few things for Christmas presents. Things they know they will not be getting. Nothing outrageous or outlandish. Brian and I have enjoyed taking a dove over the years.
We decided it would be a wonderful thing for our three teens to do this year. Pick their own dove and shop for that child. Brian and I are done with our 11 year old boy. The three kids will be shopping this week.
I would like to show you a picture of the dove ornament Emerson chose.
Does it affect you the way it affects me? I get teary eyed every time I read it friends. We chose one like this a few years back. I do believe you are in a rather desperate way when you are asking for underwear. It truly makes you think. It truly makes you appreciate. Does it not? Emerson wants to buy the young boy athletic shoes. Brian and I will also be buying him the underpants.
Do we have extra? Do we have excess? By American standards, not by a long shot. I can truly say this is the tightest Christmas we have ever had. But God richly provides. He always does. We will not forget Him. Praise the Lord! He has not forgotten us.
Stiching and praying,
Vickie
22 comments:
I love to do trees like that. It means so much to give back when we can.
We are definitely lucky. A giving tree is a precious thing.
Vickie, I think it is wonderful what you and the kids are doing. So many are struggling right now. Just this week the man who runs our local food bank came in to ask if we could donate a bag of dog food to the food bank. They provide food to the man each month and he had asked if they ever had dog food as he had a dog but nothing to feed him. I can't tell you how fast I gave that man a bag of dog food as I was fighting back tears. So sad. We don't always realize how truly blessed we are do we?
What a wonderful thing for your community to do. I think a lot of families will be struggling this festive season with everything rising in costs. .
It definitely makes you think. I love that your kids have picked their own Dove from the tree. It will be an impactful experience for them.
What a wonderful thing to do Vickie . I would love to do some thing like that here , we have allot of people here who have no money left for Christmas gifts,
Thank you and big hugs.
These trees always are a blessing ... to the givers & to the receivers : )
A tighter year for many ~ and despite our issues this year, I am counting my blessings every day! So sweet that your boys are participating. Our boys do things like that through our schools.
The gals in my office chose to do this instead of exchanging gifts this year, and we also felt the wishes were sad. We chose teenagers because people often want the cute little ones, and our young lady wanted facial care products and a bag of candy! The boy asked for a hat and scarf. Next year we're getting three!
Blessings on you all. Yes, we are all so lucky, aren't we?
I was very moved by your telling of the dove tree. It makes one count their blessings.
Thank you for this beautiful post...it really gives perspective!
What a great tradition. It is so sad, and we do have so much to be thankful for.
I definitely have tears in my eyes looking at that...oh, my. Sometimes, I feel sad at our financial situation, especially this Christmas, but I feel so petty and small looking at that dove. God bless you and your family for being the hands and feet of Jesus and providing to others those things they need.
Blessings - Julie
What a special thing to do for the families in your church, Vickie... every little bit helps and you never know what will bring a smile to a child on Christmas morning. How wonderful that your children are participating this year, too!
It's a lovely thing to do and yes! it really makes you think of how easily we take for granted that every child will wake up to piles of presents and have festive food on their table.
Sadly we know that's not the case and that's why things like this are so so special even more so when other children are happy to help!
You are a lovely family for helping xxx
We have so much to be thankful for. I too was moved you telling about the dove tree. Bless you and your family for giving to others in need.
love Annette
What a great idea for your church to do. We used to do something similar at school, we would fill a shoe box and this would be sent to child, just simple things like a toothbrush and toothpaste. Sadly the new headteacher stopped us from doing it (scrooge!)
It is wonderful and makes you think how lucky you are. There is something similar in our nearby town in the UK. A charity organisation have a Christmas tree with a little note for a child that say a book or jigsaw. You go and buy and the charity does the wrapping and giving. It's just a little thing but imagine the face on that child on Christmas morning, It warms the heart.
Great post.
I've not heard of this tradition before but it's a lovely idea. It's hard to imagine the poverty that leads an 11 year old boy (the same age as my son) to ask for pants and shoes instead of toys or Lego.
Thanks for sharing this, Vickie. We all need to re-examine our priorities this time of year.
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