I don't know about you but I'm really excited about
Christmas this year.
Don't get me wrong, I'm excited every year, but this year is very special.
Finally, after about 10 years, my sister and her family, my brother and
his family, my mom and dad and grandma are all going to be together for
Christmas.
[The only problem is that I won't be the baby of the family anymore. I now
have a nephew and two little nieces. I guess I'll just have to be the cool
young aunt!]
As I think of Christmases past and present, I realize that in today's society, the true meaning of Christmas has been nearly lost under all of the wrappings, the stress of getting all of the shopping done, the pressure of finding the "perfect" gift, and all of the images we have for a memorable holiday season.
But for Christians, at least, there is no pressure to seek out the perfect "gift." It was given to us 2,000 years ago, not because we merited it but because the Giver loves us unconditionally.
What, you ask, does this have to do with Teens for Life? Glad you asked.
If you have a Teens for Life chapter (or maybe just an adult right to life chapter), this time of year is just ripe with opportunities to give back to your community. It's a chance to give love and hope to the needy. Even though it is not the reason to give, it's a great way to show the community what it means when you say that you're pro-life.
There are so many activities you as a group can
do. Here are a few activities that some groups have done:
Volunteer at your local crisis pregnancy center or right to life office.
Call up either your local crisis pregnancy center or right to life office
and see what they need help with. It may range anywhere from doing a mailing
or painting a room. Most of these places are usually understaffed and the
people who work there have their own families that need attention during
Christmas. So the more help you can give them, the more time they can spend
actually helping people and being with their families.
Take your group to visit nursing homes, "shut-ins" - - people
who can't leave their homes - - or even folks who have to spend the holidays
in the hospital (the children's ward, cancer patients, etc.). This is one
way to show our respect for the lives of the medically dependent and disabled.
Sing Christmas carols, give cookies, but most importantly, just sit and
talk with them. Let them know that they are not forgotten this Christmas.
Christians can conduct "A Baby Shower for Jesus." Take a couple
of large boxes and wrap them in colorful Christmas wrapping paper and drop
them off at a couple of willing local churches. Spread the word to the members
of the churches and anyone else that the boxes are drop-off points for any
kind of baby items they would like to donate and that all of the items will
be given to the local crisis pregnancy centers. Place a flier on the boxes
that list the instructions and maybe even a list of items that the CPCs
really need.
Take a single mom shopping. Help get food, gifts for her children, and even
something nice for her. Maybe you could get pictures of the kids taken.
My personal experience is that one of the things that the women I've come
in contact with love to have are nice professionally done pictures of their
children.
Sing and save! Go caroling in your neighborhood and pass out candy along
with a good brochure about fetal development.
Set up a live, outdoors nativity scene and invite people to come and see
it. My hometown of New Leipzig, North Dakota, did this one year. The local
right to life and Teens for Life chapter put it together. Besides the live
characters, we had live donkeys and horses and sheep.
We had hot drinks, food, and education materials available inside one of
the local stores. It was SO COLD that the wise men (one of whom was my dad)
were wearing wool scarves under their crowns to cover their ears! [I don't
know if this is common knowledge, but North Dakota is not known for its
balmy winters!] It was a lot of fun and so worth the effort! Everyone in
town turned out for it, and we were able to educate quite a few people on
the issue of abortion.
So there you have it, just a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
There are so many things you as a group could do for your community and
not just during the holiday season. Always try to be known as a group of
people who really care about others, not just in words but in actions. You
know the old saying - - "Actions speak louder than words!"
If you do this and you truly remember the real reason for Christmas, I promise that you will have the most merry and blessed of all Christmas seasons!
Well, from my family to yours, have a very, merry Christmas and a wonderful New Year!