Day 19 Christmas Connections
“Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.” Matthew 25:34-36
Carol set a large jar on a table next to the puffy armchair she and Gina had set in the Children’s Alcove that morning. Children wiggled on carpet squares. Carol noted that several from the Reading Room crowd mingled with the parents sitting on folding chairs behind the children.
“Has your family ever saved up for something special?” Carol asked.
To buy a new video game! To take a plane ride to Grandma’s. To go to the beach!
Carol held up the book, A Chair for My Mother* by Vera B. Williams. “In our story, a family saves for a big comfy chair. Why do you think they need a new chair?” Several children offered reasons, then Carol began. In the story, the little girl, her mother, and her grandmother save coins in a jar. Carol drops a few coins into the jar on the table. Ping, ping, ping. All eyes focus on the jar.
Carol reads: When we can’t get a single other coin into the jar; we are going to take out all the money to go and buy a chair. That is because our old chairs burned up. There was a big fire in our other house. That wasn’t such a long time ago.
Here, the story shifts back to tell the story of the fire. Hands fly into the air — everyone has a fire story to share.
Carol raised a finger, “Let’s do a Think/Pair/Share. Take a minute to think about what you want to say. Then, we’ll pair with a friend to share. Everybody think!”
Eyes closed as thoughts percolated. Carol noticed some deep thinking going on in the back rows of adults. “Ok, find a friend nearby and share!” Kids and adults turned to share. After a few noisy minutes, Carol continued the story. After the fire, the whole neighborhood helps the family by sharing food, furniture, and furnishings.
Grandma makes a speech, “You are all the kindest people,” she said, “and we thank you very, very much. It’s lucky that we’re young and can start all over.”
Carol’s listeners applaud when the family fills the jar, buys a comfy flowered chair, and sits together in it their new home. While Gina lines up the children to take them downstairs to decorate cardboard cut-out chairs, parents and library regulars linger to chat.
Advent Challenge: Save your change in a big jar. Donate it to a good cause.
Prayer: Fill my cup, Lord. I lift it up, Lord. Blessed Lord, you fill our cups to overflowing. Help us share our overflowing cups with those in need. Amen
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23:6
*Available on YouTube
No comments:
Post a Comment