Got a box? Some art supplies? A friend in need?
Then, might I suggest that you and yours get together to make a blessing box for a friend or family in need as you observe St. Teresa of Calcutta's feast day on September 5?
We did this last year and it was a simple success.
To begin, I introduced St. Teresa's quote of "I am in pencil in God's hand" and suggested we write loving messages and draw happy pictures for a friend in need and then fill a "box of blessings" with these messages and more.
The "more" can be anything you think the friend or family in need could use.
In our case, the recipient of our blessing box was a dear family whose youngest child, a baby, had unexpectedly undergone two heart surgeries within a month, rocking the entire family's world.
The family asked for nothing but prayers and well wishes, which, of course, were offered by many. However, as St. Teresa of Calcutta's feast day neared and we thought about in our local circles might need some extra love and help, we all agreed that that family might be buoyed up practical helps along with the prayer power they were already receiving.
Thus, I put word out that anyone in our local homeschool community who would like to make or donate anything to a Blessing Box for them could get it to me right up until the date of our St. Teresa of Calcutta gathering, and, then, at the gathering, we'd put our Blessing Box together, which I would drop off to the family in need.
I encouraged people to offer whatever they could that might bless our friends and let the now they are loved and prayed for and passed along the following Blessing Box filler idea list:
- happy notes and pictures
- spiritual bouquets
- change for vending machines at the hospital
- healthy,nourishing shelf-stable snacks and drinks
- fruits and other nourishing, easy-to-pack-and-eat foods
- gas gift cards
- small baby toys
- fun things for the older sibling to use at home or at the hospital to keep them busy and make them feel special, too - coloring books, not-too-messy-craft kits, books, etc.
- healthy lunch items and afterschool snack items for for the older siblings to make Mom and Dad's lives a little easier
- monetary donations
- food gift cards and gift baskets (with information specific to the hospital policy on gift baskets, gift cards, food vouchers, etc.)
People dropped items off at my home beforehand and others brought things to our gathering, where the children enjoyed decorating and filling the Blessing Box, which we later delivered to the family in need.
The children in that family dug into the box immediately and the Mom was touched and grateful.
Our mission - to be pencils in God's hand writing messages of love by serving someone close to us in spiritual and practical ways - was met.
Today, I pass this idea forward with a prayer that it might inspire you and your children to serve within your own community circle, blessing someone close to you.
May you and yours be blessed and bless others, too, as you reach out with simple service!
