Keeping Secrets
Shhhh. Don’t tell your sister. Elrond is watching you and reporting back to Santa. If you find a present for your Secret Santa, don’t say a word. Isn’t it fun keeping secrets from others during this time of the year? For me, keeping secrets is fun because I can “see” the excitement on the kids’ faces when they are opening presents on Christmas morning.
As I think about what I want to discuss with my kids, my mind kept coming back to “keeping secrets”. However, I just didn’t know how to discuss secrets with our kids and how does this relate to Advent. I kept thinking all day, about what is it I want our kids to know about this, why is “keeping secrets” on my heart right now? Talking about secretes could go south really fast! Or it could be a fun topic. However, I thought about something I tell our kids every morning, “attack the day with kindness”.
When we spread kindness without needing to be recognized this is like keeping a secret. We know how our hearts feel after doing an act of kindness and we hope that they other party is filled with joy. When our hearts and minds are in the right mindset, we know God is joyful that we are using our talents to bless others. God gave us talents to bless others and He doesn’t want us to brag about it. He wants us to be humble. We don’t need to brag, because He sees us. I wonder how graciously do I give of my time, talents, and treasures? Do I truly believe that it is far better to give than to receive? Matthew 6:1 reminds us, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.
So as we continue to go through this ADVENTurours season, I am going to challenge and encourage not only the kids, but myself to continue to give graciously and “keep it a secret”. As a family, I want to talk about what the kids choose to do, however, I hope that they can see blessing others and “keeping secrets” can encourage them to become humble giving people.
Shhhh. Don’t tell your sister. Elrond is watching you and reporting back to Santa. If you find a present for your Secret Santa, don’t say a word. Isn’t it fun keeping secrets from others during this time of the year? For me, keeping secrets is fun because I can “see” the excitement on the kids’ faces when they are opening presents on Christmas morning.
As I think about what I want to discuss with my kids, my mind kept coming back to “keeping secrets”. However, I just didn’t know how to discuss secrets with our kids and how does this relate to Advent. I kept thinking all day, about what is it I want our kids to know about this, why is “keeping secrets” on my heart right now? Talking about secretes could go south really fast! Or it could be a fun topic. However, I thought about something I tell our kids every morning, “attack the day with kindness”.
When we spread kindness without needing to be recognized this is like keeping a secret. We know how our hearts feel after doing an act of kindness and we hope that they other party is filled with joy. When our hearts and minds are in the right mindset, we know God is joyful that we are using our talents to bless others. God gave us talents to bless others and He doesn’t want us to brag about it. He wants us to be humble. We don’t need to brag, because He sees us. I wonder how graciously do I give of my time, talents, and treasures? Do I truly believe that it is far better to give than to receive? Matthew 6:1 reminds us, "Watch out! Don't do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven.
So as we continue to go through this ADVENTurours season, I am going to challenge and encourage not only the kids, but myself to continue to give graciously and “keep it a secret”. As a family, I want to talk about what the kids choose to do, however, I hope that they can see blessing others and “keeping secrets” can encourage them to become humble giving people.