“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” John 15:12 (NIV)
I’m not sure how the tradition started, but almost a decade ago I started sharing my early morning coffee with our bus driver. I think it’s because coffee always tastes better shared with a friend and our bus drivers are friends around here. That gradually morphed into sharing goodies and treats (and yes, sometimes even coffee) with teachers at our children’s elementary schools. Unfortunately, once they entered middle school and beyond, class parties and celebrating birthdays, etc. is done so I’m not at their schools as often and don’t have the opportunity to bless those teachers too.
As the 2017 school year started this year, I realized that the number of teachers to bless at our youngest’s school had grown and he and I couldn’t carry the treats in our bare hands anymore without some help. That’s when God whispered to me about having a blessings box, and He even told me exactly what He wanted me to use.
I have a few photo boxes laying around for a project that I haven’t completed yet. One of them has a Christmas theme with “peace and joy” written on it. This is significant for two reasons: One – Jesus Christ is the ultimate gift that God gave to the world and He is the reason we celebrate Christmas. Second – the words “peace” and “joy” were given to me two separate years as my “word for the year” and having those words looking at me all year long is a great reminder where “peace” and “joy” truly come from.
So, in September, as our youngest and I were preparing the treats to take into school, I told him what God had whispered to me a few minutes earlier and after explaining why we would be using a Christmas photo box all year long, he was as excited as I was.
We don’t give blessings every week; however, I hope they are often enough for the teachers to feel appreciated and loved – not just by us, but loved by their Heavenly Father. We don’t want any credit for the blessings given – we want instead for the receiver to be pointed to the One who always blesses us and wants more than anything to have a personal relationship with each one of us. We want Jesus to shine through us to those around us. And what better way than to start by blessing others?
© Cheri Swalwell 2017