The Candy Bombs

The Candy Bombs

You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus.

2 Timothy 3:15

“What are we doing today, Mom?” my girls asked me early one morning, climbing on top of the tufted orange living room chair and stretching eager arms as far as they could to reach the Advent tree hanging on the wall. It’s a common question in our house in the month of December, as each individual slot in the tree is filled with a different activity for the day: a kind act, a Christmas project, an adventure we’ll have as a family.

It was a weekend, so on that day we were going to “candy bomb” the local hospital’s parking lot. We put together little bags of candy and added handmade tags to them, wishing the recipients a merry Christmas. Then, after bundling up against the cold, Tim and the girls headed to the local hospital, where the girls worked their way methodically from car to car, placing the bags under windshield wipers with Tim’s help.

All too often, it’s easy to exclude our children from acts of kindness. For example, Tim and I might give to a charity without taking the time to explain it to the kids. I’ve found that I need to be more intentional about including them. Teaching the Scriptures to children helps them later to have the wisdom to trust and believe in Jesus. As someone who grew up in the church, I can still remember the verses I memorized through Pioneer Girls. Verses like “For God has not given us a spirit of fear” (2 Timothy 1:7) played over and over in my mind when I thought I saw a ghost in my room or when a thunderstorm boomed too loudly. Those early lessons gave me a foundation upon which to trust in Jesus. Now a parent myself, I see that the principle of kindness and how that plays out in our lives is yet another great way to teach children about God’s undeserved grace and mercy, and the boundless love he has for us—all while having fun together as a family. And if some of the lessons include candy? All the better.

—Kristin

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Brainstorm fun kindness-centered activities to do with the children in your life.