The Project:
Initiated by a wonderful local homeschooling mom. Each night of Advent, a different homeschooling family delivers a piece of a Nativity set to an assisted-living residence in our town, presents a short devotion of some kind, sings a Christmas carol, and shares a Scripture reading (on Christmas Eve, baby Jesus will be delivered by the whole group.)
Our Part:
Delivering a cow, presenting the story of "Silent Night" and its composers, singing the carol, eating cookies and visiting with the residents.
My Take:
What a delight! We had such fun conversations with the residents, from glowing approval of our lifestyle, to reluctant-but-sincere admission that the kids "seem to be doing well" (with this insanity called homeschooling), to a snarl that my husband, because he is a high school teacher, is "at least qualified. Some aren't, y'know!" (I later heard that the Snarler had been complaining about homeschoolers all day. Poor woman -- all of Advent will be a trial for her, as a new family shows up each night.)
The residents, of course, delighted in the children. I was proud of my kids (and those of my dear friend whose family joined us) for their part in the presentation and happy that they could give a little of themselves for these grandmas and grandpas.
One woman inspired in me a surge of such compassion and love. She spoke of losing her husband, of living in the residence for four years without him, of being 91 years old and knowing that "the Lord's been good to me." I wanted to cry. I wanted to see my own grandmothers again. I wanted to adopt her as my children's great-grandmother.
The Result:
We gave one short hour of our time. We received so much more than we gave. It was a holy night.
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