When I changed my calender page from August to September I saw the big red letters that told me it was time to think about what to write to my sponsor and correspondence children.
The past few years I chose Christmas Themes: the Christmas story, advent calenders, Christmas traditions from around the world...
This year I couldn't think of anything Christmas-y to send.
But there were world maps that I've wanted to send to my kids for a while now and I remembered a half finished colouring page I had sent earlier in the year. I had asked the child to do the other half so she would have something we did together. I liked the idea so much, that I wanted to do the same with all of my kids.
Only I had no idea under which "theme" those components could go together.
A few days of thinking and, with the help of Teresa, I found the perfect Bible verse that brought it all together.
"For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong." Colossians 2:5
All of us sponsors live miles away from "our" children, but we love them dearly and we are close to them in our hearts and prayers. Our love for them doesn't know about the miles that are between us.
And that is exactly what my theme for the Christmas Letters this year is - All the Miles Between Us.
First of all I used Pizap to make Bible verse cards for all my kids. Instead of simply printing them I let developed them like "real" photos.
To the world maps I added a photo of the child and one of my family and me, encircling the countries we live in connecting them with a white line.
For each child I searched for a colouring page that fits her/his interests and age. I glued them on card stock and wrote above the coloring page things like "Citlali, we love you." I colored parts of the picture myself, just like I had done in the birthday letters.
In my additional letter, I explained to my kids why I chose those things to send as a Christmas gift this year; that I want them to have something we did together, no matter how many miles lie between us, that the love I feel for them doesn't care about the distance and that God made us the wonderful promise to always be there for us no matter where we are in our lives.
I personally think that this is a very special topic and I hope that my kids will enjoy them too.
I sure know though that I am really curious about their reactions.
The past few years I chose Christmas Themes: the Christmas story, advent calenders, Christmas traditions from around the world...
This year I couldn't think of anything Christmas-y to send.
But there were world maps that I've wanted to send to my kids for a while now and I remembered a half finished colouring page I had sent earlier in the year. I had asked the child to do the other half so she would have something we did together. I liked the idea so much, that I wanted to do the same with all of my kids.
Only I had no idea under which "theme" those components could go together.
A few days of thinking and, with the help of Teresa, I found the perfect Bible verse that brought it all together.
"For though I am far away from you, my heart is with you. And I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong." Colossians 2:5
All of us sponsors live miles away from "our" children, but we love them dearly and we are close to them in our hearts and prayers. Our love for them doesn't know about the miles that are between us.
And that is exactly what my theme for the Christmas Letters this year is - All the Miles Between Us.
First of all I used Pizap to make Bible verse cards for all my kids. Instead of simply printing them I let developed them like "real" photos.
To the world maps I added a photo of the child and one of my family and me, encircling the countries we live in connecting them with a white line.
For each child I searched for a colouring page that fits her/his interests and age. I glued them on card stock and wrote above the coloring page things like "Citlali, we love you." I colored parts of the picture myself, just like I had done in the birthday letters.
In my additional letter, I explained to my kids why I chose those things to send as a Christmas gift this year; that I want them to have something we did together, no matter how many miles lie between us, that the love I feel for them doesn't care about the distance and that God made us the wonderful promise to always be there for us no matter where we are in our lives.
I personally think that this is a very special topic and I hope that my kids will enjoy them too.
I sure know though that I am really curious about their reactions.
What a great idea, I hadn't thought of using Pizap to print our bible verses although I regularly use it for photos. I love the idea of sharing something with them. Thank you for your post
ReplyDeleteCute idea to color part of the picture. I assume you haven't gotten a response on the one you already sent, but if so, did the child like that? I need to get a Christmas card made and sent to Ana.
ReplyDeleteI didn't get a reply on the half finished coloring page yet. But I sure will blog about it once I do.
DeleteI love the idea of doing something together!! And that verse is perfect!!! I sent maps like that last year. But I think I'll borrow your sharing a coloring for birthdays this year!!
ReplyDeleteLove this idea. I've already taken in our Christmas correspondence, but might incorporate these ideas in the 2015 birthday packages!
ReplyDelete