The “Real” Value of Money

At this point, it looks like I have one child who is a spender and the other one who likes to save. However, whenever they hear of an opportunity to help someone, both are eager to give it ALL away.

Recently, I was having a conversation about this very thing with some friends. We were lamenting on the fact that it’s much easier for children to give up their cash when it comes to helping those in need. Their reaction is typically immediate, unencumbered, and genuine.

I further went on to say, “It’s probably because they don’t know the real value of money.”

That trite statement lingered on my heart, longer than I care to admit.

I realized what I had said was absolutely NOT true at all. Perhaps children give it away so freely because indeed, they DO know the REAL value of money. That in fact, if more people viewed money the way they did, this world would be a much nicer, richer, kinder place.

Typically, children have not been swayed by the vices that money can often bring. They don’t covet it or turn it into an idol. To them, it’s simple. It’s just a matter of supply and demand. If someone has a need that they can help fill, they want to do it. It doesn’t get much simpler than that.

I have to admit, giving freely hasn’t always come naturally for me. Thankfully, God allowed me to be married to a generous and giving man. In turn, by his example, he teaches our children to give joyfully.

In the end, it’s all about believing Who the money belongs to anyway. And there comes a joy in the giving. It becomes an opportunity for us to live out what Jesus himself said:

“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” ~Acts 20:35      

Around the World {this summer!}

We have 12 countries to visit this summer: Austria, Korea, Cambodia, Japan, Norway, Tibet, Mexico, Spain, India, Nigeria, Peru and Poland.

The girls have been enjoying this colorful new sticker book!

 

This is what a page looks like before the stickers are applied. The people of Tibet in their “underwear.”

 

They even have Korea!

 

In Japan, the bride and groom are ready to get married now.

 

The sticker book also includes a world map. We’ve gone a bit further with the activity and turned it into a geography, art, and presentation lesson.

 

Once the girls are finished with the sticker part of it, we find the country on the globe. We then read a few interesting facts about the country. From these facts, the girls create a presentation page with pictures.

 

Faith’s Austria page: Red skirts made of wool, folk festivals, oldest restaurant, the national flag, and Beethoven.

Later, when daddy comes home, the girls get up and give us a presentation. I love how they get to practice their speaking skills. In order to change the culture around us, the future needs better communicators. 

In order to train up world changers, I think it’s important to get out of our bubbles and learn about the people and the world around us. And if we can’t actually travel to experience the world at large, we can at least familiarize ourselves with the fact that there is a great big world out there, outside of our own.

This activity encompasses some of the girls’ favorite things… stickers, fashion, drawing, and learning.

Fun summer travels!