SCHOOL FEATURE
Zhoanne, Criszel and Maecy jumping for joy — Terry Fox Run.
The Spirit of Giving BY MARTHA BOEHNER
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Head Teacher, South Side Christian School
ne of my favorite seasons has always been Christmas time. I love spending time with my family, doing our Christmas traditions, and reveling in God's peace. For some of us, Christmas is a time to give. Whether volunteering at a food bank, participating in a toy drive, or making a donation to a charitable organization, our hearts are warmed by gifts given to us, so it's easy for us to give gifts to others. While these are great acts of kindness, is this all that God asks for us to do? It broke my heart the other day when a student shared with me that he wishes his mom would go grocery shopping instead of staying at home all day since they have no food in
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Alberta Adventist News
the house. It opened my eyes to the needs around us, and how most of them are unknown. After pondering what I could do right there at this moment, it led me to think about how often we make an effort to go out of our way to help others. Do we have to wait until Christmas to give and share? Do we do it just because we know we will be getting gifts in return? There are people right now, in our community, church, and school that are praying for help and are in need of a miracle. At South Side Christian School, the teachers and staff try to install a spirit of giving within our students. To support our school, we've given students an active role in raising money,
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bringing in food to help hungry students, and volunteering at school events. In supporting our community, we've taken part in the Terry Fox Run, raised money for the Paws and Claws Animal Rescue, and have made cards for local senior citizens and veterans. Whether it's giving our time, energy, or money, God sees our efforts. Beyond the school walls, there is more work to be done in leading our children to serve and using their gifts to bless others. This reminds me of the parable of the talents in Matthew 5. The master entrusted three servants with talents. Two went out and multiplied the reward of their talents. One, however, kept it to himself, with nothing more to
