The Twelve days of Christmas Series Day 11 Serviette rings and Serving

12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS SERIES

 Day 11 Serviette rings and Serving

During Advent, our local supermarket put our their magazine with recipe ideas and  of course how we can spend our money at their store in preparation for Christmas. One of their articles the 12 days of Christmas disappointed me because they had used the carol' The Twelve Days of Christmas' and used it to mean the twelve days before Christmas, not the twelve days after Christmas- Christmastide.  Obviously, there is more money to be made before Christmas than after for a supermarket.

In my twelve days of Christmas series, I quote from the article 'Fresh Food Kids' and then add a spiritual connection to help us remain in the season of Christmastide.  Christmas is not just a day as the shops would like us to believe.  Jesus is the reason for the season.

DAY 11 MAKE SERVIETTE RINGS AND SERVING.ACTIVITY: TO MAKE SERVIETTE RINGS

" Cut the leftover roll from a finished roll of paper towel into rings about 4cm wide. Stick Sellotape Double-Sided tape around each ring.  Cut ribbon into lengths and wrap around the rings to complete cover. Secure the end of the ribbon with more tape.  Insert your serviette and place at each place setting at the Christmas table"

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT: SERVING

Either before or after the children make their serviette rings, you may wish to think about what the word serviette means, that is, 'to serve' and what a serviette ring is.  It is a circular band used to hold a particular person's serviette/napkin.

Just as a serviette is complete with a serviette ring, a person who is trying to serve God in his/her vocation also needs other people to help them.  Scripture tells us:
 Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it. And God has appointed in the church first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then workers of miracles, then healers, helpers, administrators, speakers in various kinds of tongues. Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Do all work miracles?  Do all possess gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? (1 Cor 12:27-30)

Another relevant scripture quote is as follows:

Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit;  and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one.
To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.  To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit,  to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of  tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues.
All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills. (Cor 12:4-11)

You might like to offer the following prayer or a spontaneous one of our own.

Jesus, You give us every person a special purpose in life,

Just as the serviette ring has a function so do we.

We can carry out Your purpose on our own,

but we can also choose to ask others for help and support

so that the journey of serving You in our God's given vocation is enriched.