You've Got To Be Carefully Taught

It’s time for Operation Christmas Child again!  And this year we added something very special to our tradition.  Each year since Little Bird…then Little Hoss were born, we have done a box for a little girl and a little boy from us and each of the kids.  

 

This year, the babies came shopping with us!

 

As is the tradition for Himself and I, we shopped for the boxes and enjoyed a meal out where we talked about it.  Usually we have something like sushi… with preschoolers now a part of this, the meal was Chick-Fil-A (and some playground time! LOL) with dessert at a frozen yogurt shop.  

 

At 3 years old, Hoss is still a bit young for shopping for someone else.  His focus kinda wavered a bit.

 

Four year old Bird was definitely more into it.  As I explained to her we were shopping for a Christmas gift for a little girl who might never have ever gotten a Christmas present or birthday present, her big blue eyes puddled up.

 

“We’ve got to get her something!!!”

 

And so we did. 

 

 

Little Meghan and Little John (names picked out by the kids) will be opening boxes with presents carefully selected.  There is a soft bunny and a soft bear, cuddly blankets, snazzy shirts, and a little toy picked out just for them.  (Himself and I will finish filling it with items we’ve picked up thru the year such as crayons, toothbrushes, bowls, etc).

 

Why are we starting with them so young?

 

Because there is a song that I first heard a long time ago, probably before I was a teen.  It is from the musical "South Pacific" and is called "You Have To Be Carefully Taught". 

 

You've got to be taught

To hate and fear,

You've got to be taught

From year to year,

It's got to be drummed

In your dear little ear

You've got to be carefully taught.

 

You've got to be taught to be afraid

Of people whose eyes are oddly made,

And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,

You've got to be carefully taught.

 

You've got to be taught before it's too late,

Before you are six or seven or eight,

To hate all the people your relatives hate,

You've got to be carefully taught!

 

 

Well folks... you can carefully teach the other way too.  

 

Red and yellow, black and white…they are precious in His sight…