Rubber Bands

I love to have GOD as my Teacher! He has currently put me in a position that is rather uncomfortable for me. I am teaching Sunday school to a small group of young girls whose parents do not go to Church. Half of my class is preschool age, and I am at a loss how to teach them. I am well aware that I tend to teach "over their heads" in length of lesson, and in vocabulary - but I have a GREAT TEACHER. I seek HIS help regularly and HE is faithful to come alongside me and show me HOW to teach little ones who have very little knowledge of the Bible, or Jesus Himself.

One week in November I was teaching Zaachaeus.

The rubber bands came when I was thinking about his shortness (which caused him to climb the tree to see Jesus. I did not really want to measure them all, or draw them on paper....so GOD popped rubber bands into my head. I mean it was all HIM. I had a bag of various sized rubber bands. So I dumped them onto the table and began picking out tall ones, short ones and in between ones. Then I put four into a tiny baggie. I made up a baggie for each child, myself and my helper.

The girls always like CRAFT time, so they were thrilled when I announced we were starting class at the TABLE. They ran there and I gave them each a tiny baggie. I sat with them and showed them what to do. I dumped them all out and found the tallest one, then the shortest one, and put the other two in order. They were intent and it was something the smallest ones could do.

It was an inexpensive lesson, but it worked. They understood SHORT, then I started talking about how children are shorter than adults and how children often need to on daddy's shoulders to see a parade if they are not in the front row, etc.

I cut off several branches from a neighbors bush, and had a card stock Zaachaeus for each child. We acted out the story as I shared the Bible Account, and then again as we sang the familiar Sunday school song.

By the end of class, I think the Lesson idea was clear that Zaachaeus WANTED to see Jesus and made sure that he did! We need to also WANT to see Jesus, and we can by making sure we come to Sunday school as often as we can,etc.....and also how his life was CHANGED by spending time with JESUS, and how we also CHANGE as we spend time with Jesus, in His Word, etc.

The Simple Note

Sometimes it does not take much for us to feel BLESSED and loved.
Sometimes it does not take much for ME to feel BLESSED and loved.

Yesterday I had one of those simple gifts of love, by way of a simple note.

Every week I create, type, print and fold our Church bulletins. I also type up a LARGE FONT 'order of service' for the Pastor, Deaf Interpreter, Song Leader and Pianist and tape them at their place of ministry.

Our Church has been without a Pianist for about three years. We have used Sing-Along Cds for our congregational singing. Recently the LORD brought a very talented couple to visit our Church. She is a gifted classical pianist! She LOVES to play and plays joyfully for the LORD. She has been a JOY to our congregation. We value each week they are with us. [We are joining them in prayer that GOD will lead them to the Church of HIS choice. They would be welcomed in any Church.] We will just be thankful for every week they are with us.

ANYWAY....here is the "rest of the story":

Yesterday as I was picking up the Large Print 'Order of Service' papers from the four areas of ministry, I noticed a hand written note where I had put the 'order of service' for the Pianist. The Pianist had turned over the typed Order of Service and left me a note! The note said: "Thanks for posting the large bulletin here!"

See, I told you it was simple.......but sometimes we just need to know that our labor is not in vain, and that someone truly does appreciate the extra effort we put in.

To me, it was a powerful Christmas gift. It warmed my heart like sitting curled up in a blanket before a crackling fireplace. I felt loved, and yes appreciated. No one was even around when I received this Blessing. But tears still come just to remember the pleasure of that Simple Note.