The Spirit

I read this in a devotional on Wednesday and I thought, 'how true!'.

"Understand this: If you cannot experience the spirit in the work you are doing today, then you cannot experience the spirit today at all."

I love my job! No. That's not quite the whole truth.  

I love living in the Spirit...through my job, my ministries, my life.

I love it when I feel the impression on my heart to search for something, maybe white doves for the Christmas tree at church. Going to the Thrifty Shopper and finding a bag of 60 white doves!

Is that being led by the Spirit? I believe so.

I believe that's the way it works. 

I don't know how many times that I end up going shopping or being somewhere and there is someone that I know. Maybe I haven't seen them for a long time but it's so important for me to talk to them.

I don't necessarily talk to them about Jesus but I know it's vital that I speak to them. Maybe they just need to be recognized or encouraged. 

But I know that I am blessed.

I'll never know who I would have seen if I had gone to a different store but I believe that God wanted me to be there.  If I hadn't followed the Spirit of God, would I have listened to Him at all?

I may never know what it meant to that other person but I do know that it meant something to me.

How beautiful are the ways of the Lord!

A bag of 60 white doves for the Christmas tree!  Who would have thought! My pastor certainly didn't believe that I would ever find them. "Where in the world will you find that many white doves?" The Thrifty Shopper!

The LORD! It's always the LORD!

Exodus from Egypt

Well, here are my props for this Sunday's lesson:

I started off trying to think of a way to visualize a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire for my class.

Funny, how I can't wait to get started on the next lesson as soon as class is over. Instead of a ministry let-down after class, I'm pumped more that ever to get to the next continuation of Biblical history.

I went to sleep Monday night asking the Lord to give me an idea on how to make these pillars. Of course, I wanted them huge but would settle for my 5 foot height. To a 5 year old that would be enough.

Tuesday morning wake up...no idea. Prayer time...it popped on my inner eye. I have one of those, too.

What if I took 2 tomato cages and put the wide ends together and the one footed end into a wooden platform, add a light and presto...pillar of fire!

 The base is just 3 drilled holes in a plywood square to put the bottom wires in. The center was zip-tied together. And then we added the up-light on the inside of the bottom.

Next I made the fire with yellow, orange and red tissue paper. I started from the top with the yellow and just kept working my way down, adding the orange and red to overlap. I then tore some strips of tissue paper and glued on the surface for a little added texture.

The pillar of cloud was framed the same way except I didn't use a base. I had gone to a thrift shop and found a white twin comforter. I just wrapped it around the frame and pinned it so that it would stay closed.

Adding to the lesson the craft from our curriculum. It fits perfectly to start off the class.

Instead of coloring, I took black and blue construction paper for the pillar backgrounds t(o signify night and day) and glued them to a white cardboard for stability. Then using the templates, cut out the 2 pillars and glued them to the black and blue areas. I tore pieces of the tissue paper and glued them to make the flame and then tore apart some cotton balls to make the cloud. Next, I cut out the Bible verse and voila! 

(Glue sticks are a most wonderful invention!)

At the end we will see 'The Red Sea' parting by the breath of God! I purchased 2 dozen balloons, blew them up and then bagged them until the end of class. We will spill them on the floor to signify the 'water of the sea'. Then, Moses will stretch forth his staff and behind him the window fan will blow to part the waters! I think they'll have fun with the balloons. That will be our release of energy time.

Oh, how great is God, to give us such enjoyment to reenact His story!

Teach Sunday School? Who Me?

Ex-Young Adult Sunday School Teacher looking for a purpose.

I had taught 18-25 year old's for 5 years. Whew!

Don't get me wrong, I loved them all. They kept me on my toes, loved to hide under my desk and behind my office door to scare me so that I would screech when we were suppose to be quiet, and struggled to keep their minds focused on God's purposes for their lives instead of the latest YouTube video.

The brutal part was trying to come up with a lesson that fulfilled ME! Inept was a word that surfaced every Monday and carried on through to Sunday night. I agonized over the blank stares and bored 45 minute conversations. I have a hole in my life because they've left the church through moving, marriage, career changes and school. A part of me left, too.

So, when I told the pastor's wife that I was down to one student and none that age left in the church, she asked me to teach 5-8 year old's.

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? My own daughter could hardly get me to play a board game with her at that age. I did teach her to love cross-stitch, though and now she's an expert!

So I said, why not?

Little did I know that what had been missing in my life's creativity would bloom into a fulfilled love of teaching that overflows the cup that God gave me. I feel so blessed, satisfied and full of joy!

Why? I don't know. I think we sometimes have a concept of what we want to do with our 'giftings' but God knows exactly how He wired us and where we would find that peace that transcends all understanding.

I hardly recognize myself.

So starting off with my first Sunday, I kept to the traditional script of story, snack, craft. I had to be prepared because these little ones know if you aren't ready. It went well enough, except...they don't sit still!

I was still bored.

Then, I started really looking at the resources. The next quarter was on obedience. Hmm, I need to get that across. I've spoken the name of one of my students so much that I was hearing myself in my sleep. So, I made an obedience board. Pics will come later. 

This was the answer to the silent scream that went up to heaven. Now, my students are more than willing to be obedient. Even to the point that they raise their hands to pray out loud!

Next, I decided that I was boring and needed to liven things up. The Bible comes alive when you envision how to portray the stories as real events.

I've made 'stocks' for legs out of cardboard. Next was an Israelite house for Passover. God said to plunder the Egyptians so we did! Even though it looked like Mardi Gras when they entered the Sanctuary. Ha!

This week is the parting of the Red Sea and the pillar of cloud and fire. I can hardly wait to dramatize and involve them in the lesson. 

The bonus in doing all of this for Lord, is that I'm learning at the same time.

More to come with pics! Thanks for listening.