Jonah Junior

Earlier this week, the church newsletter hit mailboxes, and it held an announcement of the soon arrival of my book. It also listed my blog address. Knowing that visitors from church could be dropping by Bits-land makes this post all the more uncomfortable, but I gotta post it anyway.

In my pre-teen through college years, I worked with kids all the time. Babysat for a living, worked in the nursery every chance I got, taught junior church and midweek services for kids, helped with VBS, you name it. After college, and once I started teaching in women's ministry, I got out of working with kids.

Then when I tried to get back into it - it was way different than it used to be. I didn't like it at all and just went back to working with adults.

So this year, when asked to help with our youth week at church, I said no. Four times.

The post below is proof that God wouldn't take no for an answer. And He sent this Jonah right into the throes of youth week.

As the song says, "God doesn't always call the equipped, but He will equip the called." And this was how He equipped me:

We had a coffee bar at church every night, and in a mission of mercy, Bill and Arlene (coffee makers extraordinaire) made sure I had a tasty latte in my hands for each night of teaching. Seriously - best idea EVER.

I was given the charge of teaching the 2nd and 3rd grade class. I had a wonderful "crew leader" - Laurie - who kept me sane the entire week. She always had a game ready if we needed to fill time, and she knew just what to do when I started to freak out. I also had Judy helping me part of the week - and she was a great blessing! As a result, I could still sport one of these:

Also helping in our room were four teens. Miss Megan, here, was usually in charge of picture taking. She also was gifted in the areas of distributing and collecting supplies, taking the daily head-count, and pouring juice.

I want to post more of the kids - because you know - it's about them! But since it's a public blog and I didn't get permission, how about you just imagine the sight of them running around, having fun during a game, and causing this smile:

Apparently this is my teaching face? I'm not sure. :) We studied Joseph this week, and let the record show, one evening I COMPLETELY MESSED UP THE ORDER OF DETAILS. Good grief. Another night, as I searched for an answer, the pastor's son raised his hand and said he knew...and he did. He knew the whole story in detail, and I slid my finger down the Bible passage, following as he told every last bit of it from memory. Now that will humble you!!

No VBS program is complete without the daily skit. Our entertainment/learning time was left in the capable hands of Ryan and Jesse - who did a great job of detective work! I suggested to Jesse (who is our minister) that he sport this outfit Sunday morning. We'll see!!

(Seeing the skit also brought back memories of the year another church I attended did the Sonseeker Safari VBS, and I played the role of Miss Prissly. That was FUN.)

Another key component of the week - craft time! We had great volunteers who headed up the crafts, and one night the kids got to tie-dye T-shirts! They turned out pretty sweet!

The detectives at work...helping a plainly-clothed (HA!) man find his son. (Parable of the prodigal son in case you're not keeping up with me here...)

One of the two verses we memorized this week and recited at the closing program tonight. I was really proud of them for keeping the verses straight, and I even learned them both this week too! See, you never are too old to memorize Scripture!! Just invite a bunch of second graders over to chant it to you and you'll have it down in no time!

Teaching from the Bible. Even though I had the notes written out, I thought it was good to have the Bible out and open. Most of the kids in my class are either part of our church or go to church somewhere, but there were a few that might not have had a regular church home. I wanted them to know the answers are IN THE BOOK!! (Which coincided nicely with the detective skits.)

Look at those teens getting artsy pictures....and I didn't even ask for it!

Working a full day and doing a wardrobe change in the bathroom at work right before running out the door to drive to church, arriving just in the nick of time to set up the classroom, eat dinner (thanks to everyone who worked hard to provide that every night!), and place my latte order so I could teach...and then getting home in time to work out and start nightly chores about 10 p.m. made for a long week. I'm pretty tired!

But last night, as I whipped through my workout, God whispered to my heart the reasons He refused all my "NO's!" He showed me clearly why He wanted me there and what He wanted me to take away from it. And I'm so thankful!