Thank You, Teachers and Counselors!

Last Sunday was our team's turn to teach the Sunday school lesson during service.  A few weeks ago Sis. Wendy asked me if I had any ideas.  After chatting for a few minutes, I remembered a lesson from my first year at Junior Youth Camp.  I was NINE, but I still remember that lesson.  The lesson was simple, but done in a way that I never forgot.

After a little tweaking, Sis. Wendy and I recreated that long ago lesson.  Our patient required surgery - her heart was dirty!  We pulled out eyes, lips, and a rotten potato to represent a bad attitude.  It wasn't enough to just close her up.  Our patient needed clean things to fill her heart.  We put in the Holy Ghost, the Bible, and another set of lips.

I only have pictures that were taken of us, but I wish you could have seen the kids.  They were so into the lesson - wondering what we were going to pull out or put in next.

I'm not posting this to brag on Sis. Wendy or myself.  I want to thank all the Sunday school teachers and camp counselors who influenced me through the years.  Most of them are retired from full time service, but I still appreciate all they did.  My teacher who took our class on outreach for the first time, finally convincing a shy girl to ask a stranger to church.  Camp counselors who prayed me through to the Holy Ghost.  Those who taught me every Sunday, putting the Word of God deep in my heart.

If you have ever taught and walked away feeling like you didn't make a difference - don't give up, you did make a difference.  It may not show up for a few weeks, months, or even years.  But none of the time spent investing in children and young people is in vain.

Sooner Flashback

Les and Lance pedaled in to Oklahoma last Thursday.  When we were talking on the phone that night Les said something like, "I was gonna use Sooner in my post title, but I don't really know what that is."  Instantly I was back in fifth grade...

My teacher at Del Mar Elementary school in the fifth grade was Miss Shambley.  She was a good teacher, fair and funny, but her favorite subject was history.  She loved teaching American history!  We probably spent more than the normal amount of time studying this subject, but she really made it fun.

Each student in our class was required to choose a state to do a report on.  We had to choose the state and then tell why we had chosen to study it before we were given approval to move forward on that state.  My Mom's mom, Grandma Luella, was born in Oklahoma, so that is the state I chose to study.

As soon as Les said, "I don't know what a Sooner is..."  I had all the answers!  I immediately started telling him about the land rush that occurred.  Two million acres of prime Oklahoma land were opened up to settlers in 1889.  Settlers could claim up to 160 acres and as long as they lived on the land they could claim it as theirs.  (Side note: I'm not advocating the way this land was stolen from American Indians, just reporting on history.)

High noon on April 22, 1889, was when the area was opened for settlement.  There were people who entered the land early and hid until the legal time - they were then able to settle on choice land before others got there.  Those people were called Sooners, because there was a "sooner clause" in the land act, stating that anyone entering early would not be able to claim any land.  This was cause for much litigation through the years.

So if you ever wondered why I spend time blogging about the historical significance of places we've visited around the world - it's all because of my fifth grade teacher.  Of course my studying would have been much easier today with the internet!

Did you have a teacher that made you love (or hate) a certain subject in school?

30 Days of Thanks - Day #7

Everybody ought to go to Sunday school,
Sunday school, Sunday school,
the men and the women
the boys and the girls,
everybody ought to go to Sunday school.

I am so thankful for my Sunday school teachers! What a foundation they laid in my life. Sunday after Sunday that came prepared - a story, a song or two, a memory verse, a coloring page, a craft and a snack. All packed into one hour!

Many times a preacher will say, "We all know the story..." and I DO know the story because of Sunday school teachers. I didn't know all the lessons I would learn from great Bible characters, but I knew who they were at a young age.

The boy who killed a giant with only his sling shot and five stones? David!
The man who spent the night in the lion's den? Daniel!
The baby who was hid by his mother, then later put in a basket in the river to be found by an Egyptian princess? Moses!
The boy with the coat of many colors? Joseph!
The young lady who rode a donkey, found no place in the inn, and gave birth to our Savior? Mary!

All these and more I learned about in Sunday school. I can quote the books of the Bible with ease because of Sunday school teachers. I carry my Bible to church every service, because I knew I would need it in Sunday school for a sword drill. (Where is the book of Hezekiah, anyway?)

The first time I ever went on outreach I went with my Sunday school teachers. I was in about third or fourth grade. I was scared to death to knock on any doors and talk to strangers. It took me at least three blocks before I finally got up the courage to do it. I got the grumpiest man in the neighborhood! But as we walked away, my Sunday school teachers told me how great it was that I had invited him! What a lesson they taught me that day.

I'll be going to Sunday school later today and will hear one of my all time favorite teachers - Les! I wish you could all sit in class with me. He is an excellent teacher.

So many faces come to mind when I think of my Sunday school teachers! What a blessing they continue to be in my life.

If you're a Sunday school teacher - THANKS!!

Thy Word Have I Hid

We had a fun time in Bible Study last night. We're studying "The Main Things" and last night was about prayer and Bible reading. Pastor White did a twist on the old "sword drill" - he would start reading a passage of scripture and the first one to find it would raise their hand and give the reference. I am happy to report that I was the winner for my age group! (The "old people" over 40!)


It was fun to win a gift certificate to Baskin Robbins, but I'm happier that God's Word is in my heart! Les and I both remember our Sunday school teachers drilling into us "What will you do if your Bible is taken away?" This was during the Cold War (see, I really am old!) and the threat of communism was real. Thank you, Sunday school teachers for all those memory verses you put into me!

Other books were given for our Information. The Bible was given for our Transformation. - Mom's Bible

With tears streaming down my face I read Bro. Ballestero's blog yesterday. He told of the memory loss that his sweet mother, Sis. Connie Ballestero, is dealing with. Her fear that she would forget God. But when Bro. Ballestero began quoting Psalm 100, Sis. Ballestero finished each verse! She might not remember many things, but the Word that is hidden in her heart is still there!

One who uses the Bible as his guide never loses his sense of direction. - Mom's Bible

I turn to Mom's Bible - the one she carried during her eight year battle with cancer. Words are underlined: "whom I will trust," "As for God, his way is perfect," "In my distress I called upon the Lord... he heard my voice," "with God all things are possible," and "let the peace of God rule in your hearts" with the words "cancer can't take my peace" written next to it.

The devil is not afraid of the Bible that has dust on it.
- Mom's Bible

No, our Bibles might not be taken from us, but there are times when we need His Word in an instant and a Bible isn't at hand. Hiding it in our hearts in times of peace will allow us to pull it out in times of distress.

The Bible is meant to be Bread for our daily use;
not just cake for special occasions.
- Mom's Bible