Before I start writing about my most recent fiasco, I would like to be serious for a minute and explain how proud I am that I have the opportunity to teach youth about our Lord. This year I have Kindergarten, which is PERFECT for disorganized, procrastinating me--I can improvise if I have to. I cannot tell you what an honor it is to share God with little children; seeing joy in their faces and understanding in their hearts. Being a part of that is unlike anything else I have done, and I can only pray that God will guide and help me be an effective mentor for His precious children...because I definitely can't do it on my own!
Having said that, it is hard to conduct a CCD class with a tiny room full of 5 year olds and my 3 and 1 year old at my feet, usually fussing and crying. What normally happens is I get the class under control only to have my own kids create disorder and upheaval, which gets the class going again. It is a very noisey-and hard-cycle to overcome.
This past week was no different than any other week. Patrick was tired (he wakes up at 6:30 am so by our 10 am class time he is ready for a nap) so he cried the entire-and I do mean entire-time. Sarah was actually pretty good, except for the occasional attempt to hurt her brother. Somehow, we managed to get through the lesson on God's limitless love for all things living, and we moved to the church building for Mass. Before we went in I gave Sarah a pep-talk and felt absolutely sure that I would (like each and every week that came before) have no effect on her and would definitely be taking what I refer to as "The Walk of Shame"--you know, where you have to drag the screaming child out by one arm while clutching the other kid-who decides to get in on the act as well-upside down, and trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. Fortunately for me, our Church community is full of children, fathers and mothers, grandparents, and other kind-hearted folks so instead of the dirty looks that one may fear, I usually just get knowing, sympathetic smiles, or grateful glances that it's not their kid this time.
We had to do The Walk of Shame pretty early on, even before the Opening Rites were finished so I felt that it was not a good sign for the rest of the service. When we took our seats again Patrick fell asleep after only minimal fussing, and Sarah played with her friend Maggie. Thanks Be To God! See, miracles DO happen! Guess I'll have to wait till next week to have any good stuff to write about. ;)
1 comment:
Great work.
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