This is Wednesday - Kid Style

"Why do we need to learn about God and Jesus? I already learned it and know all about it," whined Luke just as I shut the classroom door. Steven quickly chimed in, "Yeah, why do we? It's boring."




Uh-oh, looks like it Sunday just became Wednesday for Sophia's Playground, the children's ministry I coordinate for a small church. My class of 4 to 7 year olds was about to stage a mutiny and I didn't see it coming. (I never do.) Could I survive this "onslaught" and still remain captain of the ship? I'd better think fast (and pray faster!)




Thoughtfully I said, "Okay. What do YOU want to learn about? " Luke's answer came fast. It was sharks and karate moves and fossils. Steven wanted to know how God created crayons. Claire thought we should learn about Princesses and Rachel agreed, "Yeah, Princesses!" Bella was quiet for a while then thoughtfully suggested that learning about faraway places would be good. "Or maybe we could just take a trip to the park," she offered. Only Sarah, who always assures me that angels surround all the time, differed, "But I LIKE learning about God and Jesus."




Humm, this not what I planned for tonight. My teacher's lesson book indicated that we were to study the story of Jonah on the boat in the storm, running away from Nineveh. There was nothing in the index about sharks, whales maybe, but no sharks. I couldn't find anything about karate moves, fossils, crayons, or Disney Princesses. I could be in trouble here, on a boat in a storm like Jonah. We were pretty comfortable with each other, these kids and I, and if they thought it would quell the storm they wouldn't hesitate to throw me overboard to the whales.




Unlike Jonah I wasn't running away. My planned lesson went back into my bag and I pulled out Genesis. I used the creation story to work in their questions about fossils and sharks, and how God granted us intellect to create crayons and dollies named Molly. We talked about "Princesses" like Queen Esther. By snack time we were fully engaged in the discussion, even Sarah came up with an offbeat question or two. The Spirit was certainly upon our little classroom.



I am thankful for having to throw that lesson plan into my bag and following where my heart was led. I am even more thankful that the large "Wednesdays" in my life brought me to my "little church job", a place I certainly would not be if I had followed my original "life plan." I am grateful for the little "Wednesday", grateful for children who keep me young, who challenge my faith and who assure me that angels are everywhere all the time and in all places.