Planting Seeds

   Planting seeds seems to be a theme that keeps coming up, in newletters and articles I have run across; “As you sow, so shall you reap” and “Some sow the seeds and others gather the harvest .” The words are all around me these days. The idea that I am planting seeds, small thoughts and beliefs that will someday grow into a real and active faith and compassion is what I need to hold onto.


   Working as a children’s minister and a youth minister I often have to remind myself about this concept. The work seems long and the rewards, while not few, they are sporadic. There are evenings when I think I should check my forehead for a lump because I have been banging my head against the wall for so long. When a member of the youth group tells a member of the clergy that she doesn’t think the quote, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” is from the bible. When a child mentions after singing “Father Abraham” that he knows who Abraham is; he is on the penny. When, within moments of completing a lesson on the last being first and first being last, there is nearly a fist fight to be the first to get the popcorn. These are the times when I think perhaps the seeds have just caught the wind and never even landed, much less taken root.
   But then there are times when I feel redeemed. I feel like the Spirit of God is really among us. When I couldn’t pull the youth group away from hearing stories and working on jigsaw puzzles with the residents of an assisted living apartment. When nine teenagers volunteered without any coercion to get up an hour early during Mission Week so that they could go out and distribute care packages and sandwiches to the homeless, all before a full day of work in the Florida sun. When a seven year old willingly left her known friends and welcomed a new child into her game during children’s church. Those are the times when I am caught off guard and see something of the love we have been trying to teach them all along.

   The seeds of God’s words and commands to love one another are there. Some are just dormant a little longer than others. Some results we will never see. Some results are for others to harvest not us. All parents, grandparents, Sunday school teachers, youth workers and others who touch the lives of children take heart, keep planting the seeds of love, humility, honor, peace, patience, faith and all of the virtues to which we are called. It is the tiny acts of faith, faith in the seeds we are planting and in God’s hand in bringing them to fruition, from which the faith of a new generation will grow.

Michelle

Summer

   My favorite day of the year is the last day of school. I love this time of year. Even though my work hours are exactly the same as they were in the fall, winter and spring, it feels different, more relaxed. Perhaps it is that there are no early morning breakfasts, no rush to the bus stop, no evening homework or PTA meetings. There is still required summer reading and math review, yet the pace is less over wrought. My children are home alone and have to learn to be self directed in order to get the assigned housework, yard work and school work done without the parental unit there to negotiate things. Summer is a good time for children to learn some independence.

   At church the pace slows as well. So many children are away at camp or the beach or on vacation that each week Sunday school time is much quieter. To mark the change we have summer Sunday school. All of the elementary age children are together in one big class. It is louder and more chaotic. No one stays in their seats because this is the perfect opportunity for the big fifth and sixth grade students to help the little kindergarten and first grade and students.

   I assign each fifth and sixth grader to a first grader or kindergartener as Bible buddies. The big Bible buddy helps the little Bible buddy find the verse in Proverbs. The big ones do the writing or the stapling that little hands can’t do. Big Bible buddies portion out the snacks and serve them; little Bible buddies collect the empty cups and throw them out. Everyone talks a lot.

   Through the jumble of glue sticks and construction paper is the experience that there are many ways to learn about and feel God’s love. They feel the growth of being the one to help and the glow of having your own personal helper. The children learn to connect to each other without an adult hovering and directing. During the academic year Sunday school is more structured and during the summer it is a different sort of flow, less structure more experiential. It is a good change, at least for awhile.

   The flow of summer will sustain itself for only a short time. The novelty of combining the ages and assigning Bible buddies will wear off as the summer wears on. By the end of summer everyone will be ready for a more focused approach. And that is when my second favorite day of the year arrives, the first day of school.

Have a relaxed and refreshing summer.

Michelle