i hadn't wanted to move up to
camp grace with my kiddos for only one reason: stage fright.
i'd
heard the teacher sometimes had to take part in the skits in big group
and i really didn't want to have to do that. i would get anxious just
thinking about it. i'd imagine having to stand in front of a room full
of kids and a handful of adults and speak. or "act." or, Heaven
forbid, sing. i dreaded every image that came to mind. but i love
those kids to death (i'd been teaching since they were 2-3 years old)
and i knew how absolutely selfish and unreasonable my worries were, so i
moved on up with my class. (i figured i could always un-promote myself
if it was just too, too much to bear.)
last night was my
first night in the bear den. we were in big group. they told the kids
to nominate one of their teachers to come up to the front to
do...something. my heart dropped. "on the first night? really?
ugh."
i am the only teacher in bear den, so (despite me
trying in fake-jest (you know, pointing to the other person like you're
kidding, but really, you're not) to get them to nominate the sweet lady
who was jumping in, instead of me) it was unanimous; they chose me.
i
went to the front of the room to play "musical spoons" - a musical
chairs sort of game, but instead of moving from chair to chair, you pass
a spoon around. if the music stops while you're holding the spoon, you
reach into a bag, pull out some food, and have to eat a spoonful of
whatever you grabbed. the first lady stuck with the spoon blindly chose
a jar of turkey baby food. she took the tiniest nibble and sat back
down with her class. a rule was made that the next time, someone else
would serve the food, to make sure it was a healthy sized bite.
guess who was next.
as
i was reaching in the bag, i said, "i hope there are some vegetarian
options in there," (wondering, "do they make beef baby food? it's going
to be really awkward when i pull out some type of pureed beef and have
to refuse to eat it. oh, no, i hope it's not sweet potatoes."). i
pulled out a jar of applesauce (whew!) baby food and gladly ate my
gigantic bite.
and learned that applesauce baby food is not the same thing as just good ol' apple sauce.
still, it wasn't too bad.
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
The engulfing waters threatened me,
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
“When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
“Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
jonah 2: 1-9
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