Respect

The longer I teach Sunday school, the more my respect for pastors, youth pastors, et al grows. I teach one out of every three months and sometimes it feels like a real burden. How pastors continually find new meaning and new ways of presenting God's message is a remarkable thing. I know they get plenty of guidence from God, but still, it's an impressive bit of work. Some Sundays when I teach, people seem to be really into the lesson and are actively participating. Other mornings, they just sit there like bumps on a log. On those mornings you can almost here the crickets chirping. I know God directed me to be a teacher because of how things fell into place for it to happen. As time goes on though, I think it was more for my benefit than anything else, cause quite frankly, I don't think I'm a very good teacher. For tomorrow I prepared a lesson on David and his courage and it's ultimate source--God. I'm hoping people will take to it and there will be lively discussion. Sitting in from of twenty or more people waiting for a single answer to a simple question because no one feels like talking sucks. Sometimes I think the biggest thing God wants me to learn from all of this is patience.

To steal an idea from Brad, the Christmas season allows for the singing of some of my favorite hymns at church. I like the standard holiday fair--Joy to the World, Silent Night, etc--but my two favorite Christmas/Advent songs are One Small Child and O Come, O Come Emanuel. The music and the words for both songs strike a chord for me.