It's been quite some time...not a whole lot has changed, and not much new is going on. But I do have a couple updates...
My replacement at JAMHI came! She has taken over my caseload, leaving me to be the first Clinic Case Manager JAMHI has ever had! It's pretty sweet being able to help form this position and giving my input. I am so incredibly blessed with this job - it's entertaining, fun, new, and I get to help people! Honestly, what else could I ask for? Ys, it is incredibly difficult being away from home, and I would LOVE to come home, but I am here for such a time as this, and that needs to be OK.
Winter came. There is snow and ice and everything. It's not nearly as bad as last year, but man alive, I still don't like it. It's crazy. Our house has the beginning of icicles. Welcome to winter.
In other news - the reason for my title - I have the best preschool story to tell!
This week's lesson was Jesus' first miricle - turning water to wine. How do you explain this to 3-4 year olds? What is a good visual aid? How do I show them that God is great? That God is a God of miracles? What a miracle is? Oh man, I was up for a challenge...
So for the visual aid, I got juice powder and put it in an empty cup. I then took a pitcher of water and poured the water into the powder cup and told them, "Jesus told the servants to pour water into the 6 stone jars, and then serve it to the party guests. You know what happened? The water turned to wine! And some of the guests said that it was the best wine they had ever had!" As I was telling them this, the powder water turned to juice - a miracle! The kids LOVED it! "Woah! It's like magic! That is so cool! Let me see!"
That wasn't enough. After that, each kid got to make their own "wine". They poured the water into their cups with the powder in it, and were simply amazed (Ah, to be a kid again...). They had juice with their snack and all was well...until the parents came.
The typical question for any parent to ask their kids when they get out of Sunday school is "What did you learn in Sunday school? How was it?" That Sunday was no exception:
-Dad: "Joey, what did you do in Sunday school today?"
-Joey: "We drank wine!"
-Dad: "You drank wine?"
-Joey: "Yeah! It was the best wine ever!"
-Dad: Looks at me with a questioning look. "Wow! Who else made wine?"
-Joey: "Um, the teacher!"
-Dad: "Oh yeah? Who else?"
-Joey: "Lola!" (She's another girl in the class)
By now, I am PRAYING that he gives the right answer - to show that I actually taught them something...
-Dad: "A long time ago - who made wine a long time ago?"
-Joey: "Um...." Blank stare...silence...more silence..."God!"
Close enough..
KIds are great. They love the simple things in life. Their understanding of things is so concrete and basic, and just when you think you're not getting though to them, they surprise you. At this age, it's not about the complex concepts. My job is to teach them that God is great. That God loves them. When was the last time I actually stopped and got that basic in my own walk? God - MY God - is great. My God is the God of love! Woah...
Blessings!
