Instead of spending my Sunday morning soaking up a sermon, I spent my Sunday morning soaking up glass after glass of spilled water. I spent my Sunday morning searching for marker tops, and I spent my Sunday morning pointing out, in my best teacher voice, that one can actually race cars without throwing them through the air.
Yes, it was my turn to volunteer in Kids' Church, and that's fine, except I really wanted to sit in big people's church, and you know, um, learn something.
Then came the lesson. Jesus heals ten lepers, and only one returns to thank Him, Luke 17:11-19.
What a bunch of ingrates. Imagine experiencing such a miracle, and not offering thanks.
Oh, wait.
Then came the thought that God placed me in that tiny, blue chair for a reason.
I needed to hear about thankfulness, and my lesson on thankfulness needed to be at a level that even the four and five year olds surrounding me could understand.
When I am thankful, I need to express thanks.
So today I’m thankful for clean sheets, a devoted sister, a husband who knows how to prepare for a party "like nobody’s business", working part-time, far away friends, sidewalk chalk drawings, all of you, who click your way back here week after week, and new opportunities.
Yes, expressing thanks. Because the first step in giving is realizing just how much you have, and even though I think I have that figured out, sometimes I need to return to the tiny, blue chair and learn it again.
What about you? Can you think of a time when you knew you were in the right place?
22 comments:
Amy, Thank you SO much for linking up with Use it on Monday -- you are so sweet! I can't tell you how relieved I am to see your smiling face there...it's a lot of pressure, this throwing a party and hoping the guests will show! :)
I really like your post -- and admire the fact that you volunteer with young kids on Sunday morning (I admit, I avoid it like the plague). But yes, there is so much to be thankful for, even in the hard stuff, the stuff we don't necessarily want to do. Thanks for that important reminder!
I like your list of thanks, especially clean sheets and sidewalk chalk drawings : )
So glad you sat in that little blue chair...
Rick and I help with the 3rd and 4th graders a couple of Sundays a month. Somehow I hear things differently sitting in those little blue chairs. Always I hear something in a way I haven't before, in a way I can really use. Thank God for those little blue chairs!
I have learned so much more from kid's church as an adult - mostly just from watching and listening to the little ones. They are great teachers aren't they?
I find that whenever I'm around children I learn things, especially the times when I feel that I'm the one with the great wisdom to impart! Their simplicity and straightforwardness always amazes me. And for that and your post and other's comments, I am grateful today.
Andie
after many years on this journey of wanting him to change my heart...I am thinking after reading your post that the best place to be is in the tiny blue chair...always.
so needed to read this
xo
What a wonderful lesson... God is so good!
Blessings
I really do feel like I need to return to the little kids' Sunday School chairs to hear what it is God is so patiently trying to teach me. Thankful for you, friend.
I love the way that God speaks to us when we make ourselves available to teach!
that tiny blue chair....love that! Way to serve those little people, sometimes I think we think it's filling 'time' but you are feeding those darlings his love by loving on them. Good goin' girl! Happy Valentine's to you!
Such a good thought! I'm finding lately that when I list all the things for which I am thankful, my list of complaints dramatically decreases. Unfortunately, I need the reminder often.
Hey, you know what? I think it's time for me to go back to kids church. There always seem to be good lessons like these there. Thanks for making me smile, Amy. And Happy Valentines day!
There is so much to be learned in those tiny blue chairs!
It never fails -- as I am writing out lesson plans for the little ones at church, God starts knocking at my heart.
Love this post, Amy. So glad that I know you and that we can walk together in learning these lessons.
Everywhere I look these days Luke 17 is coming up. Maybe all this repetition is trying to tell me something, huh? Thanks for sharing!
Amy, don't you just love this book? I love that you are starting your thankful list too. Just had to come over one more time!
What a great list, you will love the counting! I love your blog, and thank you for stopping in at mine. :)
well girl, it looks like someone is growing up:) and you shared your own interpretation of Ann's 'the only way to go up is to go down' upside down kingdom LIVING and THEN blogging about you...
So, did you just start counting...are these your first numbers?? wow! so excited...there's a new site for all of it too!
I know - the story always amazes me! Are you reading your One Thousand Gifts yet? Ann V. talks about that story as well. It turns my stomach that only one returned to thank Him and yet...I'm SO much like the others who didn't it kills me.
I've missed visiting blogs - life quickly took over. It's good to visit here again - I love reading your words. And for the record, I ALWAYS find that when I have Children's Church duty, the lesson was meant JUST FOR ME. He's funny like that, eh?
Have a thankful day, Amy! :)
Natalie at Mommy on Fire
http://www.mommyonfire.com
I'm in the same blue chair this month at our church and last week we talked about how God loves everyone(parable of the Great Banquet) I had given out "invitations" to our own little banquet and said, "God wants us to love everyone and he invites everyone to come to Him" A little boy piped up and said, "Then we need to go invite everyone at church to our party RIGHT NOW!" I had a hard time explaining that we really couldn't interupt the service to invite them all. Yikes, but I think they got the point. And I did have this nagging feeling of how we let our "formalities" get in the way of extending our love invites to everyone. But my hubs did thank me later for not letting the class barge in the service and invite all 200 people to a party with 8 cupcakes. But then another true miracle comes to mind in that regards...something about a few fish and very little bread. So yeah, I'm needing the blue chair this month too.
Thank you, friends for all of the good stories and sweet comments. I haven't been visiting blogs too much, and I miss hearing about the happenings in all of your lives!
I feel that same way often Amy, wondering if what I'm doing is really making a difference. And then, without fanfare, God steps in. Thankfully!
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