Waiting in the Ark

The story of Noah provides several important lessons. The first couple are obvious:

As Mrs. Cathy taught the kids in chapel, Noah was obedient.

 "These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God." Genesis 6:9 (ESV)

Second, God keeps his promises. As the kids sang in chapel, "The rainbow's in the sky to show God's promises are true."

But there's a third lesson I find applicable, and it has to do with waiting.

First of all, it took years for Noah to build the ark, yet he continued working and obeying even though his actions were counter-cultural, since the rest of the world had rejected God.

 Then after the ark was complete, after Noah and the animals were on board and God shut the door, Noah waited another 7 days before anything happened. Imagine the tension: Was it really going to rain? 

Next came the 40 days and nights of rain. Here is South Louisiana, we can relate...especially after the hurricane season we've just experience.

And then … the rain stopped. I'm picturing some major celebrating going on among Noah's family. But then Noah looked out the window, and reality set in. They weren't going anywhere for a very long time. In fact, Noah and his crew spent a year aboard the ark.

I can certainly feel Noah's pain. This year especially, we've all had lots of opportunities to practice the art of waiting.

Waiting for restrictions to be lifted. Waiting for the next phase. Waiting to be able to get out and do the things we used to do. Waiting for God to answer our prayers. 

Sometimes we see little signs of progress, but then we recognize we've still got a long way to go. God's timetable is not always what we think it should be; sometimes things take a lot longer than we expected.

I have things I've been praying about for a  long time. I don't know what prayers you are waiting to see answered, but I know God is faithful. 

I'm imagining Noah again, and I'm wondering how he passed the time while he waited for the floodwaters to recede. I imagine he might have enjoyed the antics of the menagerie he had around him. We can do the same, enjoying the delightful, funny, sometimes exasperating but always loveable creatures God's given us to love and care for...

Forest Animals

Pond Animals

Wild Animals

The turtles are a little slow moving...

…. but slow and steady wins the race.

 

Noah also had zebras...

lions...

flying squirrels...

bears...

tigers...

puppy dogs...

eagles...

foxes..

and butterflies.

Crafts

and more crafts!

We had a wild time on the ark.

The rainbow's in the sky to show God's promises are true.

Learning to Be Good Citizens

"First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people,  for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way." I Timothy 2:1-2 (ESV)

This week the students got a lesson on good citizenship. They learned that citizens of the United States of America  have a privilege and a responsibility to vote for our leaders. This decision is not to be taken lightly; as Christians we make our decision after prayerfully considering our choices and allowing our Christian worldview to inform our decisions. 

 One of the students took the message to heart. He accompanied his mom when she went to vote and insisted that she "vote for Jesus." 

I'm not really sure which candidate would get an endorsement from Jesus. But I do know the Bible tells us to pray for our elected officials so that we can live peaceful, godly lives. As my pastor Steve Foster says, "And when you step out of the voting booth, you can look up and remind yourself, “My hope is not in this world.”

I look at the boys and girls in my class and wonder what their future will look like. But when I consider their intelligence, their energy, their tender hearts, and their love for Jesus, I feel encouraged. I pray as they mature, they will be strong in their faith and will grow in their understanding of God's love for them.

Speaking of energy...

In science lab, the students have been learning about energy, force, and motion. Here are a few pictures of these energetic kids in action.

Pumpkins

I love the pumpkin patch. Those fields of orange balls and the wave of cool weather reminds me a change is coming. We're getting a reprieve from the heat (and hopefully from the hurricanes). In August and September we put in hours and hours of hard work, and we're beginning to reap the rewards of our efforts.

I'm already seeing the results of our efforts. My little students are mastering those sight words and are beginning to read independently. They're questioning, exploring, writing, thinking, and reasoning, reasoning, They're growing.

The field trip to the Pumpkin Patch, our first of the school year, was a chance to take a break from all our hard work and enjoy the blessings God sends our way: friends, families, and outdoor fun. It leaves me feeling hopeful that, after the challenges we've faced earlier this year due to Covid-19, we'll once again be able to enjoy the blessings of holiday gatherings and special events.

Every fall I remember the words of encouragement God gives us:

 "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. " Galatians 6:9 (ESV)

 

In Chapel on Thursday, Mrs. Cathy read The Pumpkin Patch Parable by Liz Curtis Higgs. I wondered if my class truly understood the analogies in the parable, since 5- and 6-year olds are often still concrete thinkers; they sometimes are very literal in their thinking and don't understand symbolism. So I questioned them after class. 

How is God like the farmer in the story? 

The students responses proved they were listening and understanding. 

"He takes care of us."

"He's patient with us."

"He washes away our sins."

What does it mean to let God's light shine in you?

Again, the kids had good answers.

"Do good things."

"Share."

"Help other people." 

Yes, my little friends are learning, growing, and reaping the rewards of their hard work.