Remember Jonah?
I love my job.
I have often said that I think those sweet kiddos teach me much more than I could ever teach them.
I find myself sometimes thinking to myself "Do you hear what you are saying?"
Today was yet another one of those days.
Their was a child having a little to much fun with his buddy that he/she sits next too. It does happen. Shocking I know. Even more shocking is that I sometimes have to rearrange the seating to "help" them be better listeners. Well today after helping a friend I got "the look". Most the kids have turned four or are very close and well they getting less shy about letting Mrs. Eagen know when they are not so happy.
I felt it was a good time to talk about what we learned from Jonah. Not sure why as we learned about Jonah last fall but I felt lead so I went with it. Amazing the recall they had- what fun it was to re-learn such a good lesson.
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh.
Jonah didn't want to.
Jonah decided to head the other way to Tarshish.
Well after realizing (both Jonah and his travel companions) that God was not exactly amused about his choice to be disobedient Jonah took a dive overboard.
Well we all know the story- the "huge fish was provided" (vs. 7) and down the hatch Jonah went.
So I ask the kids "What do you suppose it was like in the belly of that whale?"
wet
cold
stinky
dark
.... guessing a Super 8 was looking pretty snazzy at this point for poor Jonah (OK so I leave that part out)
UNCOMFORTABLE....
what do you do when things are tuff or there is times of trouble or you don't exactly like the place where you are.... you do just as Jonah did. You Pray. I know I do.
Now granted when I'm talking to the 3 year olds about it the words are different. But trust me when I say the message is the same.
"Boys and Girls- Jonah was not comfortable in that smelly, dark, wet, cold belly of the fish but was Jonah safe?" .... yes
"Who keeps Jonah safe and loved him even when he was disobedient?" .... God
"Did God forgive Jonah and give Jonah another chance"..... yes
Don't we all have Jonah moments? I know I do.
I have big one and small ones. Some that weigh me down much to long and some that should weigh me down a little longer.....
but even after I feel like I've been puked onto a beach after a little self will run riot I know that God loves me. I know that I can go to Ninevah afterward. I know that I am a child of God and the way he keeps me safe and shows His love isn't always the most comfortable or the most desirable of situations but it sure does get the job done.
Yes-sometimes Mrs. Eagen needs "help" in being a better listener.
I have often said that I think those sweet kiddos teach me much more than I could ever teach them.
I find myself sometimes thinking to myself "Do you hear what you are saying?"
Today was yet another one of those days.
Their was a child having a little to much fun with his buddy that he/she sits next too. It does happen. Shocking I know. Even more shocking is that I sometimes have to rearrange the seating to "help" them be better listeners. Well today after helping a friend I got "the look". Most the kids have turned four or are very close and well they getting less shy about letting Mrs. Eagen know when they are not so happy.
I felt it was a good time to talk about what we learned from Jonah. Not sure why as we learned about Jonah last fall but I felt lead so I went with it. Amazing the recall they had- what fun it was to re-learn such a good lesson.
God told Jonah to go to Nineveh.
Jonah didn't want to.
Jonah decided to head the other way to Tarshish.
Well after realizing (both Jonah and his travel companions) that God was not exactly amused about his choice to be disobedient Jonah took a dive overboard.
Well we all know the story- the "huge fish was provided" (vs. 7) and down the hatch Jonah went.
So I ask the kids "What do you suppose it was like in the belly of that whale?"
wet
cold
stinky
dark
.... guessing a Super 8 was looking pretty snazzy at this point for poor Jonah (OK so I leave that part out)
UNCOMFORTABLE....
what do you do when things are tuff or there is times of trouble or you don't exactly like the place where you are.... you do just as Jonah did. You Pray. I know I do.
Now granted when I'm talking to the 3 year olds about it the words are different. But trust me when I say the message is the same.
"Boys and Girls- Jonah was not comfortable in that smelly, dark, wet, cold belly of the fish but was Jonah safe?" .... yes
"Who keeps Jonah safe and loved him even when he was disobedient?" .... God
"Did God forgive Jonah and give Jonah another chance"..... yes
Don't we all have Jonah moments? I know I do.
I have big one and small ones. Some that weigh me down much to long and some that should weigh me down a little longer.....
but even after I feel like I've been puked onto a beach after a little self will run riot I know that God loves me. I know that I can go to Ninevah afterward. I know that I am a child of God and the way he keeps me safe and shows His love isn't always the most comfortable or the most desirable of situations but it sure does get the job done.
Yes-sometimes Mrs. Eagen needs "help" in being a better listener.
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