Being given the opportunity to teach and later become Superintendent of the Kindergarten at Bethel UCC was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Each little child with their own personality was precious to me and I always dreaded promotion time when some of them would leave to go to the Primary Department.
We had many funny little incidents, so I would like to open the windows to the years from 1952 to 1964 and title it “Out of the Mouths of Babes.”
The first – one of my little girls came in one morning and said she had come to Sunday School with her grandma and grandpa. She said, “My mama and daddy didn’t get home ‘ til 2:00 o’clock and they didn’t get up.”
At Christmas we would have the Christmas story. We had little costumes and would choose different ones to take part. Chuck W. went home and told his mother, “We had a play and I got to be a wise guy.”
When someone brought a visitor we would have them bring their friend up front and tell us their name and where they were from. We had a little visitor one morning and he said he was from Paducah. The children wanted to know how far that was and I told them and we sang our welcome song to him. A little later we were talking about God’s wonders and all the beauty in His world. I showed a tiny little flower, actually a bloom from a weed, which one of the children had brought. I said, “Even this tiny little flower is one of God’s wonders, too!” Someone said, “What’s its’ name?” and I replied, “I really don’t know if it has a name.” Scott A., who was usually very quiet said, “Maybe it’s a Paducah.” The name Paducah had stuck with him and it is close to petunia.
One dark, rainy morning I told them that I really didn’t want to get up that morning and I asked them if they had a hard time waking up. They all started to talk, so I said, “Raise your hand and I’ll let you tell me who awakened you.” One said, “My mother woke me up.” One said, “I woke up all by myself. My mommy and daddy were still sleeping – they were loving – but they were still sleeping.”
We always smiled when one little girl would run down the hall and bounce into the room – even if we were singing a song, telling a story or praying – and say “I’m here, Teacher,” as if to say, “You can start now.” I have always heard that children tell the truth so when I was standing up front one Sunday and this young lady was sitting in the front row looked up at me and said, “Teacher, you’re prettier than an angel,” I knew in her heart she meant it – and I believed her.
Now when I see these fine young men and women who were my little children, I thank God for opening that window and letting me have a tiny part in guiding them spiritually.
Monday, July 30, 2007
Out of the Mouths of Babes
Being given the opportunity to teach and later become Superintendent of the Kindergarten at Bethel UCC was one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. Each little child with their own personality was precious to me and I always dreaded promotion time when some of them would leave to go to the Primary Department.
We had many funny little incidents, so I would like to open the windows to the years from 1952 to 1964 and title it “Out of the Mouths of Babes.”
The first – one of my little girls came in one morning and said she had come to Sunday School with her grandma and grandpa. She said, “My mama and daddy didn’t get home ‘ til 2:00 o’clock and they didn’t get up.”
At Christmas we would have the Christmas story. We had little costumes and would choose different ones to take part. One young man went home and told his mother, “We had a play and I got to be a wise guy.”
When someone brought a visitor we would have them bring their friend up front and tell us their name and where they were from. We had a little visitor one morning and he said he was from Paducah. The children wanted to know how far that was and I told them and we sang our welcome song to him. A little later we were talking about God’s wonders and all the beauty in His world. I showed a tiny little flower, actually a bloom from a weed, which one of the children had brought. I said, “Even this tiny little flower is one of God’s wonders, too!” Someone said, “What’s its’ name?” and I replied, “I really don’t know if it has a name.” One little boy, who was usually very quiet said, “Maybe it’s a Paducah.” The name Paducah had stuck with him and it is close to petunia.
One dark, rainy morning I told them that I really didn’t want to get up that morning and I asked them if they had a hard time waking up. They all started to talk, so I said, “Raise your hand and I’ll let you tell me who awakened you.” One said, “My mother woke me up.” One said, “I woke up all by myself. My mommy and daddy were still sleeping – they were loving – but they were still sleeping.”
We always smiled when one little girl would run down the hall and bounce into the room – even if we were singing a song, telling a story or praying – and say “I’m here, Teacher,” as if to say, “You can start now.” I have always heard that children tell the truth, so when I was standing up front one Sunday this little girl, sitting in the front row, looked up at me and said, “Teacher, you’re prettier than an angel,” I knew in her heart she meant it – and I believed her.
Now when I see these fine young men and women who were my little children, I thank God for opening that window and letting me have a tiny part in guiding them spiritually.
We had many funny little incidents, so I would like to open the windows to the years from 1952 to 1964 and title it “Out of the Mouths of Babes.”
The first – one of my little girls came in one morning and said she had come to Sunday School with her grandma and grandpa. She said, “My mama and daddy didn’t get home ‘ til 2:00 o’clock and they didn’t get up.”
At Christmas we would have the Christmas story. We had little costumes and would choose different ones to take part. One young man went home and told his mother, “We had a play and I got to be a wise guy.”
When someone brought a visitor we would have them bring their friend up front and tell us their name and where they were from. We had a little visitor one morning and he said he was from Paducah. The children wanted to know how far that was and I told them and we sang our welcome song to him. A little later we were talking about God’s wonders and all the beauty in His world. I showed a tiny little flower, actually a bloom from a weed, which one of the children had brought. I said, “Even this tiny little flower is one of God’s wonders, too!” Someone said, “What’s its’ name?” and I replied, “I really don’t know if it has a name.” One little boy, who was usually very quiet said, “Maybe it’s a Paducah.” The name Paducah had stuck with him and it is close to petunia.
One dark, rainy morning I told them that I really didn’t want to get up that morning and I asked them if they had a hard time waking up. They all started to talk, so I said, “Raise your hand and I’ll let you tell me who awakened you.” One said, “My mother woke me up.” One said, “I woke up all by myself. My mommy and daddy were still sleeping – they were loving – but they were still sleeping.”
We always smiled when one little girl would run down the hall and bounce into the room – even if we were singing a song, telling a story or praying – and say “I’m here, Teacher,” as if to say, “You can start now.” I have always heard that children tell the truth, so when I was standing up front one Sunday this little girl, sitting in the front row, looked up at me and said, “Teacher, you’re prettier than an angel,” I knew in her heart she meant it – and I believed her.
Now when I see these fine young men and women who were my little children, I thank God for opening that window and letting me have a tiny part in guiding them spiritually.
Easy Church Health Care
Miss Beatrice, the church organist, was in her eighties. She was admired for her sweetness and kindness to all.
One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.
As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom!
When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer resist. "Miss Beatrice," he said, "I wonder if you would tell me about this?" pointing to the bowl.
"Oh, yes," she replied, "Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all winter?"
One afternoon the pastor came to call on her and she showed him into her quaint sitting room. She invited him to have a seat while she prepared tea.
As he sat facing her old Hammond organ, the young minister noticed a cut-glass bowl sitting on top of it. The bowl was filled with water, and in the water floated, of all things, a condom!
When she returned with tea and scones, they began to chat. The pastor tried to stifle his curiosity about the bowl of water and its strange floater, but soon it got the better of him and he could no longer resist. "Miss Beatrice," he said, "I wonder if you would tell me about this?" pointing to the bowl.
"Oh, yes," she replied, "Isn't it wonderful? I was walking through the park a few months ago and I found this little package on the ground. The directions said to place it on the organ, keep it wet and that it would prevent the spread of disease. Do you know I haven't had the flu all winter?"
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