Go and Watch

I may have to take a course on church history at some point; do you think they'll let me substitute this instead?

Notes from Thunder Bay

Today I watched soccer. Timothy played first. He's only three but they let him play (with the 4 year olds) and he loves it! He's been talking about it all week: "On a next day you're going to watch me play soccer!" They're so funny at that age: they can't kick the ball in any direction except the one they're facing, they fall over a lot, and they just like to run! After that Keona played. She's 7 now and these guys have at least a bit of an idea of how to play. They try hard and the score stays about even since they aren't good at scoring or saving. It's fun to watch and, since I knew some of the small players, pretty much worth getting up early on a Saturday morning.

I've been having a good time playing with the small and not-so-small nieces and nephews (the oldest towers over me by at least 6 inches). The smallest ones are entertaining and the older ones are interesting (usually). The two oldest, my brother's children, are 16 and 13 now and we had a good time talking over bowling and supper. I did have Alex (who is 11) describing his DS games in detail as we walked home last night. And Zach (9 next week) discussed the merits of the different "High School Musical" movies with me. So, yeah...interesting!

Only one more day and then I head back to Edmonton where's it's quiet and peaceful and not nearly as much fun.

The Fall of the Berlin Wall

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. There are celebrations and such going on in Germany today, marking the occasion, not only of the coming down of the wall and the reunification of Berlin and then Germany, but the start of the fall of communism.

They say there are (or will be or have been)children where the wall was, holding speakers with recordings of the sound of people chipping at the wall, a sound that no one there will forget, but that the children did not hear; they are part of a generation that has only known a united Berlin and then a united Germany

I remember when the wall came down. I was in grade 10, and in history we were learning about World War 2 and the rise of the Berlin Wall. It was a strange thing, to be learning the beginning and watching the end of an era at the same time. It was a great time to be learning history.

A Sentence to Share

"David is not awakened by the prophet's hovering at a distance in parabolical insinuations."

from A Sure Guide to Heaven by Joseph Alleine

First, it's just so beautifully worded. Second, when we are talking about the gospel and the need for Christ, we can't be vague and talk in generalities; we need to make sure people know "thou art that man."

From the Kids...

At work:
Student: You know they say you can't judge a cover by its book...well, I always judge a cover by its book, everyone does....wait, that's not right....

In Junior Church:
Me: Jews and Samaritans wouldn't even eat at each other's houses.
Child: That's silly! No one eats houses!

After church, when the children were lining up for their treat; they were telling me what the Junior church lesson was about (the lesson was the parable of the rich fool):
Small girl (in a small, sweet voice): Jesus said stuff... to some people...

From a friend (sorry, Dawn, but it's too good not to share and you don't have a blog...):
Dawn's nephew was over while his parents were at the hospital; they were adopting a baby and this was the day the baby was to be born. The nephew (and soon-to-be big brother) really wanted a girl.
Nephew: I really hope my baby sister isn't a boy.

A Most Amazing Experience...

I got home from work today, about 3:20, and discovered that....I had nothing urgent to do.

The final essay has been sent off the friends for editing, so I can ignore that for now.

The Junior Church lessons for November are written and ready to go (I need to get them to the teacher tomorrow).

I'm ready for Sunday School, since it's a "workbook week" (one week I teach the lesson, and the next week we review and do the workbook pages).

Even the mending and hemming is done.

Which is not to say that there's nothing to do: there's the neglected housework (although I did vacuum) and there are Bible studies to prepare for (I've at least started the memory work). There's always "stuff" to do. It's just that, for the first time in a while, I'm not trying to keep up and meet a deadline.

Which is good, because I think I may need to accept that I have a cold and I just want to sleep.

Sunday School

I love my Sunday School class. I love teaching children who are old enough to think and have conversations and understand stuff. We're having a wonderful time and they're talking more and it's so much fun!

This was a teaching week (the lessons are too long for one class, so one week we teach and the next week we review and do the workbook). We're learning about the promises of God and how some are for everyone and some just for Christians and some have conditions attached. Today we learned Psalm 84:11 and we had some good conversation about why God might withhold something we view as good (it isn't really good, He has something better, we are hiding sin in our hearts). And for once we finished in time to have a proper prayer time when the kids could pray too if they wanted.

And then we had snack and talked about dead animals stories.

Did I mention how much I love my Sunday School class? They are all totally amazing kids. This is going to be a great year!