A LESSON IN HUMILITY

I have posted several times about how crazy hectic our schedule is. With everything going on, Papa and I are on the go most of the time from 5:00 a.m. until 11:00 ish p.m. every day, and we stay exhausted. With that being said... 

I play in the church band with the director of our AWANA program.  It just so happened one Sunday that the AWANA meeting was right after our band practice.  He asked if I was going to the meeting and I told him that really didn't have any plans to.  

This is what was going through my head - I work every day, take classes two nights a week, play in the church band, go to cheer practice and football games, have to keep up with household chores, laundry, breakfast, lunch, supper, do homework, write papers... How in the WORLD could I possibly squeeze anything else into my schedule?  For real!

He said to me - "You have got to be here anyway...Come on, we will find somewhere for you."  UGH.  Okay, so I go to the dang meeting.  I am assigned to the TNT group.  3rd and 4th graders.  The biggest group.... with LOTS of rowdy boys, not to mention my daughter and all of her friends.  Now mind you, I am rather fond of these kids, but I am immediately panic ridden.  Sheesh.  I am internally whining.....why didn't I just ask to be put with the sweet little babies or something?

In the days leading up to this past Sunday....I have had this overwhelming sense of dread.  WHY am I doing this?  I don't want to teach AWANA.  I sing. I play guitar.  That is what I do.  That is my gift and contribution.  I do not and repeat do NOT teach 3rd and 4th graders.  We have plenty of teachers in our church.  That is what they do.  Not me..... you get the idea, right?

Last night we rounded up our 28 kids (more are sure to come, it was just the opening ceremonies last night).  I was staring at the faces of all these children thinking, "What have I done?  I must be out of my mind."  Then one of the other teachers tells the children that we are going to divide them up into classes.

What happened next shook me to the core of my very being.

Almost every single child in that room started yelling that they wanted to be in my class.  To the point that I felt really bad for the people who actually willingly signed up to teach these kids.  It was almost pandemonium.  We finally got them settled down and then they started chanting, "Geee-na!  Geee-na!  Geee-na!"  My face was flushed.  I was embarrassed. I felt ashamed.  I felt like I just wanted to weep in the middle of the class.

Have you ever had a moment where you knew right on the spot that you were being taught a lesson in humility and that the Lord was quite obviously putting you in your place?  As I choked back tears I made some lame joke about them thinking that I was going to be bringing them food every week or something.  I was then paired up with a lady from my Sunday School class, and we were given a class of ten girls, my daughter included.

I had argued with myself.  I tried to plead my case to the AWANA director.  I tried to reason with God.  I don't want to. I don't have time to.  I am not your guy.  Excuse after lame excuse and for what?  A room full of excited kids that wanted me to be their teacher.  A room full of children who showed me that I was where I was supposed to be, voluntarily or not.  I don't think I have ever had another in-your-face type experience of that magnitude.  Last night was not the 'still small voice' that we are told to listen for.  Last night it was LOUD and clear.

I had just told the AWANA director yesterday morning (concerning a completely different situation) that the Will of God was like a runaway freight train and our options are #1 - jump on and ride  #2 - get run slap over or #3 - get left behind..... and there was absolutely nothing that could be done to stop it.

I think I will jump on and ride.

xoxoxo

~~Gena