Day 14.2018

Still running behind, but I have your Sunday of Joy right here!

Yesterday was the third Sunday of Advent, or Gaudete Sunday, which I think is Latin for Joy.  Or maybe it is Latin for gauchos, those ¾ pants ladies sometimes wear?  Now I am wondering what those pants have to do with the Advent? This right here is why I did not go to seminary folks.

I just googled it, and it means to rejoice. Boom, thank you internet. So yesterday we talked to the littles about the Sunday of Joy. First I want to remind you that the littles are age three to however old you are when you start first grade. I had some online feedback this week that maybe we should be focusing more on salvation, but then I got reassurance that it says in the bible that if you are still struggling with potty training and shoe tying then you are still ok on the salvation.

So we began the lesson by reviewing the other Sundays in this unit. First was Hope, because everyone was hoping that Jesus would be born, then was Peace because Jesus was (probably) a hippie and was called the Prince of Peace.  And third Sunday is Joy because everyone was happy when Jesus was born. Typically the color for the Sunday of Joy is pink.  I asked the littles if they knew why it was pink, and they said it was because Joy is always pink, duh. Now either they are advanced theologically, or they might be channeling some mean girls movie there.

So for our banner today, we again used the teal background. White might have been a better choice but I had half a teal banner piece, and half a white banner piece left and the Sunday I won’t be there is just crayon, so it really should be white so it stands out more.  So, theologically weird Teal it was.  Then we poured pink paint from the resource room onto paper plates and let the littles stamp their hands all over the banner. Why? That is an easy one because very few things bring me as much joy as children.  Even when they are being especially sassy and making fun of my name by calling me Kinkade Cactus. Finally, I had to threaten to call Santa.  Which got me in trouble with Kathleen, because she had already headed off a discussion of Santa, AND the Nutcracker when it was Jesus time.

Then once the pink paint was dry, and all the little hands were washed, and the paint smocks removed (because I know better than to let them paint without a paint smock) we added the letters that spelled Joy that Jesus Mrs. Jodi sent. Then it was snack time.  Goldfish or animal crackers, or Life cereal?

Every week when we have snack Mrs. Kathleen prays, and she reminds them before she prays, that she prays with her eyes open, and they can have their eyes open, and they can eat, and they can drink while she prays, but they cannot talk. Then she prays about the lesson, thank God for the snack, and then one by one thank God for each of the littles, even the sassy-mouthed ones.  This may be jumping ahead to next week, but that is Love.

Do me a favor today, love someone? Even someone sassy mouthed.