November 1. The day after Halloween. It marks my start as the rotational Sunday School teacher for the 3rd and 4th graders. Yes, I know I won't be able to answer all the questions. Yes, there's a curriculum. Yes, I previewed the video. Yes, I was ready with my animal partners cards. Why? Because this month is about Noah - possibly the kids' favorite bible story. Usually there are 15 kids.
Today three boys showed up - one of whom is my own. Was it me? Was I starting too early? Um, no. It's the day after Halloween - and the kids that did show up informed me that most of their friends had too much chocolate or sugar or just plain stayed up too late because it was a holiday on a Saturday night. All reasonable excuses.
The first activity, according to the guide, is basically an animal charades game - and more than 4 participants are needed. Which I guess explains why one of the other classroom teachers (who was checking in on me) looked horrified as one child slid on his belly and became a snake, while another began clucking and pecking around the classroom, acting the part of a chicken. Hey - whatever works, I say. The boys thought about how hard it must have been to keep all the animals organized - and alive.
Bible story time... each child takes turns reading aloud, and I discover, pleasantly, that my child is really good - I mean really really good - at reading aloud. (For regular homework I usually get a muffled version with appropriate pauses...today, clear with tone differentiation and even emotion!) Essentially a terrifying story - God destroys the earth - but ends with a promise that God will never again destroy the world. Which unnerves them a bit until we talk about God's promise - and second chances.
That moves us on to the next activity - writing thank you notes. The assignment - just like Noah thanked God with burnt offerings at the newly built alter - you pretend you are Noah or a member of his family, and write a thank you note to God.
Here are two of the notes:
Dear God: Thank U for letting me servive and for letting me not get sick from the smell. I love you and I love my wife. Your friend, Noah.
Dear God, Thank you fer leting me and the animals live. The storm was a little strong. Thanks again. Love, Noah
A few more bits of conversation led to the questions I couldn't answer - but I'm sure have been answered somewhere.
Here are the questions I couldn't answer with authority.
Did any of the animals have babies while on the Ark?
Did any of the grown up animals eat the babies? (This came up when discussing rabbits and chickens and gerbils.)
If there were two animals of every kind, what was Noah's burnt offering? Remember, it smelled good and God knew it.
If there was only one window how did they clean up all the poop?
Did Noah forget any animals? (answered by a classmate - we'll never know, because it's dead.)
Did the Ark smell bad, or really super bad? Because of all the poop, you know? (I did offer that if cleaning up after one dog was any indication, it was probably very very stinky)
Why don't people live to be 601 years old any more?
I can't wait to see what next Sunday brings.
1 comment:
Our comments:
I think that "serve" and "servive" SHOULD come from the same root word. resolved.
We must accept that extra animals were brought to feed others. we might interpret that the "2 of every kind" were for the saving, and others not mentioned were for the eating. This is why they are not mentioned. Once you have accepted that, you have also answered what the offering was. I think it was not a pig. No matter how good they smell, God don't truck with no po'k.
The poop was fed to the dogs. well, they volunteered for it.
God left behind the Unicorns.
People stopped living to be 600 after 600 years with their sons and inlaws.
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