As I was teaching my Primary class a week ago, I was in charge of Jack that day (Steve and I switch off whenever he has the lesson in Priests Quorum), and my kids (the 6-7-year-olds...I LOVE them) were getting kind of distracted, because he was crawling all over the place and trying to get into EVERYTHING.
The lesson was on our parents, and how just like Heavenly Father loves us, they love us, and we should love and respect and obey them like we love and respect and obey our Heavenly Father (and vice versa).
Jack was fascinated by the trash can, and the kids kept cracking up when he would make a beeline for it and I would have to pick him up and move him somewhere else, when it hit me: use the distraction (aka my child) as an object lesson!
"Okay, everyone--why am I not letting Jack suck on the trash can?" I asked them.
"Because it would be gross and germy!" the kids all chimed.
"But he really wants to grab it! See how frustrated he gets when I don't let him do what he wants? Why don't I just let him do what he wants? He really wants it!" I asked.
"Because it would be bad for him!" was the answer.
"So are you saying that I maybe understand better than he does what is good and what isn't?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, Heavenly Father feels the same way about us. He loves us so much that sometimes, He doesn't give us what we want, even if we really, REALLY want it. Even if we pray for it--sometimes He knows that what we want isn't what is best for us. So we have to trust that He knows what we need, even if we don't understand."
As they all nodded in understanding, I thought to myself, "Way to go--turning this into a teaching moment." And then I promptly went on with the lesson.
Then, last week, I was given a new calling and released from my old one as a Primary teacher. Let me clarify: I LOVED teaching Primary. It was my first time being a Primary teacher, and I loved my class, I loved the simplicity of the lessons, I loved the Spirit I felt when I was with my kids. So when the Bishop called and released me from that calling to give me a new one that was completely out of my comfort zone, I felt overwhelmed and frustrated by this change.
It was today, as I was dragging Jack away from his millionth attempt to get into my bathroom, that it hit me.
Heavenly Father loves me. And He understands what calling I need right now. So although it's one that I'm feeling daunted by, it's the one I need in order to stretch and grow, even though it's not necessarily the one I wanted. And I need to trust that He knows more than I do, and even if I don't understand, I can choose to obey and be kept safe and happy, or I can keep reaching for a closed door and end up wasting my time and efforts on something that wouldn't be good for me.
Interesting, isn't it, the things you can learn from your kids?
The lesson was on our parents, and how just like Heavenly Father loves us, they love us, and we should love and respect and obey them like we love and respect and obey our Heavenly Father (and vice versa).
Jack was fascinated by the trash can, and the kids kept cracking up when he would make a beeline for it and I would have to pick him up and move him somewhere else, when it hit me: use the distraction (aka my child) as an object lesson!
"Okay, everyone--why am I not letting Jack suck on the trash can?" I asked them.
"Because it would be gross and germy!" the kids all chimed.
"But he really wants to grab it! See how frustrated he gets when I don't let him do what he wants? Why don't I just let him do what he wants? He really wants it!" I asked.
"Because it would be bad for him!" was the answer.
"So are you saying that I maybe understand better than he does what is good and what isn't?"
"Yeah!"
"Well, Heavenly Father feels the same way about us. He loves us so much that sometimes, He doesn't give us what we want, even if we really, REALLY want it. Even if we pray for it--sometimes He knows that what we want isn't what is best for us. So we have to trust that He knows what we need, even if we don't understand."
As they all nodded in understanding, I thought to myself, "Way to go--turning this into a teaching moment." And then I promptly went on with the lesson.
Then, last week, I was given a new calling and released from my old one as a Primary teacher. Let me clarify: I LOVED teaching Primary. It was my first time being a Primary teacher, and I loved my class, I loved the simplicity of the lessons, I loved the Spirit I felt when I was with my kids. So when the Bishop called and released me from that calling to give me a new one that was completely out of my comfort zone, I felt overwhelmed and frustrated by this change.
It was today, as I was dragging Jack away from his millionth attempt to get into my bathroom, that it hit me.
Heavenly Father loves me. And He understands what calling I need right now. So although it's one that I'm feeling daunted by, it's the one I need in order to stretch and grow, even though it's not necessarily the one I wanted. And I need to trust that He knows more than I do, and even if I don't understand, I can choose to obey and be kept safe and happy, or I can keep reaching for a closed door and end up wasting my time and efforts on something that wouldn't be good for me.Interesting, isn't it, the things you can learn from your kids?
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P.S.
Way to go...baiting up along and then NOT saying what your new calling is! I am guessing....either Releif Society Teacher or Primary President!