Egg Hunt

Egg Hunt

We had an Egg Hunt before church this morning. It’s so ill-prepared I just want to scream. I have had some disagreements in the past with the woman who was running the whole show, and came out of my Adult Sunday School class to see if I could help her. The whole thing was to begin at 10:30 and she didn’t show up until then, and FINALLY after 10 minutes began hiding eggs and trying to get a lesson ready for Sunday School. My darling hubby only agreed to the egg hunt, “If it’s done in enough time for everyone to come up for church at 11:00.” So Carmi and I kept offering our help, but this woman said no to everything and finally at 11, I went upstairs.

Past Conflict

I’ve talked just a little here before about how I feel some individuals at our church really take me for granted. It was a few months ago and this woman (I’ll call her Roberta) really browbeat me mercilessly- in front of other people- saying this:

“Well all the other Pastors have taken on teaching the Adult Sunday School class, and all the other Pastors’ wives have taken on teaching the Youth Group. You don’t need to be in the Adult Sunday School class. You need to be in the trenches with the rest of us, working to help grow this church. Those little old ladies certainly don’t need any help to sit there and listen to their lesson. And yet, you sit there with them, week after week. You chitchat and you goof off with them and there’s nobody to work with the youth.”

That was just a fraction of what she said, and it’s only rotted my gut more with time. I guess I didn’t realize that I was still angry over the whole thing.

After Roberta ranted for 5 minutes or so, I smiled to hold back tears of anger and disgust. I looked her in the eyes and said, “I’m glad that you’re so passionate about finding Youth workers. If only everyone in the church was so passionate about teaching our Youth about Jesus and His love.”

Rescued

I was so thankful when another lady walked up to Roberta and began a conversation in earnest. I feel very cherished by most everyone in the church, and I can’t help but wonder if that person was rescuing me from a further tongue-lashing. I immediately sought out my hubby-dear, and asked if we could please leave because I needed to relate something to him.

Obviously, I was livid. I have prayed at such great length about taking on the Youth Group. I don’t need to list off all the reasons why I had previously decided not to take it on, but the biggest was that I knew once I took the reins, there would be no support whatsoever. I’m sure that is why Roberta doesn’t want to do it anymore. I would have no problem supporting her and even alternating at times, if Roberta was not such a martyr. Seriously, martying onesself is NOT the way to make friends with Jayleigh. I should have cards made up and just hand them out when someone is dumping on me about how amazing they are and how crappy I am. ANYHOO…..

In the end, after much prayer and soul-searching, I decided that I wanted to work with the little kids. I know, probably everywhere is the same and has an excess of people wanting to work with the cutie-pies, and nobody wanting to work with the sassy-mouthed ones. But I am unpaid. I have a 40-hour job. And I talked with God and I felt such a calling with the little ones. And no guilt about not taking the older ones… even when someone else tried to pile the guilt on me.

Teaching Next Week

So, I’m teaching little kids Sunday School next week. In previous years, we have just skipped Sunday School on Easter… because it’s a BUSY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!! With two services and breakfast in-between. But Roberta asked me to do it, and I agreed.

Something else that’s completely nagging at me is that in the past, nobody EVER went downstairs to help me with Sunday School. It was only me, and I didn’t have a clue (until today) that Roberta has a “system,” shall we say, of letting the kids play for 15 minutes, then wahing up, having snack time, and THEN probably a 10-minute lesson.

Seriously? 10 - 15 minute lesson? When Rob and I were in charge of Sunday School at Branton, we spent 45 minutes on the lesson. Why? Because you read the story. And then you color the corresponding picture. And then you read the Bible verse. And then you have a cup of hot-cocoa if you were good. AND THEN, if there was time left, you played.

Priorities, people! Come ON! Don’t leave the best, the meat-and-potatoes until last. Now I REALIZE I don’t have kids, and I don’t have to deal with screaming or crying little guys because they didn’t get to play for 15 minutes. But it wasn’t NURSERY SCHOOL, it was Sunday School! The kiddos understand that they are going to learn about Jesus. That’s the nature of SS.

So I didn’t say all of thew above to Roberta today. I couldn’t, because my momma said if I can’t say something nice, not to say anything at all. And I couldn’t, and still CAN’T find a nice way to say it all.

Jay’s Reasons Why

Here are my reasons why the Little Old Ladies are 1000 times better than working with un-thankful, browbeating martyrs like Roberta:

1. The Little Old Ladies are nice to me.
2. The LOL’s ask about my week, and my family.
3. The LOL’s take me just as I am, and are happy to see me.
4. The LOL’s show Christ’s love and will gently correct, instead of martyring and throwing guilt on someone.
5. The LOL’s are my Spiritual Mentors. These woman (there are some men too, but mostly ladies) have loved the Lord for longer than I have been alive. I learn so much about His Love from these gentle folks.
6. In the end, it’s about being a Mary instead of a Martha.

That’s about it. I’m adding my apparent anger over this situation to my prayer list.

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