The Grade 4/5 Sunday School class students bring home a new assignment sheet every six weeks. They can earn points for attendance, bringing their Bibles, completing reading assignments, service projects, and Scripture memory. Once the student earns 50 points, he/she receives a prize of a movie gift certificate and a token for a free DQ sundae. Noah has been motivated by these assignments and I challenged him to complete all the assignments this time to achieve a "blackout" which entitles him to a double prize. He's taken me up on it and we have all learned as a result.
This session focused on leadership and one part of the service project was to do something to honour a leader in your life. Noah chose his small group leader at the midweek kids' club our kids attend and decided to bake some cookies to give to him. We decided to expand this to include the two middle girls' leaders as well. We worked together as a team baking some yummy ginger molasses cookies and deciding what to say when presenting these to each leader. Noah gathered all the ingredients, the girls took turns dumping, and I operated the KitchenAid mixer (wonderful appliance, like having an extra pair of hands). I was impressed by how they stuck with the task until the cookies were in the oven, each taking a turn to roll a batch of cookies in white sugar. They turned out beautifully (see above) and we wrapped them up in red cellophane, tied them with a black gingham ribbon, and waited for the time to come to leave the house. It was decided collaboratively that each child would go up to their leader and say something to the effect of, "Thank you for being a great leader to me." Since it isn't a holiday or the end of the year, I hope these leaders felt singled out and really special for the gift they are giving to these children. As a family, we are tremendously thankful for individuals who are helping us in our job of training our children, especially in guiding them spiritually.
Before the cookies were made, earlier in the day, Noah knocked my socks off. I have to explain that he is not a child who likes to do household things. Okay, let's be honest: the kid has an almost allergic aversion to cleaning and work. He'd much rather play his Gameboy, play outside, watch a movie, eat a snack, write a story, or...well...anything. I caught him coming out of my room and his face lit up as he said, "Mommy! I made your bed and tidied in your room!" When I asked him why he had done that he said, "Well, partly for my class and partly because I wanted to." I was blessed big time by this act of kindness and definitely felt the honour of being a leader in this young life. So many days as a mom it can feel like there is no return for the investment of time, work, worry, and energy. We shouldn't concern ourselves with what we will "get out of" parenting. The rewards, however, are sweet and this was a moment for me to remember.
More later.
4 comments:
Oh how wonderful! These kids surprise when we least expect it, don't they? And usually when we most need it!
MMMmm, they look yummy. Funny thing you post this, Em has learnt how to crochet, and is making dish cloths and has been giving them to her sunday school teachers, and this week to her FB teachers. It's nice to give to those who give to our children. And they desrve it!! How fun!
Not only is that awesome but you've given me a great motivation idea to use on Ty. He is also allergic to that "W" word.
The cookies look very yummy. Isn't it amazing how kids surprise us? My ds Malachi is the same way - he is COMPLETELY allergic to the "W" word!
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