Five Minute Friday: EXCUSE
Earlier this week, I ran out of money after helping a friend out at the airport. Unfortunately, taxi drivers in Kathmandu don’t take Visa. I had a taxi take me from the airport to my husband’s office at the church, so he could bail me out of my predicament. He willingly obliged and didn’t seem terribly put off by me hanging around for the afternoon. He and ‘his guys’ (men training in ministry) spun a bizarre story about something I needed to see in the back room. One of them even took a video as I stretched out one leg to open the door and kept my eyes half-shut. I almost believed their story of a caged rat the size of a dog, and I wasn’t sure what I was going to see in there.
Instead of a scary beast, I saw a great gift my husband had been hiding away for me. They had been working on remodeling my Sunday school “room” which wasn’t really a room at all but was more like a giant storage space with all kinds of things little ones should not get into. Tears welled up in my eyes because I’m an emotional lady these days and because I was just so relieved. We aren’t big on romantic gestures and gifts on holidays, but this made me know I had been heard by my husband and he cares about my needs as I labor with him in ministry.
I said to him, “You know this won’t make me a better Sunday school teacher.” In a snap, my insecurities crept in to steal the goodness from this moment. I am not a natural-born teacher. I’m not even really great with kids outside of my own family. It is a challenge for me every week to get up there and teach — and in my second language, no less.
But my insecurities are not and cannot be an excuse to not do my best. Even if I think my best may not be good enough, my best can meet these kids where they are with hugs and candy, names-remembered and simple-truths taught. I may not create killer lessons that others would copy, but I can create opportunities to influence little lives. I can spur smiles and laughs and teaching moments — even if I’m not the best teacher.
My other excuse, my lame Sunday school room is history. May my enduring excuse of insecurity finally be history, too.
05:00
And…here’s some pictures of “my babies.” I really do love these kids.
Visiting from Five Minute Friday. Caring about your kids makes you a wonderful teacher to them. And a new Sunday school room will be a great opportunity to care for them even more!
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement. Excited about this new room. Thanks for stopping by!
Amber, your obedience to God’s calling is what will produce the fruit. Whatever you do in that room will put skin on Jesus for those kids.
That is so my prayer and hope. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement, Stephanie!
Yes! I love that you are putting your excuses to rest. Hard to do but totally worth it.
TOTALLY!
What precious pictures – and such a special surprise from your hubbie!!
Precious, indeed! We had a blast in there Saturday for our church service here in Nepal.
“…this made me know I had been heard…” That is SO important! And the pictures are heart-winning.
I was a teacher for awhile, and eventually learned that the best teachers don’t have a gift. They just keep showing up.
#1 at FMF this week.
https://blessed-are-the-pure-of-heart.blogspot.com/2017/11/your-dying-spouse-406-precious.html
Yes! Keep showing up. I have a post in the back of my mind about this because it seems this theme keeps popping up as we labor here. Thanks for your encouragement.
Thank you for this! I think we all battle with insecurities if we are honest. Most of us just try to hide it. 🙂
That can be hard to do! Thank you for your comment!
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