For the past 15 years when the sweet corn is finished, the apples begin to fall, and the eighth page of the calendar gets flipped over, I begin to plan and prepare for another year of teaching two year olds in our Toddler Sunday School class. Kairie Franken has been my helper in the classroom for most of those 15 years and it has been quite an adventure. When I prepare for a new group of youngsters that will come for the first time in September, it is fun to reminisce about the classes and students that we have had in the past.
Toddlers are an interesting crowd to work with. There is a vast array of personality styles, maturity, abilities, and comfort levels. Each year there are multiple children who won’t say a word. Sometimes their vocabulary is limited because of their young age and sometimes they are just too scared to talk. On the other end of the spectrum is the child that talks non stop. While that can be a killer in a group of older kids or adults, it is a life saver when you are trying to have a discussion with two year olds. It also provides great entertainment for the teachers when we hear stories that the kids tell! Add to this mixture the child that is having a hard time letting go of Mom or Dad and is crying profusely, the child who is not sure what this is all about and has their head pulled inside their shirt, the child who wants to run the show, the child who has the gift of comedy, and the child who has already developed a competitive spirit, and it can be quite the circus on Sunday morning.
But on top off all that, there is notoriously the child who walks into class on the first day and for whatever reason, latches on to you and won’t let go. They are your best bud, your helper, your shadow. Where you go, they go. They can’t take their eyes off you.
Part of our routine is to position carpet squares in a circle for the kids to sit on during story time. We try to keep enough room between the carpets to give the kids their own space and allow them to move without hitting the person next to them. Typically the kids pick a spot based on the color of the carpet or where one of their friends are sitting, but we had a recent graduate who would often wait until I sat down and she would pick up one of the available squares and move it directly next to mine, often overlapping the two spots and scooting in as close as she possibly could, often leaning over and resting her head or elbow on my leg.
This memory got me thinking about where I position myself in proximity to Jesus. I would like to think that I sit as close to Jesus as possible, that I lean in attentively to hear his every word, and simply rest in his presence, but that isn’t always the case. I often sit in the back row during His lessons and frequently try to change the topic of His discussions. I find myself daydreaming instead of paying attention, and looking around instead of looking at Him.
James 4:8a says “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” As we embark on this series of Experiencing God, my prayer is that we would all scoot a little closer to Jesus, open our ears to hear what he has to say, and then do what he says.
Erin Jacobsma