Sunday School

Every Sunday, if we weren't sick, my family was in Sunday school.  I even think we may have all at some point each taught a class or two.  I'm pretty confident I can go through and name my teachers for almost every year of my life - Sunday school teachers invest a lot.  They prepare throughout the week and sacrifice time they could be under teaching, to instill His teachings in others.  I am beyond thankful for them and all that I have learned through them.

Here, we try and do Sunday school for Ryleigh in our home on Sunday afternoons.  My mom has sent older 2&3 year old books and most of the time we can figure out someway to do at least one or two of the activities or crafts and teach the story.  I've been thinking a lot about how much Sunday school taught me in the way of my foundation of Who Christ is, who I am, and what a life led by Christ looks like.  I pray often for His wisdom that what I grew up calling "Sunday School Answers" would simply be Ryleigh's "Real Life Answers" (click if you missed my previous post on it).  And while I know that Ryleigh will need to struggle with some things growing up in order to make her faith her own, I desperately don't want her to struggle with the same things I have, I'd like to impart that wisdom to her so that she has that part down, so to say.

If you've kept up with my blog, you know one of the huge themes that the Lord has been teaching me about over the past year - year and a half, is about His grace.  Check out posts here, here, or here for reference!  Here's the truth - I STRUGGLE with grace.  I struggle with it's simplicity and it's depth.  I struggle with  how there is nothing I can do to earn it or deserve it.  I struggle with struggling.  sigh - it can be exhausting.

My mom came across this post recently that talked about Children's Sunday School lessons - check it out here - and parts of it really hit home (not saying I agree with all of it).  It may indeed be offensive to some but I think if we lay down the pride of our excellent teaching skills - and really look deep into our lessons, we may find this article has some truth to it.  I think that maybe after all these years of learning about His gospel - His love, grace, forgiveness, judgement, and even the good works that were created just for us, etc) that somewhere in the back of my mind and heart I still come back to the "just be a good girl" that I learned from Sunday School? Maybe.  But definitely from somewhere...it's an easy answer, I've even found myself saying it to Ryleigh when I leave her with someone else..."now, be a good girl Ryleigh".  Tell me I'm not the only one?

What if these innocent remarks are building a foundation that's void of grace in the life of my little girl?  What if even after learning about the sins of the patriarchs of the Bible she still comes back to it's about choosing the right thing instead of loving the only God?  That she misses the giant picture that is the Gospel?

Good thing that in all of this the answer is - His grace.  it is sufficient.  See?  I am learning...slowly but surely, sometimes falling down the mountain that I am trying to climb but ever learning.  I will keep on doing Sunday School with Ryleigh and I will also be sure to never stop praying for His wisdom to pour out through everything we are teaching our children.

Praying for each of you - Sunday School teachers, nursery workers, school teachers, moms, dad, grandparents, aunts, uncles - whatever role you have, be sure that you are indeed teaching someone with what you do - praying that you are teaching the Gospel in it's entirety.