Base

I got to teach Sunday school this morning to a group of about 20 fourth and fifth grade girls. I was the emergency backup teacher, this isn't my normal thing (lucky for them).

I talked with them about what paradise / heaven might be like. Since I haven't been there, most of what I think about it is speculation. Paul wrote this: What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived: the things God has prepared for those who love him.

I asked the kids if they thought heaven would be like church - and they are good kids, so they said "yes". I told them I hoped not. Church is really nice for a few hours each week, but not more than that. It's not much of an adventure. I told them I think we will be a giant family, and we will enjoy being with God and each other forever. We will have great things to accomplish and great stories to tell.

As one of the girls said, "we will socialize."

I told them it's sometimes hard to believe - that I struggle with doubt at times. Also there are those times where it's so real I can almost stick my finger out and touch it. The struggles of a sinful but saved man...

The kids know it's real. I draw strength from their faith.

Jesus said: I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.

After we were done with the lesson, about a dozen of the kids wanted to play tag. I was getting ready to go talk with someone, and one of the girls said, "you are the base".

Base? 

So I sat on the steps of the stage for 20 minutes, and they had to have a hand on me to be safe and not get tagged. I'm good a being base - not much skill required.

A couple of the kids would stay at base quite a bit. Finally I said, "Go, run, have an adventure." Then they would run and scream and have a good time. 

While I was being base a girl came and sat by me and told me she was writing a story. I asked what it was about. She said it was about her dad, who is in Afghanistan until November. She misses him a lot. She said she wants to do it for him as a present. I bet in the view of God, this story will be far greater that most best-sellers - it will last for eternity.

It was pretty much all I could do not to cry for her - maybe I should have. I'm still not used to this emotional world I've had to enter.

For all the intentional conversations I want to have with the kids, sometimes just being base is a better way to go.

There are many times I wonder if the effort in teaching the kids isn't really worth much. I think most of us who are involved with them feel this way at some point. Then there are those days that bring so much value. God let's me see that it really does matter.

I'm going to think of myself as "base" at least for a while on Sunday mornings.

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Sundays | When I make peace, I partner with God
- Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God
- For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever

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