Pavlov's Sunday School Class

Keith and I have been teaching two year old Sunday Bible class for three quarters now.  We are having a lot of fun, we've grown very attached to our kiddos and we LOVE doing it!  Today we were studying Mark 2:1-12 where the four friends lower a paralyzed man through the roof to see Jesus. 

We did all kinds of fun things, we built a building out of blocks and lowered little people through the roofs, we dragged the kids around the room on a blanket, we watched a video about the story, we carried a baby doll in a blanket, we colored pictures, and we gave them cookies (a class fave!). 

We really do have an adorable class!

We spread the blankets out on the floor for the kids to sit on and cover with to watch the movie.  They were so precious!

We are trying to teach the kids that Jesus loves them and Jesus helps them.  Every few minutes through the class we say "who loves you?"  and they are supposed to reply "Jesus loves me!"  We have one little girl that we can always count on for our questions.  Gracie is our "go to girl" when we have a question and none of the kids answer.  We can say "Gracie, can you tell us who loves you?"  Every time she answers! 

Today the kids were eating their vanilla wafers and listening to one of their Jesus loves me songs on the cd player when Gracie, who has a soft spot for vanilla wafers, says "Can I have another cookie?"

I said "what do you say, Gracie?"

With sweet little angelic eyes she says "Please."  Then, she pauses for a minute, like she's considering something, and she says "JESUS!"

So, of course she got a handful of cookies!  Who could say no to that!
Just LOOK at this face!

See!  Now you know how she got all those cookies!  (Look in her hands! ha!)

Keith cracks up at this and says "You're kind of like Pavlov with these kids!  You give them treats when they do what you want them to!" 

Well...it works!  Just ask Gracie!  Then I said "did you just compare our Sunday School class to dogs?"  He goes "yeah, they're like scooby snacks for kids!"  UGH!  Silly Boy!

After class we had our sermon and I can't help but mention how God's love touches me.  I KNOW God loves me, and I know Jesus loves me, but the reality of it leaves me awestruck sometimes.  Can you imagine having this undeserved, unconditional love?  Just let it sink in for a minute....He sent his son to DIE for us!  I can't think of anyone I'd let my children die for, I'd gladly give it all up for them, but it's a one way street.

A couple of years ago a man gave communion comments at our church that changed my relationship with God.  The man has since left our church and I never got to tell him the impact his comments had on my life, but I will share them with you.  (I'm paraphrasing, from memory, of course) 

He said "Have you ever loved someone who didn't love you back?  Have you ever had a friend or someone you love betray you?  Or turn their back on you?  Or break your heart?  Do you remember how much your heart hurt?  Think about how our actions effect God." 

I remember how that made my heart feel when he said it.  I thought back to loving a boy who didn't love me, and I thought back to a girl friend who betrayed me, and I remembered other relationships that have been damaged and even destroyed by the hurt they caused and it hit me...how many times have I done that same thing to God?  I try to think about that a lot.  It really has changed how I see God and how I do things.  It's changed my prayers, it's softened my heart, and made me realize that God is constantly sacrificing for me.  He gave his son to die, and he has been sacrificing on my behalf ever since.  Thank God for His love!