I have this crazy church job.

It is called,

P R I M A R Y   P R E S I D E N T.

Every Sunday I am responsible for 70 plus kids.

How would you like to try to teach the gospel while attempting to keep 70 kids (ages 3-11)  in their seats for two hours after they have previously been sitting for an hour?

Just wanted to give you a little feel for my Sabbath day experience.

Here’s the thing people,

I CARE.

I really, really care.

And yet I fall

SO SHORT!

(dang it!)

But I am learning

SO MUCH.

This past week, my “take away” lesson is this: You can never express too much love.

I felt prompted to write each of the members of our Sr. Primary a note thanking them for the contribution they make to our primary. I pointed out specific things they have done that I appreciate and admire. There are around 20 kids and there is a fair amount of writing involved in such an endeavor. It only took me all week long – because I am limited, you see.

Outcome?

The love came right back to me!

Several of the kids & their parents said thank you.  One parent said that after their son read the note he said, “I am going to keep this.” Another mother came up to me and told me how much it meant to her daughter who’d had a really difficult week at school, and that specific things that I had mentioned in the note really buoyed her up. But even more than the feedback I received I noticed that…

…It is hard to explain but there was a shift. I usually face a fair amount of resistance from the kids. But much of that had melted away. They listened better, gave wonderful answers during the lesson, we felt more connected.

LOVE!

It works!

I need so much more of it.

I also need to learn how to spell.

(which is never going to happen in this life)

If you are a regular reader, no doubt, you have noticed a fair few typos, among the other TREATS this blog has to offer.

Take away lesson number two: DON’T DO A WORD SCRAMBLE IF YOUR NAME IS ELIZA DAWSON

Okay, so check this out: I wanted to put the word PROPHET on the board all scrambled up and have the kids try to unscramble it, so I put this up on the board:

SEOFRP

WHAT THE HECK!!

Yup, this kept ’em guessing. Nothing like leaving out the letter “t” adding the letter “s” and putting an “f” in place of the “ph”.

F!? I mean I can’t spell a lot of words but I do know how to spell the word prophet, for crying out loud!!!!!!!

Ugh!

I felt SO AWESOME!

And I won some serious points with the Stake Primary President who happened to show up and “OBSERVE” my fabulous efforts.

I am taking it one Sabbath day at a time, my friends.

Victories. Defeats. Humiliations and ALL.

P.S.

Bonus question :

What does this woman

share in common with this guy* ?

NOT VERY MUCH.

* Scott Remer, two time winner of the The Plain Dealer Cuyahoga County Spelling Bee.