Sunday Story

There was a time in my blogging life that I had a regular Sunday story. That was when I was in Primary every week and my Sundays were filled with cute, embarrassing, hilarious or spiritual stories. Now I'm in Primary every now and then - I sort of enjoy being an on the spot substitute.

Today I had a group of 6/7 year olds that I have never taught before. In fact I only knew 2 of their names. We were discussing how sometimes people that we love go away for a while and how we feel when they are gone and how happy we are when they come home. Some of their comments were:

"My mom never picked me up from preschool once and I was really scared. I had to stay with the teacher and her daughter and I didn't think my mom was ever coming. When it was really late my Dad came because my mom was having my baby sister - I didn't even know she was having a baby."

"My mom went to Utah once and I sort of missed her but not really because my dad let's us do all sorts of fun stuff."

We also put a board game together and they colored it. Instead of writing the rules on the game I just wrote which lesson manual and the lesson number on the back. The kids were very confused because the "rules" didn't sound like anything I had told them. And they also weren't sure that their moms would understand what all that meant. I'm pretty sure their moms are all smart enough that they'll get it.

So, my thankful post of the day is that I'm thankful that I have Sunday stories to tell. Thankful that every now and then I get to jump in and have fun with the kids. (I'm not saying I want to be there EVERY week - just that I do enjoy it every now and then.)

Sunday Story!

I think we've reached the end of my Sunday Stories. After 3 1/2 years I have been released from my calling(job) in Primary so I don't get to spend my Sundays with the children at church. I actually had to go to Sunday school with the grown ups. We had a new family stand up and introduce themselves, they moved from San Antonio Texas. Then we had some visitors from Saudi Arabia. Then I stood up and said I was from the primary. LOL Maybe if I keep that up I'll still have Sunday Stories to tell. I currently am unemployed when it comes to having a church calling but I'm sure that won't last long. I had a hard time sitting still, having this overwhelming feeling that I should go check on the nursery or go see if all of the classes had teachers. I'm sure that will pass soon too.

Well, I hope you all have a Happy New Year! One more week with the kids out of school and then I might be back to some regular blogging once again.

Sunday Story

Today's lesson in Primary was about saying thank you. When asked why the children would want to say thank you we got a lot of great answers.
We say thank you so people know they are appreciated.
We say thank you because it is nice.
We say thank you because our parents teach us to (or tell us to).
We say thank you because Jesus taught us to say thank you. (Great listening as they had just all dressed up as lepers and only 1 of the 10 said thank you after being healed.)

The one that takes the Sunday Story award today is:
We say thank you so that people will give us more stuff next time.

Sunday Story

Today part of the lesson in Primary the teacher asked if the children ever have brought anything home that their Mom was shocked by. You know, like the time Jordan brought in a GIANT earthworm and asked if she could keep it? Yep, stuff like that. The stories were crazy. Who knew that one of the children lived somewhere that they could wander around their yard and find a deer antler. Another brought in some pottery - sure she had found some ancient relic. The best was the newt. This of course prompts my son to say "She turned me in to a newt, A NEWT? well I got better."

This got a few smiles from various adults in the room and I just stared like I didn't know what he was talking about. I'm not sure church is the proper outlet for Monty Python skits - I'm sure he learned it from his dad.

Sunday Story

While teaching Primary today - kid's church - we were talking about service. I ask the kids what kind of service they can give and this is what I got:

-I can be nice to my mom by not eating her special yogurts. My mom has special yogurts that are only for her because she is having a baby.

-I can sit very still while my mom picks the nits out of my hair - that way I won't have to get it cut short again.

-I can bake a cake and maybe give someone a piece.

I love teaching the kids because you just never know what they are going to say. And if you aren't quite ready to announce your pregnancy do NOT tell your 5 year old. LOL

What's That Smell?

England is an interesting place to live. Did you know that in England there are things that are legal that are illegal in ALL 50 states in the United States? Are you curious as to what that would be? Let me tell you.

We have this family at church, the A's, and let's just say the family as a whole is a bit odd. The mother in unstable and runs out in tears almost every Sunday. The children? All four of them are a bit "weird" but all of this could be attributed to their parents. Then I found out something interesting. A friends daughter was getting married (in Utah) and apparently in her geneology about 6 branches back her tree merges with her soon to be hubbies tree. Six generations back - not a big deal and hey it makes it easier on your children keeping track of their family history right? Anyway her mom says "J is a bit embarrassed at the fact that she's related distantly to her husband but I just told her it isn't like the A's so really no big deal." Now I am intrigued - the A's are related and we aren't talking 6 generations back?? I do a bit of investigating and find out just HOW related they are. They are double cousins. Do you know what this means?

Let me tell you: A brother and sister from family A marry a brother and sister from family B. Then they each have children. Not a big deal. Then a boy from one set marries a girl from the other set. You aren't just cousins - you are double cousins. Instead of your family tree branching OUT it merges back together. In the US there are a few states that allow you to marry your cousin but NONE of them allow double cousin marriage. I suppose it is lucky for the A's they don't live in the states.

Anyway, that bit of background really has nothing to do with my issue of the day, even though it does involve Brother A. At church yesterday we are all sitting nicely in our pews. We sit on the left hand side in the 4th or 5th row. It is a small chapel so while it sounds close it is actually it is as far back as we can sit without sitting on folding chairs. We have an opening song and I smell something. I know I showered this morning and my shirt is clean - recheck myself for body odor - nope not me. Lean over to pre-teen boy. Just last week I told him I would tell him when he smells and we can buy deodorant. Nope, he doesn't smell yet. Lean toward hubby, nope not him either. Song ends. Smell subsides. General announcements are said and the usual and then time for another song. There is the smell again WOW I almost could pass out. Then I realize it is Brother A. Nothing like a man with intense body odor in the front of the chapel conducting the music. Just what we need is him waving his arms around. I think to myself "I am so glad I am not pregnant because that would surely make me hurl".

Do you think that if you marry your double cousin maybe you both have the same smelling gene and that you are unable to tell that your husband stinks? Maybe THIS explains why Sister A gets up and leaves 1/2 way through church in tears almost every Sunday.

Quite a few of you were confused on this. I found this picture that might help.

Now what happens at the bottoms - you take Brother and match him with Double First Cousin as husband and wife then they have kids. Instead of having 4 sets of great grandparents you only have 2.

Sunday Story

Today I was taking one of the little girls from my daughters Primary/sunday school class to the bathroom. On the way back I asked what she was learning in class. This is what I got:

Lindy: "We are learning that we need to be like Jesus"
Me: "Oh that's a great thing to learn, it's good to try to be like Jesus."
Lindy: "But I don't WANT to be like Jesus!"
Me: "You don't? Well why don't you want to be like Jesus?"
Lindy: "Because I just want to be Lindy!"


I think if more of us thought that way - trying to be the best Me that I can be it would pretty much take care of the rest.

Service

When I was 16 we did a road show at church. This means that we put a play together and performed it along with all of the other wards/church youth groups. Our theme that year was "service is an attitude". Well I just want to let you know that today "service is a bad attitude!"

We have a family at church that is moving. Heck lots of people move here. It is what is done. They come and live for 3 years more or less and then they move (this family has been here 9). I am self sufficient. I managed to leave Tucson and clean my own house. I managed to move here to England and unpacked my own house. Why are other people unable to do this? Perhaps this explains why I don't have that many friends at church? I have been told it is because I am not "needy" enough so that's why people don't reach out. What does that mean? Okay anyway.

I get a phone call today asking if I can come "clean" Sister M's house. I know for a fact she has had people in and out of her house for the last 3 weeks. Seriously, we went over there on a Sunday afternoon to set up a canopy for her things to sit under outside that were not to be packed by the movers and she had us moving couches and tables all over the house - on a Sunday afternoon! So, the call comes today and I tell her that I have 3 children home from school and I am not available. Oh, but could I just come and pick up a bunch of food to take to church to give away. Fine, will do. Service with an attitude. Then the compassionate service lady at church calls me twice - second time on accident - to see if I'm available to help out Sister M. I tell her that I already am. This woman calls me at least 2x a month to provide service for someone. I always say yes - so of course I'm on the good call list. If she only knew that today that was "service with an attitude".


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Update - I left my house at 1pm with 3 kids in my car. I arrived at her house and loaded up my car and took things to the apartment they are staying at for the next week. Then went to the apartment they stayed at last night and loaded my car and took it to the other apartment. Then back to her house. Did I mention the 3 kids in my car? I suggest letting them play in the backyard - husband of the house turns up his nose at that and my kids run up and down the sidewalk with my car blasting Justin Timberlake's Sexy Back. I have never seen so much stuff in a house that needs to be EMPTY for inspection by 9am tomorrow morning. My car is loaded up once again with things that this time I am to take to the church and leave in a pile somewhere for other people to pick through. It is 4pm. I came home - I am not fighting traffic to get to the church right now. And you know what they say about one mans trash is another man's treasure? Let's all just admit that sometimes trash is just trash!!