One of my fond memories of my mom is when she would sing, Getting to Know You, from The King and I. As an introvert, it gave me a sense of the positive possibilities when I am friendly and reach out to people. It’s one way to learn to love our neighbors as The Good Book directs us to.
However, it’s easier said than done, isn’t it? We’ve been taught to be reserved, keep to ourselves, and even be a little suspicious of our neighbors. That tension inspired me to write and draw this cartoon.
When I created this cartoon, I was poking fun at myself and the work I was doing. For about ten years, I had the privilege to create activity and coloring books for a publisher. I loved doing it and miss it even today.
I have spent scores of hours making activities, coloring pages and books. I have also spent a lot of time in classrooms relying on activity pages for kids. I have even posted some of my creations on this blog and they continue to get traffic because Sunday school teachers are always needing a resource, especially when they have kids to teach and entertain.
Have I ever heard of a child coming to salvation through a word search or a maze? No, and I suppose we would be hard-pressed to find such stories, though anything is possible. See Luke 1:37.
Yet, I may never know how an activity pages may have helped reinforce a Bible story that may contribute to a future decision. Perhaps it is a bit of seed-sowing that will produce a harvest later.
At any rate, if I do more activity pages in the future, I know they may not the crucial puzzle piece to a testimony. I’ll walk a fine line between not being too serious about the endeavor and yet know it could be one tiny puzzle piece in a big picture.
Do you have any stories of activity pages or books that benefited you as a teacher or student? Let’s hear about it in the comments.
Often, churches and church people get a reputation for being resistant to change. “Worship Wars” continue as those who love traditional hymns duke it out with lovers of contemporary styles of worship. Changing an old chair in the lobby can be controversial if it was dedicated in memory of a dearly departed saint during the Eisenhower Administration. Adding a little fresh paint and new carpet to a classroom can cause consternation along with a little weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Creativity can come unexpectedly and in some amazing varieties. Sometimes, it takes some cutting up and a little obnoxious behavior to get the creative juices flowing.
When I saw my three-year-old niece the other day, she was expressing some “noisy boy” creativity in the form of some rude noises. Perhaps rude noises aren’t limited by gender anymore. And it may do us good to act as carefree as a preschooler or preteen friends when it comes to creativity. May we all have a chance to express a little creativity with some friends today.
I drew this for Kidzmatter Magazine.
I have seen my wife display supreme leadership when it comes to volunteers. It takes a true leader to motivate a group of volunteers, especially when change is involved.
