Primary with Courtney

I got to go to church with Courtney and Michael today and see Courtney in action as teacher of the CTR 4 class. (Michael and Courtney are co-teachers, but in an effort to not load up the class with too many adults -- a dad also attends class each week because his son has separation anxiety -- Michael went to Sunday School.)

Courtney has mentioned the class is a little trickier than her CTR 7/8 class was last year.

For one, they're only four years old. On top of that, between the one with separation anxiety, and two with a hard time sitting in a chair and listening (one was even a runner before class started) -- 

that's half the class. 

But challenges aside, she was wonderful! 

She was a natural at teaching to their level, responding to two (or three) different kids' comments at the same time, going with the flow (Oh! a third person wants to choose an action--tip toe--for "Do as I'm Doing," but after two times, this song is getting long and boring?)

"How about tip toe once around the classroom, and find your seat!"

Her lesson was right to their level and wow! she had their attention reading the 

Master the Tempest is Raging scripture story on her ipad. 

(And what about 20 minute lessons! Sooooo much more age appropriate.

Way to go two-hour church implementer!)

Most important, it was clear she loved them and they loved her.

In addition, they had fun and they learned a story about Jesus

(all three equal in importance for church).

Love you, Courtney!

I've been pondering Mark 4:40 and Christ's question

"How is it that ye have no faith?"

I've always heard, "Oh ye of little faith," as an exhausted Savior wakened from sleep

with a tone of irritation. "You guys. Seriously? You know you have power to calm the seas too. It doesn't always have to be me." (Did they? Now that I'm thinking of it, I don't really know.)

But this time I heard it as a true question, one we should ask ourselves.

Why are you lacking in faith?

What are the things you do that bring you closer to the Savior -- where you feel his power, his love? 

What do you do that helps you remember the moments you've undeniably felt his hand guide you?

How do you recollect the times you've heard a whisper of peace or an answer to prayer and know without a doubt it's the Savior? 

For me it's being in nature (or just seeing the sun on the mountains), studying the scriptures or books about Christ, going to the temple, personal time to ponder, reflect and feel.

When I'm feeling unsure of God's love, or if he cares about my problems, 

it may be good to ask myself if I've neglected some of these things.

 

Would I feel strengthened and less afraid of the tempest if I prioritized the things that strengthen my faith?

And what about his other question, "Why are ye so fearful?"

Maybe God needs us to consider exactly what we're afraid of so we can talk to him specifically about those worries. I think he knows our hearts better than we do. 

But the specifying helps us to contextualize our feelings.

Once my therapist listened to my long list of worries. After I'd spent most of our session getting all my situational concerns off my chest, he asked, "What do you want?" 

He isn't in the business of guessing. 
I needed to be able to formulate what I was looking for so I could get the help I wanted.

If I couldn't do that, all his mind-reading probably wouldn't help

You know what I'm most grateful for? 

That I'm constantly presented with questions to ponder. 

That we don't learn all there is to know by the time we're 30.

That at 52 I'm still learning, asking questions in different ways, getting answers that apply to my life differently than they would have ten years ago--influenced by different perspective and experiences.

And I can look forward to another 52 (what?! Okay, maybe 42) years of learning and growing in understanding of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Plan of a loving Father in Heaven.