Volunteering has been a lot of fun!

I want to update you on how it's been going with my efforts in volunteering. I have been surprised by how much fun it is! There is something about working without the reward of a paycheck at the end of the week that somehow has made all of it more enjoyable. I'm not sure why that is ~ perhaps it's because there isn't really much pressure involved in most of what I am doing ... well, almost all ... but I'll get to that later.
Urban Family Ministries has asked me to work with them in a variety of ways. This organization and everyone I have met who works with it is just top-notch. These are folk who are completely dedicated to what they are doing, who love the LORD supremely, and unconditionally love children. The above picture was taken last week at the Fine Arts Center over at Forest Hills. The Circle Theatre was putting on a play that was written by Katie Couric (!) ~ "The Brand New Kid" ~ and I was a chaperone for a second grade class from Campau Park Elementary. Lower grade elementary children from all over Grand Rapids were there to see the play. I wasn't really very impressed with the play; perhaps I'm just not a theatre person at heart, but I didn't think the play was written very well. The second grade class I was with was interested in the play for the opening ten minutes, but the following hour was pretty much consumed with wiggles, giggles, spats, jumping, fidgeting, and a combination of whining and moaning ...
I've become a regular fixture over at Super Saturday working with the 5-year-olds. This last week we had 31 children with four adult helpers and two teachers. Thankfully, the time is pretty structured so that everyone knows what comes next, and it's a good mixture between playing with the children, teaching the Bible story, singing happy songs, doing a craft together, and then feeding them dinner. There are so many different kinds of children with such interesting names and personalities!
Tuesday afternoons, I've been a substitute library reader over at Campau Park Elementary, reading for the same second grade class. I actually sit in a rocking chair (grandma-style) and the children gather at my feet to listen to the story. I don't get to choose the book I read to them, because this is all part of their character building program. So I read the designated book, ask the predetermined questions, and do the assigned craft ~ that's why it is so pressure-free! I've read three books so far: (1) The Recess Queen (2) Stand Tall Molly Lou Melon and (3) Enemy Pie. Have you ever in your life even heard of these books?! The emphasis this semester is on caring and kindness, so all of these books are teaching those principles in some shape or form. I have pretty much liked the books I have read to the children, but have been disappointed in the illustrations. My niece, Shelley, is a marvelous illustrator (published!) and I keep wanting to see that kind of quality pictures!
This Thursday morning I have been asked to come and chaperone for another field trip. This time, I am riding the bus with the kids ... I'm not exactly thinking this part will be fun ... it's just that I am terribly claustrophobic and something about 50 little kids in one narrow, congested area on wheels gives me the willies ... I'll have to pray about that one for sure!
The one volunteer activity that I have a lot of trepidation about is my involvement with Kingdom Kids, the children's ministry at Calvary Church. I actually applied to be a helper during second service every Sunday morning. I'm pretty comfortable playing with little children, loving on them, listening to them, assisting them with art projects ~ i.e. being a HELPER! But what Kingdom Kids needed was a TEACHER for one half of the 3's class. I was really clear about what I believed my gifts were (and were not!), my extensive limitations and complete lack of experience in the teaching realm, etc. But I was asked to give it a try because the regular teacher needed to take this quarter off. So that's what I am doing. I am giving it a try. Thankfully, they have paired me up with the veteran teacher (Pat) from the other half of the 3's ~ she is wonderful with teaching and communicating very simple Bible truths to three-year-olds ~ and she is mentoring me. I haven't taught yet and actually will not do that until after I return from Texas. I am preparing the lesson just as if I were going to teach it, but we have been combining the class during worship and teaching time and Pat leads the whole thing while I sit with the children. My personality is just not one that lends itself to leadership very well, so if this is what God wants me to do, He's going to have to accomplish a miracle within me!

I think the "funnest" volunteer job I have is being an administrative angel. That's a regular Tuesday morning thing and I really enjoy everything about it. I love the ladies that I work for! A few weeks ago, they asked if I could address a few invitations for them and things were kind of slow, so I decided to use my best writing ~ I got accolades of praise because of my handwriting and finally had to totally confess that it had nothing whatsoever to do with me ~ it was the handwriting God had given me! How nice, though, to be able to use it for Him. I've always said that I want to be a scribe for the LORD someday in heaven. It's been nice to have a little foretaste of that joy!

One other thing: I've started working on that transcript for my biologist friend on the brain and the soul. Whew! Good thing he gave me his power-point materials to use as a reference tool because I haven't the slightest idea what he is talking about ... and the terminology! It reminds me of how lost I was those first few months as a medical transcriptionist ... but I am volunteering my services to this kind gentleman ... so no pressure ~ just fun!