When Sunday Afternoons Are Good

This Sunday morning was the day the kids in church move up into their new classes for the new school year.  I was sad to lose two of the boys in my class, but so excited to gain 5 new students!  And that was just today, there may be more to come in next week.  Today I also got to teach one of my favorite Bible stories.
It's the one where Elijah challenges King Ahab to a friendly little "Let's See Whose God is Real" war.  I just love the dramatics of this story.  The way the 850 prophets of Baal and Ashtoreth act to get their gods to light their altar.  But the best part of the story is when Elijah, who has been calmly standing there waiting for his turn for about a day and a half.  First he mocks all of the false prophets.  "Maybe your gods are sleeping, maybe they are on a journey, maybe they are busy...".  That makes me laugh every time I read it.  Then Elijah gets his turn.  He goes up to his altar, puts 12 stones for the base, puts together the rest of the altar and the sacrifice on top, and then he does something no one expects.  He digs a trench around the altar and they pour water all of it.  Then he calmly, confidently, says "God, show them your stuff."  And fire comes DOWN from the sky and lights his altar!  Everything burns up and the water is licked dry.
aaaaahhhhhhh  I just love that story!
After a wonderful Sunday school lesson, I taught kids church.  I love doing this.  They little kids are so much fun!  It's the 4 and 5 year olds.  They are too cute.  We had a blast today.  The kids helped me retell the story of Jesus being born, a personal request from Evie.  She actually told more of the story than I did!  lol  They colored a picture and then we sang some fun songs.  They were get up and move around fun kinda songs!
My girlfriend's daughter talked to the Pastor and deacons after church to become a member and get baptized.  Next Sunday evening, my girlfriend, her daughter and her son are going to be baptized and become members of my church!  I am so excited for all of them.
I drove Jessica (the girlfriend mentioned above) and the kids home from church and our guys had gone fishing.  So we decided to go check out some garage sales.......*devious grin*
The first one had tons of kids books, in really good shape, for 25 cents each!  I bought 17 of them!  Our 2nd stop brought some of the Redwall novels by Brian Jacques.  I bought 5 of them!  Then the next one had 3 books that I bought for school on American History for $1.50.
I just love books!  I love to buy them for me and for the kids.  The ones that I bought for homeschool are The Americans: The Democratic Experience, The Americans: The National Experience and The Americans: The Colonial Experience by Daniel J. Boorstin.  These books will be going on my To Read book shelf before I put them on my school shelves though.
After finding all of our treasures, which we bought more than just books today, we came home.  The guys were back by then and we had a little snack.  Then it was time for me to head back down to church for my hand bell practice.
I love playing the hand bells.  We are playing next Sunday and the Sunday after that.  They are beautiful instruments and so much fun to play.  A lot more challenging than people would think.
And now, sitting here with dinner done and kids are relaxing in bed, I am thankful for this precious day that I had.  It seems like a normal Sunday, but it wasn't.  There are people that just have their way of lighting up my life, even if they don't know it.  My church family is my family.  I see them more than my blood relatives.  I am blessed to belong to such a loving and caring church.  I know that God led me there and am extremely thankful for it.