joy

There is nothing better for mortals than to eat and drink, and find enjoyment in their toil.  This, also, I saw, is from the hand of God; for apart from him who can eat or have enjoyment? 

-Ecclesiastes 2:24

I am a youth leader at a church in Northern Virginia.  I work with a handful of rambunctious middle school boys and a few girls.  Over the past two years I focused so much on content that I neglected the simple joy of having a good time together.  I yelled a lot, trying to get them to focus.

A couple weeks ago I decided we'd do something fun.  My husband, who is a teacher, suggested that I include an educational component.  Fancy that!  The kids are learning the books of the Bible, so I came up with a simple game where they stand across from a partner and toss a water balloon to them while saying one of the books.  The partner returns the balloon, saying the name of the next book.  I yelled, but more like a coach than a dictator: "Ready! Set! Go!  DEUTERONOMYYY!" 

After we learned the first 10 books of the Old Testament, I let them have a free for all--running like crazy, throwing balloons at each other.  As we cleaned up, I heard one boy say "I had fun and learned something!" 

This past week we played the game again.  Afterwards we did a drive-by run down of the Pentateuch--from Adam and Eve to Abraham and Sarah to Noah and Moses and the wilderness and the Law.  We talked about Jacob wrestling with God and gaining the moniker "Israel" ("struggles with God").  (Mental note: need to return to that story. What middle school boy wouldn't love that one?)  To finish up we played hide and seek tag.

Every week we gather in a circle and close in prayer.  Every week kids giggle and make noises.  This week when I asked Matt, an adult leader, to pray, a 7th grader shouted out that he wanted to do it.  When he couldn't think of anything to say his older brother offered.  We bowed our heads.  "Dear God, thanks for having fun together and learning things.  And thanks for tag.  And [tentatively]...may we all...go in peace!"  Amen! This kid's been paying attention in church!  I asked his brother if he wanted to add anything.  He bowed his head, squeezed his hands together, shut his eyes tight and shouted in a flash "Thank you for learning the first 20 books of the Bible!"

Praise God for kids and tag and learning and fun!