Awana Last Night

The last one of the year. 

1/2 the Awana year over already!  And I don't feel like I've accomplished a whole lot with my classes.  Gotta get busy next year!

Last night we did something different.  The Pre-K through 6 grade bunch did a craft making hot chocolate.  I loved this idea, but I couldn't imagine how we could make it work with measuring all those powdery ingredients.  We would still be there cleaning up the mess!  But Misty's great idea of buying the packets and let them pour them in was just the thing.  Sometimes I forget you can buy that kinda thing in the store. 

Have you seen the What God Wants For Christmas kit?  I got to borrow this to tell the Christmas story in a different way.  I need to get one of these for my own kiddos.

I'm missing Big Boy.  It's been a few weeks since he's been there and last night his sister said he was sick. 
I'm hoping he'll make it for movie night on the 28th.   And btw, where was MJ and Desiree? 

Caleb gave me a sweet present.  A picture of himself with Santa.  I love that boy.  He has such a pleasant and funny personality.  I have a cork board in my bathroom with pix of some of my Awana kids and now I have a new one to add. 

At the beginning of December I asked my class if they had their Christmas tree set up.  Matter-of-factly Caleb told me that he doesn't get to decorate Christmas trees b/c they don't have one. 

Why did this bother me so much?  I know that Christmas trees are not the biggest deal in the world.  But to think that he and Hayden did not have one made me so sad for them.  And my first response is to want to fix it.  Like how much could a little Christmas tree cost anyway?  But at the same time I knew that wasn't the answer. 

Last week in class the first thing Caleb told me was that he already had a present under his Christmas tree. 
Wha???  Christmas tree?  He went on to say that they are getting to borrow one this year and they got to decorate it! 

How I rejoiced in the sweetness of God!  Because seriously...what does it matter?  But for some reason it mattered to me and God knew it.  And I am overcome with thankfulness.  Not just for one boy's Christmas tree...but for the tenderness of the Lord.  For His great mercies.  And for the small part He lets me play in loving these kids.