Whooppee Cushions & Photosynthesis

Oh, the joys of teaching science! Today we began studying the very basic third-grade version of photosynthesis. Somewhere in our textbook it described the give and take of oxygen & carbon dioxide between humans and plants as a "gas exchange." Upon hearing these words, my class erupted into laughter. They are absolutely taken by any humor that touches on bodily functions. Wanting to play off of their amusement, as well as make a point, I walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a whooppee cushion. It had been hiding behind the blue doors for such a time as this, though I didn't know it when I stuck the leftover white elephant gift there.

I pulled out the peculiar noisemaker and brandished it in the air, claiming "This is NOT the type of gas I meant!" Another round of laughter... Now that everyone was awake for this science lesson, I tore open the package and to my students' delight began to blow it up. I think I scored major "cool points" in third grade history when I sat on it...

Well, I guess a small sacrifice of my own dignity was well worth the lesson. But, what WAS the lesson anyway? We did finish our lesson...but not before we acted out the lives of plants, reacting to the sun and water as well as the "joggers" running by, gasping for air and dispensing carbon dioxide. Will any of them remember that chlorophyll are those little green things in plants that help make food for plants? At the least perhaps they will recall that the "gas exchange" in photosynthesis is NOT whooppee cushion gas. But if all else failed...I pray that they enjoyed a laugh. Laughter is INDEED good medicine. Ask a third grader.

Pie Crusts

This blog was written in August, but I never posted it:

“Promises like pie-crust, made to be broken.” So says Emily Dickenson. And, in this world of heartache and pain I think so often many of us wonder if God’s promises are like that. But they’re not. They are faithful—because HE is faithful. However, quite often those promises are not fulfilled in our timing. I, for one, like to put God in a box, but He is so much bigger than any box I could think up. “Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable His ways” (Rom. 11:33)!

Somewhere else He says, “For my ways are not your ways.” How often I wish they were and then I realize what a foolish thought that is. If His ways were MY ways, I would want “Justice.” I would want the bad guy to get the just punishment every time…until I realize that I am that “bad guy.” Then I’m so thankful that His ways aren’t like mine—because He is merciful. Praise God!

Back to His promises---“all the promises of God find their Yes in him [Christ]” (II Cor. 1:20). “Your promise is well tried, and your servant loves it” (Psalm 119:140). How incredible! I want to know by seeing how His promises are fulfilled. I want to see how He works all things for good. I want to know by sight. He knows that, and He has been reminding me lately of a very fundamental lesson. I should have learned it long ago—but I’m very, very slow to learn. I’ve asked in my heart for Him to show me His reasons, plans, purposes for my life. He seemed to whisper to my heart: “Daughter, if I showed you my purposes so that you could trust me, you wouldn’t be trusting me. ‘Faith is hope in what is not seen’ (Heb. 11:1).” God has reminded me of this verse over the past couple months as I’ve struggled with “why’s.”

This morning, I read in Streams in the Desert: “It is faith without sight. When we can see, it is not faith, but reasoning…Let us go forth this day, not knowing, but trusting.” So, trust, faith, hope…these are the things with which I have been entrusted.