A story eesmall e mailed me started me thinking about funny things that happened when I was teaching. I know that the family is not composed entirely of teachers, but many of you have been involved in teaching as in Sunday School, helping someone learn a new skill, teaching someone to drive, etc. I wonder if any of you will be reminded of something unexpected that happened to you.
Here's one of my stories:
For some years, I was a substitute teacher. I often worked in the schools where I had been on staff as a music teacher, in Kentfield and Greenbrae. One day I was asked to escort a first grade class to a nearby school. They were to be shifted from their present school assignment beginning the next semester. The administration wanted to get them acquainted with Wolfe Grade, their new school.
We walked together to the school, keeping the mood light. The sun was shining and it was a pleasant walk. We arrived at the grounds of Wolfe Grade School, and I began pointing out its features. "This will be your playground. Here's the classroom you will be in next year. This is the library. We call this lady the librarian." We had been serious just about long enough. So I pointed and said "We call this a book shelf." Laying my hand down, I offered "This is a table".
We walked out of the library into the quad. I waved my arm around, indicating the quad, and began "We call this a .."
But before I could finish my sentence, a little girl did it for me. "Hand", she said. It made my day.
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6 comments:
I was a shift manager in this one computer room. There was this technician who was a young guy that had recently been discharged from the marines. He was cocky, but in a joking way. We called him "The Commander." One time we were all sitting around watching him fix use a computer program to fix some network problem. He was setting up some restrictions so that we couldn't get in and screw it back up. In the course of his chatter, he said "I'll fix your a**. I'll fix all of your a**es." To which I had the privilege of replying "Good, because mine's got a big crack in it."
Isn't it great to actually say the thing you would have wished you had said later on?
Reminds me of the time when you were just a tad, Uncle Matt. I had driven to a wooded area with you, parked in front of a locked gate, and we had spent some time just wandering around in the woods. As we came back, there was a horn being honked. Oops, someone was trying to drive into the gated area - forestry men or something.
They chewed me out royally for blocking the gate (who knew anyone would be using it?). One of them ended by saying "What were you doing in there anyway?" I quietly replied, "Stealing trees", took my little son by the hand, and we serenely walked to our car and drove off.
Christian Humor:
For several years, the kids in my family were part of Junior Bible Quiz. That's a competition where there are two teams of four kids from opposing churches answering bible questions.
I had the privilege of being one of "the quizmasters" at this particular meet. That's the guy who gets to ask the questions and judge the answers.
I'm standing in front of these eight kids, plus about four or five adult coaches and onlookers. One of the coaches is a nice guy, a children's pastor at his church and really straight-laced. He wears his team T-shirt over his button shirt and tie. Get what I mean?
So as I'm standing there asking questions, I'm shifting my weight, and for whatever reason I start to go over sideways. I swing my other side leg way out to balance myself, and come back to a standing position. I remarked "Sorry, I was slain in the spirit for a second there."
It was just a minor comment to me, but to T-shirt-and-tie it must have been one of those solemn subjects he'd never considered joking about. It struck him so, that he cracked a smile and actually put his head down on the desk so as not to break up.
It's great to bust through one of those guys' shells and find a regular Joe underneath. It was the best part of that day.
Now that really made me laugh. I have no doubt that God has a sense of humor and made sure to give us one.
I never heard the expression "slain in the spirit" before. What is its connotation?
Slain in the Spirit: I guess it's one of those charismatic things. Ostensibly, through prayer or some other spiritual means a person is suddenly infused with an extra dose of the holy spirit, and it causes them to suddenly relax so that they end up on the ground, generally semi-conscious.
I've never experienced it or seen it in person. I've spoken to people who said they have. In these parts, it's regarded with some credence. That is, those who scoff at snake-handlers do not dismiss the slain-in-the-Spirit thing. Personally, I remain cynical, but my family tends toward engineers. Faith and logic can be uncomfortable bedfellows.
I have seen that on TV. Person comes up, pastor touches person, person falls backwards, 2 men catch person, who then lies on the floor. The thing is, I don't know how one would fake falling backwards like that.
It makes your comment even funnier, Uncle Matt
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