Out of the Mouth of Babes!!!

It has been a crazy week both at work and in my extra-curricular life!!! At work, my students have been "challenging" and are most likely ready for the Christmas holidays!! ( Are we allowed to admit we are counting the days until the holidays too!!!) As much as my students can drive me crazy, I have to admit that on many occasions, they make me smile - sometimes even roll on the floor laughing!! For most of my day as an Educational Assistant, I work in a special needs class. The other part of my day is varied, but his year, I am with the grade 4's. I guess in most professions you need to have a sense of humour, but I feel it is especially needed in the education profession. ( Yes, I am biased!!!) I was glad there were many laughable moments in the midst of a chaotic week. Some of the best moments I cannot share here, but I will tell you of a conversation I had with one of my students in the grade 4 class!!! He is just a regular kid that needs some extra help! He makes me smile everyday and I so enjoy working with him, even though he needs many prompts to remain focused!!:) His timing of interesting comments is not great...they usually come when the teacher is in the middle of her lesson. Not surprising, a few weeks ago, in the middle of a math lesson, this student leaned over to me and asked me, in a loud, booming voice ( I think he has a bit of a hearing problem:)) , what my blood type was. He proceeded to tell me his blood type before I could re-direct him to listen to the lesson! Now, the whole class knows his blood type and that he thinks his blood type changed last summer when he got bitten by a mosquito!!!:) So, this week, in the middle of a science lesson, this student looks down at his hand and asks me, " Miss Whalen, why is your hand a different colour than mine? What are those things on your hand and arm? ( Dont' be alarmed...he was just referring to my freckles!!!) " For those of you that know me, you know I love to talk too and was dying to answer his question right there in the middle of the science lesson, but I had to tell him to wait until we could talk at recess. Little did this sweet boy know how profound his question and the implications to it was!! Oh the innocence! He has known me for 2 years and only this week noticed the difference in the colour of our skin. He never passed judgement nor will he, I believe. He accepts me for who I am and he knows I accept him for who he is...who God created him to be. I'm so glad God uses children to teach me lessons. He gently reminded me, through the ramblings of this little boy, that He accepts me for who I am -- everthing about me, even when I disappoint Him. For that, I am grateful! Amazing grace!!
Well, I must go as I am singing again tonight in our church choir Christmas presentation. I am still fighting this chest infection, so am praying my coughing episodes will be kept to a minimum!!! It is a wonderful presentation this year celebrating our Saviour's birth!!!