stop, drop & roll

It's been a while since I had to participate in a fire drill. High school. I think that's the last time I ever talked about or practiced what to do in case of a fire.

I always thought fire drills were strange. I mean if there's a fire, you get out of or get away from whatever is on fire! Pretty much basic common sense.

But I guess kids don't have basic common sense. I know my own children don't sometimes. Why is common sense so common? It's not! We have to learn common sense! People are not born with common sense. We are taught everything we know whether by instruction or modeling.

So, I think myself, as an adult, can at times lack basic common sense. Take yesterday for example.

I went to an elementary school to see one of my clients. I brought a new game to try with this kid. I was into the game! We were getting it all set up. Putting the container together. It was one of those games where you put plastic sticks in all the different holes...through the container. Then after you get the sticks in, you put marbles on top of the sticks. Then, you take turns pulling the sticks out. Whoever makes all the marbles fall, loses! So, we were getting this game set up. I was trying to put the sticks in very strategic places so I could pull them out later and not make any marbles fall. Call it cheating if you want. I was just using basic common sense.

I jumped off my seat when the fire alarm started blaring loudly. Because of state testing this week, my client and I were in the cafeteria. I had this game spread out all over the table. I had also brought art supplies...markers, colored pencils, crayons, drawing paper, construction paper, chalks, oil pastels, etc. The stuff was everywhere.

The kid did not seemed phased at all about the fire alarm going off. So, we just kept messing with our game. Until an official, school-looking authority type lady came walking through the cafeteria. I was making eye contact with her as if she could read my mind. One of those women intuition type looks.

You know, if you don't have basic common sense, you might not have basic woman intutition either. If you're a woman.

So, as we awkwardly look at each other, I say, "So, do we need to go somewhere?" Then I realize that was a dumb question, and I hope she doesn't yell back, "Yeah, you can go to hell!" Sometimes these school ladies are mean. Especially if they have gray hair. And she did. And glasses.

She didn't yell anything at all. So, maybe some gray-haired, bespectacled school ladies are nice. It's a theory. She responded, "Yes, you need to go outside." But I still just sat there. I looked at my stuff. I was trying to decide how much it would cost to replace all my materials if, indeed, the school really was on fire.

So, I turn back to the school lady and ask, "Do I just leave my stuff here? Will I be able to come back and get it?" She smiles a polite smile and answers, "Yes, you can come back for it." Maybe I wouldn't have felt so dumb had she explained this was only a fire DRILL!

So, then I realize that I have a kid with me. So, I ask her yet another question, "Do I need to find this kid's teacher?" She says, "Yes, find the teacher when you go outside and let the teacher know the student is ok."

So, the kid and I go outside. We start looking for the teacher. Of course, using basic common sense, I ask the kid, "What does your teacher look like? Do you remember what she was wearing today?" He says.........."no." Nice. Good one, kid. How long do you look at this woman all day, 5 days a week? Seriously? I point out some teachers asking if that is this kid's teacher. I point out about 4. To EACH ONE, he initially says, "Yeah, that's her!" So, we begin walking towards the teacher. As we get closer, he says, "Oh, no, that's not her."

Kid, I'm about to take you over to the sand pit and fill your underwear with sand.

As I'm trying to figure out what to do next, I see more classes filing out of the school. So, we start looking for other teachers. I'm trying to figure out how long this is going to last. My game is still inside!

Then the principal calls out on the intercom, "Ok, students, good job! Congrats on getting out so quickly! You may no re-enter the building." Like I said, there were still students coming out of the building!

We never found my client's teacher. But at least I got all my supplies out of the cafeteria.

And I guess more importantly, I now know what to do in a school fire drill. It was a good day.

spinning round

Where do I even begin? God answers prayers in funny ways. Sometimes He even answers prayers we forget we prayed. Maybe even He sometimes does things that cause us to pray certain prayers. I don't know what happened this past week, but my mind is spinning.

There is a housing project out in West Tulsa that I go to visit clients. I have two families that live there. Both households have single women with children. One woman, Sarah*, has not stopped talking about God since I met her back in October. In my position, I'm not allowed to initiate conversation about God. I can talk freely when a client initiates the subject though. Well, I have watched Sarah sit and cry and mope around her house. Her 18 year old son moved out and across the street to live with her best friend, Jane*. About a month ago, Sarah made the decision to put her kids in a children's home. There is just so much to these stories.

But slowly I have been able to gain the trust of both these women. Last week, Sarah talked about wanting to go to church. I invited her to come with me. A few days later, Jane also said she would like to go to church. I invited her as well. Both women and their children came to church on Easter Sunday. They loved the service. Their kids loved it. Well, not all their kids came.

I saw both women today. I've been praying God would guide me in knowing what to do with these women. It's all happening so fast!! I am their counselor. Them coming to church has changed the dynamic of our relationship. I'm ok with that. I just don't know where to go from here. Today, Jane asked me to help her find a Bible study. Well, I'm not going to help her find one. I'm going to lead it!

She's going to talk to a couple of her neighbors, and we are planning on starting a Bible study next week in her home. Just two weeks ago, I was telling Sean that I wanted to do something like this. And in a matter of a few minutes, it happened.

This is all so crazy! God is sooo faithful. I can't believe He would choose to use me and allow me to be a part of all this! It just blows my mind! I never thought I would have the courage to do something like this.

So. I can't wait to see where this wild ride takes me next. But I'll be sure to keep you posted. :)