I am Clay...

...in the hands of the Father. Oh, what He will do with you when just let Him!

For the last nine months, it was my privilege to teach the Faith to a class of 5th and 6th graders in Religious Education. My prayer was to be but a tool in the hand of the Divine Teacher. So in reality it was the Holy Spirit that taught this class...not me. He simply used my voice, lips, my hands to send His message. What a gift!

Tonight was the last class of the school year, and very bittersweet. How I will miss my "spiritual children". It was so touching and beautiful to read their thoughts on my year-end questionnaire:

What was your favorite thing about this class?

"The beautiful, nice, excellent teacher."
"The play." (The Christmas Performance we put on, which I wrote).

What will you remember most from this class?

"Everything I've learned this year."
"I will remember the miracles that we read about."

What was the best thing you learned in CCD this year?

"That God will always love you and is offended and sad when you sin against him."
"When we learned about abortion."
"A lot of prayers."

Why were you made?

"So I could serve God in heaven."
"To carry out all of GOD's wills."
"I was made to help the world learn about God and Jesus."
"God made us to show faith, his goodness, and to share with him everlasting happiness in heaven."

What is sin?

"Act of moral disintegration."
"To offend God by disobeying a commandment."
"A breaking of the law of God."
"Betraying God's will."

And finally, from a very sweet note that one student gave me in variations of handwriting on pink construction paper:

"You are such an inspirational teacher. You taught me so much this year and I am interested to learn more. Thanks for making this a creative and marvelous experience. I've learned much from you and memorized new prayers, stories, and ideas. Thank you, Austin."

Keep working me, dear Lord. Your clay is ready.