Capturing the Teachable Moment

   When I was in college studying to become a teacher, the phrase I hear over and over again was “Capture the Teachable Moments”.  The idea is that if you can get kids interested and invested in a topic, they will learn more.  When things happen that are outside the lesson plan but can be used to promote learning, then deviate from the plan and capture the moment.  We were taught to consciously look for those moments in our classroom.

   While it seems like it’s only yesterday that I was in college, the years have come and gone.  I’ve gotten married.  I’ve lived in and visited a number of continents and countries.  I now have three kids that call me, Mom.  Those days of looking for the teachable moments in the classroom are gone.  But God has been touching my heart and reminding me that I have three precious little ones to care for daily.  Those teachable moments are in my own home and can be used to point my children towards Him.  He has been reminding me to look for the teachable moments and capture them.

   Last week, my children and I were in South Africa staying at a guesthouse for missionaries while my husband flew to Lesotho to do an engine change on one of our planes.  This was the first time that I had ever been in South Africa by myself with all three kids.  To say that I was a little nervous, would be an understatement.  We have visited South Africa as a family many times, but it’s so different when you are family verse a single parent.  But I knew it was for the best and I was thankful we were at a safe place in South Africa, so I put a brave face on and started the week. 

Looking down the driveway to the place we stayed.  There are a number of houses and guest rooms among the trees.

   South Africa is the land of plenty compared to Mozambique.  There are a number of things one can buy here that you can’t buy in Mozambique.  Since there were things we needed to buy to take back, shopping was on my “to do” list.  The kids and I had been out shopping for a couple of hours that afternoon.  We had decided that for supper we would stop at McDonalds (a very special treat we only get in South Africa).  We had finished shopping for the day and were getting ready to go for supper, when I realized that I didn’t have my phone.  I also realized that if we were to have supper in town and then drive back, I would be driving in the dark, in an unfamiliar country, without a phone to call for help if I needed it.  There was nothing about that which made me comfortable.  So I realized, we needed head directly back to where we were staying and skip McDonalds.

   You can well imagine how that was perceived by the three little ones in the back.  I tried to explain but to them, well… it seems as though I wasn’t being fair.  It seems that I was lying because we had a change of plans.  I firmly told them that for our safety, we needed to go home but we would do our best to visit McDonalds the next day.  We arrived home safely and I started supper while the kids raced outside to play.

   It wasn’t 30 minutes after we got home that a huge thunderstorm hit, complete with thunder, lightning, and lots of rain.  I started thanking God that we were at home and not out somewhere driving.  Then in that still small voice I heard, “Help my little children see how I’ve protected them today.”  I knew instantly that this was a “capture the teachable moment”.  So as the children looked out the window and watched the rain, saw the lightning, and heard the thunder, I reminded them of the fact that we were only home safe because Mommy had forgotten my phone.  God had protected us through me forgetting my phone.  

    When my son looked at me and declared, “Wow, God protected us by having you forget your phone. God is so good.”  I knew that I had gotten through.  What seemed like a hardship, missing McDonalds, was really God’s protection.  Since that day, the kids have chatted a number time about how they didn’t know that God was protecting us by a forgotten phone, but He was.  They are also very diligent at making sure I have my phone every time we go out now. J

  It’s been a good reminder to me to remember to always to be looking for the “teachable moments” for my kids to help the see that God is part of our daily lives.  He cares about us deeply and is with us all the time.  He is a God who takes time out of His busy schedule to care for each of us personally.  How about you?  What teachable moments have God given you in your life?

One of the sunsets, we enjoyed while in South Africa.  Reminding me again of God's love and creativity.

A Generator and A Bag of Charcoal

   The last three months have been challenging.  I once had a friend tell me, “Living in Mozambique is hard enough without the add stress of not being able to do what you came to do.”  These last three months, I have found the statement to be so true as we wait on documents that will allow us to once again take to the sky and help people through aviation.  As time stretches on, our hearts get heavier and heavier.  As we hang on and try to trust that our Heaven Father knows best, we start growing weary.  Another dear friend commented that it must feel like we are making laps inside the “fiery furnace of the old testament”.  I keep wondering how long until we will be called out of the fiery furnace and the storm will stop.  How much longer?

    Another challenge we have been facing is that our electric has got to the point that it was becoming obvious that we needed a generator.   Especially since I am now homeschooling and having electricity is critical to getting schoolwork done.  We had looked for cheaper options in South Africa, but nothing was working out.  So Conrad and a coworker went shopping in town and found a generator exactly like we were looking for at an ok price for Nampula.  We talked and prayed overnight and the next day Conrad went back to get the generator.  We were so excited to learn that we had been given the wrong price the day before and it was $300 less than what we had been told.  We were so thankful to God for the discount and planned to take the rest out of our savings, although to be honest I struggled with taking that amount out.  I came to the conclusion that the money is God’s anyway.  So if He provided for this need through our savings, then I must trust Him.

   A couple days ago, I was really struggling with “Why God can't you answer now and fix this problem with the documents?”, when I read Mark 4 in my devotions. Mark talks about how the storm was raging on the sea and the disciples in the boat were scare and tired but Jesus is calm and sleeping.  He does calm the storm at just the right minute, but the disciples did have to go through the storm for a while.  He comments on their little faith.  It got me wondering, as our faith grows, do our storms also grow?  Do I need to see this storm and fiery furnace and a blessing because my faith is strong enough to handle it?  Can’t say I liked the idea but I was reminded that God promises that He will never give us more than we can handle.  So maybe I need to be thanking God because He is growing my faith. 

    But, I still want a right now sign that I wasn’t in this alone.  Suddenly the bag of charcoal, I needed to buy for the MAF BBQ the next day, came into my mind.  Here in the city, you will see bikes riding around with large bags of “charcoal” that they have made out in the country.  They bring them into the city to sell.  If you can find someone with the charcoal still on the bike, you can usually get a better deal as well as they will even deliver it to your house if you want.  The trick is finding someone on a bike.  So I stopped and prayed, “Lord, I’m struggling right now and would love to see your hand of care in a very visible way.  You know that I’m going to pick up some kids around 2:30 for a kid’s group at my house this afternoon.  Could you please put a bike with charcoal in my path?  Because I have 16 kids coming to my house this afternoon and I have to finish homes schooling, I don’t have time to drive around and see if I could find a bike.  I know you could do this, please Lord.” 

  That afternoon, I exited my gate and looked up and down the street, no bike.  But as I turned the corner, there was a bike with charcoal.  I was so excited that I got my Portuguese all messed up and ended up asking the vender if he wanted to buy the bag of charcoal and not if I could buy the bag. To which he promptly replied “No, I am wanting to sell it.”   After getting it all sorted out, I bought the bag, put it in the back of the car, and continued on my way Praising God for His faithfulness.  But God wasn’t done.  Two days later, I was received word that an unexpected gift of money was coming that was more than enough to cover the generator.  Instantly, I knew that God was once again showing me His love in a very visible way. 

   So even though the fiery furnace with documents continue and we are still making laps, I know that I'm not in the fire alone.  Yes, the storm is still raging but I am confident that my Lord and Master,  Jesus, is in this boat with me.  And at the right moment, He will calm the storm and remove the furnace.  So I pray for strength, endurance, and wisdom.  And I know in my heart I can keep going because He showed me His love for me this week in a very visible way through a generator and a bag of charcoal.