Clap For Joy Sunday!

A JOYFUL NOISE!!

I had ordered some clappers from Oriental Tradepost and when they arrived on Saturday (one day late) I eagerly tore into the box and was very disappointed to find T-I-N-Y clappers that wouldn't even move or clap. I was on my way to a family renunion, so I was on the cell phone with Oriental TP and sweetly and nicely explained that they wouldn't even "CLAP"!!!! They said they could re-ship something else, but I said the event was tomorrow, so they very nicely credited my credit card back (and told me to keep the clappers) and I told them I would order from them again because they were so nice and helpful. So I had 48 tiny, but free clappers.

We stopped off at the Dollar Tree and right in front of the store were HUGE clappers (the size of some kid's head!) that flashed when you pulled the tab out. So we decided to buy about 22 of them for the children and I figured out a OBJECT LESSON for the adults when they received the TINY ones.

When I handed out the little clappers, of course the adults complained and said "they don't clap!", we want the big ones! And of course, the kids eyes got big when they saw their huge ones :)

I asked the kids (I had called them up front) to show how much they loved Jesus by clapping their clappers. The noise was deafening! Then I asked the adults to do the same thing. No noise.

I explained that children are little captive audiences. They learn by example. Their enthusiasm for the Lord is naturally large at their age. But sometimes we adults get into bad habits of needing to sleep a little later, show up to Sunday School a little later, attend a Church a little less; let things get in the way. Kids can't drive themselves to church so they can't get there on time.

If they don't SEE us (their parents, their leaders ) WORSHIP the Lord or be ENTHUSED about the work of the Lord they won't be inspired to follow us. Our children may hear us TALK about the Lord, but they'll SEE that our excitement is LESS than theirs by our ACTIONS.

Since children learn by example, their excitement will shrink to match ours one day if we're not careful and then we will have teenagers who do not want to attend church at all. So to teach them to love The Church of God and love coming to church, our excitement for the Lord will have to exceed theirs. I asked the adults to put the TINY clappers on their key chains to remind them to increase their excitement for Sunday School and The Church of God so our children would be happy follow.

We then sang Psalms 47:1

Clap your hands, all ye people
Shout to God with a voice of triumph (AMEN)
Clap your hands, all ye people
Sing for Joy unto the Lord
We're singing Halleh, halleh, halleleuja
We're singing Halleh, halleh, halleleuja
We're singing Halleh, halleh, halleleuja
We're singing Halleh, halleh, halleleuja!!

Then we sang:

If you're happy and you know it clap your hands....
If you love the Lord and know it clap your hands...

If you love Sunday School clap your hands
If you love Sunday School clap your hands
If you love Sunday Schooooooooooool !
Be there at 9:45 55555555555555555!
If you love Sunday School clap your hands