By Lisa McCleish, Director of Preschool/Parents’ Day Out
Have you ever heard the story about the lady who was reaching the end of her life and as she talked with her pastor and the funeral director, she told them she wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand? Thinking maybe she was in the early stages of dementia for such a request, the pastor changed the subject.ave you ever heard the story about the lady who was reaching the end of her life and as she talked with her pastor and the funeral director, she told them she wanted to be buried with a fork in her hand? Thinking maybe she was in the early stages of dementia for such a request, the pastor changed the subject.
Eventually the topic of her funeral came back around and she reminded them that she wanted to be buried with a fork. The pastor decided to pacify her, so he asked why.
“Well,” she said very confidently, “when you go to a potluck, they always tell you to keep your fork when they clear the table, and you know something good is coming. I know that when I die, something good is still coming, so I want to be buried with a fork in my hand.” Request granted.
We are just over two months into the school year. Besides seeing the smiling faces as they come to school each morning, one of the best times of the day is when the children and teachers pray before they eat. My heart melts when the older children remind each other not to eat “until we have said the prayer” and the 2 year-olds thank mommy and daddy for the food they packed in their lunch. In the youngest toddler room, the children aren’t talking yet, but they will fold their hands as the teachers recite, “ABCD, thank you God for feeding me.”
I have a favorite room this year, though (don’t tell the children I said that). Our older toddlers are saying one and two word sentences–with a lot of pointing thrown in as well. Each day at 11:30 a.m., they wash their hands, choose a seat and then fold their hands when the teacher reminds them. A few of them will attempt to say the prayer with their teachers, “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food.” Then there is a resounding chorus of eight little voices saying AMEN. If you listen a little longer, you hear a few extra AMENs if the teachers aren’t quite quick enough passing out a lunch or opening a container.
This week, a little girl sat down to a snack that was already at the table after she woke up from rest time. She proclaimed a loud AMEN and then ate snack, this without a teacher there to guide her. That amen was enough to wake the other children who immediately went to the table.
They don’t fully understand what the words mean; that will come with time. But with prayer, and a joyous AMEN, know that something good is coming.
