When I Grow Up...

"When I grow up I want to be..." How many times have I heard those words come from a child's mouth...usually followed by a whole array of careers. Working at a Pre-School, we just completed our school year and had two graduations-one for the pre-4's and the other for the pr-5's. It wasn't really a big deal, no gowns or crossing of the tassels or anything. It basically was just alittle program for the parents to watch and hear their children tell everyone what they wanted to be someday...

Pre-5's

"The Three Stooges"

Pre-4's

"Partners in Crime"

When we practiced, we stressed to the children that no they could not be flowers, no they could not be Ariel or Santa Claus, and no they could not magically turn into a great white shark no matter how cool they may be. Being 3-5 year olds, most everything we practiced went out the window.

Of course we had the usual, a policeman, fireman, princess, mommy, teacher...but there are always that group of special children who just have to be different...

One little boy insisted he was going to be a karate fighting Jedi, and to show how serious he was he did a karate jump off the platform.

Another over achiever said he wanted to be a hockey player, basketball player, football player, baseball player,...let's just say we actually had to stop him or else he would have went on all day.

The baby of the family told her mommy that she wanted to be a big sister some day...

The nosy boy of the class, smugly told everyone he would be their future president.

The son of a policeman informed his dad that no he did not want to go into the line of police, but would rather be a superhero and catch bad guys...

Another little boy proudly told the audience he was going to be a transformer???

Listening to the kids give their "plans" for the future made me reflect upon my childhood and all the many different things I wanted to be. As a younger elementary student, I just wanted to be a mommy...as I got older I decided I could handle being a nurse on the side as well. From there, watching my mom at work made me want to be a secretary just like her. Candy selling in Chicago made me have a desire to be one those business woman who look oh so important carrying their satchels and Starbucks. After seeing my best friend in the hospital I decided that I wanted to be a doctor and make people better. Finally when it came time for college, I took secondary education with a major in English and a minor in business; in my mind thinking I could pursue teaching or business.

While we were practicing with my little 3-5 year olds, I walked on the platform to show them how it was done. When I stood there looking at my kiddies, one of them shouted out, "So want do want to be when you grow up Miss Nickel?" I stood there for a second thinking, "English teacher, ...youth director's wife,...princepal,...photographer,...mommy,..." I really did not know how to answer, I for sure do not feel grown up yet and it just made me feel like I was still such a kid, with all these dreams and aspirations yet to be fulfilled. I was no different from them, of course besides the fact that I don't want to be Cinderella or a flower...

Tonight in Institute Preacher gave an awesome lesson on basically just doing the work God has put me in, and waiting for Him to lay His plans for my life before me. He used Saul as an example: one morning he went out herding his father's donkeys, and he came back King of Israel. So for now, I really do not know what I will be "when I grow up" but I am content just to enjoy my life, my family, my ministries, my job, and wait on the Lord.