Week one was such a success that I had my doubts about week two. I wanted a verse that the kids could relate to and also one that would be easy to explain, which is my doubt stepping all over me again. I am stepping out of my comfort zone tip toeing but at least I am stepping, right?! Anyways, I chose a verse that I use for my Scentsy business. I put it on all of my light bulb flyers and try to live by it whether I am working, driving a bus or shopping at Wal-Mart and we all know that we need Jesus with us to make it through Wal-Mart!! I could hardly wait to get on the bus that afternoon and put the new verse reference on the mirror. The kids couldn't wait either. They had bugged me the whole prior week saying, "Mrs. Sutton when are you going to change the verse? We are ready for a new verse Mrs. Sutton. How many more days Mrs. Sutton?" I told them I was giving them a week to ponder on the first one and to learn it by heart and then we would move on to the next one. So I couldn't wait to see who noticed that I changed it and if I would get the same reaction.
Here they came, running instead of walking, as usual. Why is that? Why do kids have to run everywhere they go?! Teachers yelling, "STOP RUNNING!" and the whole time they just keep on running like there is no tomorrow. I just wish I had an ounce of their energy. Anyways, back to the story. They all hopped on the bus ready for the hot and stinky ride home. I didn't say a word and just watched them jumping on the seats, raising the windows up and down, hitting their siblings, pulling their homework out to show others, eating snacks left from lunch (which is a no no on the bus) and then they saw it. "Mrs. Sutton put a new verse on the mirror" little Caden shouted! "What is it, Mrs. Sutton" he asked?
By this time, the buses were ready to pull out. Bus 49 came over the radio, "We're all in Mrs. Sissy". Sissy replied, "Everybody have a safe trip and let's go number one". This is our everyday routine and then we all file out, buses one through fifty, each bus last in the row honking for the next row to head out. This is quite a site from what my mom tells me. She always picks up my boys from school and gets to the Elementary about the time we are pulling out. She said one day they just watched in amazement as each bus pulled out, while the others rows waited patiently on their signaling honk to go. It is definitely a sort of organized chaos! However, on this day, I didn't see the other buses. I did not hear the chaos of all of the chatter on the radio about missing kids or kids getting on the wrong bus. I just heard the small little voice behind me longing to know more about the verse on the mirror. My heart was crying out to God, thanking Him for another opportunity to serve Him and to show love to this child. I told him that we would wait for the others to get on the bus so that we could talk about it together.
The other campuses were loaded and the two boys that sit behind me noticed that I changed the verse as well. Immediately, they got the Bible and read the verse out loud. I asked if they knew what the verse meant and what the "light" was referring to in the verse. They could not figure it out so I preceded to tell them who the Light was and what it meant to not hide it. They began telling me where they go to church and that they learn Bible verses at church but somehow these children didn't know what the Light was. I was so glad I got to tell them. At the end of the route, the same little girls came up to the front and picked up the Bible and read the verse. They also, did not really understand it so again I was able to talk to them and try my very best to explain the Light. The girls decided to go to the back and have their brother look up the verse from last week so they could read it again.
The week was great and much like the first. However, I did get a chance to also hand out invitations to an Easter egg hunt we were having at our church. The kids all smiled and said, "Thank you, Mrs. Sutton"! It was like I had given them a big present or something. It was just me extending an invitation that was pre-printed at our church but the kids were overwhelmed with excitement that I would actually want them to come to something. Had I really been that distant and unloving over the past four years? Had I not been concerned about them at all? Had I not even given one bit of positive attention to these Jesus hungry children? How many opportunities had I missed to share Jesus and how can I ever make up for all of the lost time?
This week was very humbling and very eye opening to the daily rut of poor pitiful me that I had let take over my life. I had missed opportunity after opportunity to love these children, care for these children, give attention to these children and most of all to be a light for the Lord. All I could do was ask the Lord for His forgiveness and for Him to help me be a better servant for Him. I know that I am not the only one that gets caught up in "woe is me". It took me four years to realize it but God was still there and willing to show me the way. Don't be afraid to get out of your rut and trust Him fully. God has great plans for you! Take it from the doubtful school bus driver that didn't think a simple verse could change her whole outlook on life and going from hating my job to being excited to drive a school bus. Trust Him today, move forward and don't ever look back. Great things are ahead!
Can't wait to see what is store for week 3!
Now no one after lighting a lamp covers it over with a container, or puts it under a bed; but he puts it on a lamp stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Luke 8:16
Monday, April 25, 2011
One Simple Verse
A few months ago we had a garage sale to get rid of some stuff before moving back to Marshall. It went great and we made a little extra change. Over Sunday lunch at my mom's house, Jason and I were discussing how to use the money, and my youngest piped in and said, "Let's buy some Bibles with it and give them to people that don't have Bibles". Wow! Why didn't we think of that?! Well, because sometimes we are always focused on our needs instead of others. It took the faith of a child to remind us of what we should really be doing and that is spreading the good news. It was very humbling to say the least. So we took some of the garage sale money, went to Mardel and bought ten Bibles. The boys each got five to choose how they wanted to use them or who to give them to. Jamison used five of the Bibles, which I will write about later and we still had five left so I decided to take one and put on my bus to go along with my husband's brilliant idea.
I never imagined in my wildest dreams that my husband's simple idea would totally transform my attitude towards my bus driving adventure. Little did I know that God had bigger plans for me and the kids that I spend 45 minutes with every afternoon. So, I stepped out on a little faith and also a little bit of the "I'll prove you wrong attitude" and I wrote the verse John 3:16 on my mirror. I also placed the Bible on my dashboard just in case someone wanted to actually pick it up and look up the verse or read from it. Yeah right!
The horns were honked at 3:20 letting the kids know to load up. Here they came, my little K-2 wild animals with snot, dirty faces and sweaty hands. Little did they know that I was actually glad to see them today, instead of my usual, "Sit down and be quiet"! They all got on and sat down and it wasn't a total of ten seconds and one of my little riders shouted, "Look everybody, Mrs. Sutton has John 3:16 on her mirror"! Before I knew it they were all pointing and shouting about John 3:16. I even had one little boy quote the verse word for word. I could not believe my ears! My little rugrats actually had heard of this verse and one of them even knew it by heart?! I was amazed. However, there were some that had never heard it and told me that had never been to church.
We moved on to the other campuses to pick up the other students. After everyone was on, the two boys that sit behind me said, "Hey look, she has a verse on her mirror". There was more shouting and pointing and quoting of the verse. Again, I was amazed. The boys behind me saw the Bible and I told them they could look it up to see what it said. They took the Bible, read the verse out loud and were silent. I said, "Do you know what that means"? They thought about it and weren't sure so I got to explain to them who Jesus is, why He came, and the promise He gave us. They wanted to know why I put the verse there and what I was going to do with it. I simply told them that God tells us to be a light for Him and spread His word and that is what I was trying to do.
Towards the end of the route, I had two girls come up and ask me about the verse. I told them to look it up in the Bible and see what it says. They found it but were a little unsure of the meaning even though they went to church. I got to explain the gospel a second time in one afternoon. Was this really happening? Was I really creating a relationship with the kids that I had grown to despise?
The rest of the week kids kept asking why I put the verse on the mirror and when I was going to change it. I explained to them I was going to put up a new verse every week and if they did not know it that I had a Bible they could look it up in. There was not one day that went by that week that someone didn't pick up the Bible or ask about the verse and its meaning. The kids were talking to me and I was enjoying talking to them. What a HUGE difference from just a few days ago. I can't believe I am actually saying this, but I was even looking forward to driving my bus! WHAT?! I never thought I would say that! I was even praying for my kids and I was even not as mean as usual.
God taught me a huge lesson that week. He taught me that you can't judge a book by its cover. I had grown to despise my bus route so much and some of the kids were so bad sometimes that I had labeled every kid as horrible, ungodly children that never went to church and that I would never be able to witness too. God used my husband to give me a simple idea to use one simple verse to be a light for Him and to transform my attitude, my bus route, and the relationship with the kids on my bus. This idea, this verse, this particular week, these specific kids and one bus out of 50 in one school district out of many has been transformed by one simple verse, John 3:16. This is a beginning to a new attitude, a new purpose, a new ride and a new me. I will be forever changed by this verse and it will be planted in my heart as the verse that not only changed the kids on the bus but also me and God's will for my life.
Tune in for week 2 of Bible on the Bus.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
I never imagined in my wildest dreams that my husband's simple idea would totally transform my attitude towards my bus driving adventure. Little did I know that God had bigger plans for me and the kids that I spend 45 minutes with every afternoon. So, I stepped out on a little faith and also a little bit of the "I'll prove you wrong attitude" and I wrote the verse John 3:16 on my mirror. I also placed the Bible on my dashboard just in case someone wanted to actually pick it up and look up the verse or read from it. Yeah right!
The horns were honked at 3:20 letting the kids know to load up. Here they came, my little K-2 wild animals with snot, dirty faces and sweaty hands. Little did they know that I was actually glad to see them today, instead of my usual, "Sit down and be quiet"! They all got on and sat down and it wasn't a total of ten seconds and one of my little riders shouted, "Look everybody, Mrs. Sutton has John 3:16 on her mirror"! Before I knew it they were all pointing and shouting about John 3:16. I even had one little boy quote the verse word for word. I could not believe my ears! My little rugrats actually had heard of this verse and one of them even knew it by heart?! I was amazed. However, there were some that had never heard it and told me that had never been to church.
We moved on to the other campuses to pick up the other students. After everyone was on, the two boys that sit behind me said, "Hey look, she has a verse on her mirror". There was more shouting and pointing and quoting of the verse. Again, I was amazed. The boys behind me saw the Bible and I told them they could look it up to see what it said. They took the Bible, read the verse out loud and were silent. I said, "Do you know what that means"? They thought about it and weren't sure so I got to explain to them who Jesus is, why He came, and the promise He gave us. They wanted to know why I put the verse there and what I was going to do with it. I simply told them that God tells us to be a light for Him and spread His word and that is what I was trying to do.
Towards the end of the route, I had two girls come up and ask me about the verse. I told them to look it up in the Bible and see what it says. They found it but were a little unsure of the meaning even though they went to church. I got to explain the gospel a second time in one afternoon. Was this really happening? Was I really creating a relationship with the kids that I had grown to despise?
The rest of the week kids kept asking why I put the verse on the mirror and when I was going to change it. I explained to them I was going to put up a new verse every week and if they did not know it that I had a Bible they could look it up in. There was not one day that went by that week that someone didn't pick up the Bible or ask about the verse and its meaning. The kids were talking to me and I was enjoying talking to them. What a HUGE difference from just a few days ago. I can't believe I am actually saying this, but I was even looking forward to driving my bus! WHAT?! I never thought I would say that! I was even praying for my kids and I was even not as mean as usual.
God taught me a huge lesson that week. He taught me that you can't judge a book by its cover. I had grown to despise my bus route so much and some of the kids were so bad sometimes that I had labeled every kid as horrible, ungodly children that never went to church and that I would never be able to witness too. God used my husband to give me a simple idea to use one simple verse to be a light for Him and to transform my attitude, my bus route, and the relationship with the kids on my bus. This idea, this verse, this particular week, these specific kids and one bus out of 50 in one school district out of many has been transformed by one simple verse, John 3:16. This is a beginning to a new attitude, a new purpose, a new ride and a new me. I will be forever changed by this verse and it will be planted in my heart as the verse that not only changed the kids on the bus but also me and God's will for my life.
Tune in for week 2 of Bible on the Bus.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
The Wheels on the Bus
The adventure started four years ago when I was called to stay at home with my youngest son, Jamsion, before he started Kindergarten. I had been working full time at the high school as the registrar and loved my job and being on the kids' schedules. However, God was definitely calling me to stay at home. But I had a dilemma, our family lived outside of the school district that our boys were attending and the only way to keep my oldest in school there was to work in the district. So after much prayer, we decided I would drive a school bus in the afternoons so that our children could still attend school there. I know, I know, most people wonder, "Why don't you just move"? Well that is a whole other story in itself. Let's just say that God has placed us in a wonderful place and we are exactly where we are supposed to be.
This is where the story begins. I left my registrar job the summer of 2007 and got my CDL to drive the bus. I was SO nervous and not very excited about my new adventure. How could God possibly want me to drive a bus?! This was not MY plan for MY life! But little did I know that four years later, I would be sharing Jesus with the kids on my bus. It has taken me this long to realize God's greater plan and to set aside my feelings toward driving the "yellow dog". I have hated this job since day one and never had any intention of driving more than one year.
The first year was literally what I considered to be Hell. How could it be any worse? Fifty kids in my care with filthy mouths, obscene gestures, stories of ungodliness at home, fighting, spitting and any other unnecessary evil you can think of! What had I done?! I prayed everyday for God to get me through each route and each and everyday He did. I have shed tears, sweat like a dog and even contracted head lice!! Yes, I said it, LICE! This experience had definitely reached it's all time low! "God what are you doing?" I would say. "Why am I doing this Lord and how can I ever do work for you on this bus Lord?" was my everyday prayer.
As the days, turned into weeks and weeks into months, before I knew it the months turned into four years. I still had not done anything for the Lord, except to complain about poor pitiful me. It was always about me and never about the Lord. Well, after four years of prayer and trying to come up with some way to reach these kids, the Lord finally gave me an idea through my wonderful husband. He said, "write John 3:16 on your mirror with a dry erase marker". "Brilliant", I thought! So simple! But, I had my doubts. Who would care if I had John 3:16 on my mirror and who would ever say anything about it?
This simple idea for this simple girl living a simple life is exactly what I needed! God doesn't expect us to use technology, glitz and glamor to shine His light. He just wants us to keep it simple and share His love. Even if it is one verse at at time. God is faithful and has shown me to never give up. After four years of prayer, He has finally given me an open door to sharing my faith with fifty kids that need my love. He has totally changed my perspective of the "yellow dog" and what it means to be a bus driver.
Tune in next week to find out what happened on week one of Bible on the Bus!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
This is where the story begins. I left my registrar job the summer of 2007 and got my CDL to drive the bus. I was SO nervous and not very excited about my new adventure. How could God possibly want me to drive a bus?! This was not MY plan for MY life! But little did I know that four years later, I would be sharing Jesus with the kids on my bus. It has taken me this long to realize God's greater plan and to set aside my feelings toward driving the "yellow dog". I have hated this job since day one and never had any intention of driving more than one year.
The first year was literally what I considered to be Hell. How could it be any worse? Fifty kids in my care with filthy mouths, obscene gestures, stories of ungodliness at home, fighting, spitting and any other unnecessary evil you can think of! What had I done?! I prayed everyday for God to get me through each route and each and everyday He did. I have shed tears, sweat like a dog and even contracted head lice!! Yes, I said it, LICE! This experience had definitely reached it's all time low! "God what are you doing?" I would say. "Why am I doing this Lord and how can I ever do work for you on this bus Lord?" was my everyday prayer.
As the days, turned into weeks and weeks into months, before I knew it the months turned into four years. I still had not done anything for the Lord, except to complain about poor pitiful me. It was always about me and never about the Lord. Well, after four years of prayer and trying to come up with some way to reach these kids, the Lord finally gave me an idea through my wonderful husband. He said, "write John 3:16 on your mirror with a dry erase marker". "Brilliant", I thought! So simple! But, I had my doubts. Who would care if I had John 3:16 on my mirror and who would ever say anything about it?
This simple idea for this simple girl living a simple life is exactly what I needed! God doesn't expect us to use technology, glitz and glamor to shine His light. He just wants us to keep it simple and share His love. Even if it is one verse at at time. God is faithful and has shown me to never give up. After four years of prayer, He has finally given me an open door to sharing my faith with fifty kids that need my love. He has totally changed my perspective of the "yellow dog" and what it means to be a bus driver.
Tune in next week to find out what happened on week one of Bible on the Bus!
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort. He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4
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