Lesson plan

As new academic year approaches, I find myself revisiting the syllabus and planning lessons for the new year.

Lesson 1 - Numbers and 4 Operations
Objectives - Students learn about negative numbers, integers, rational numbers...
and so on...

As I ponder on, I realise I am part of a greater lesson plan too.

I realise the phases of life that I have gone through (Not the infant, toddler, adolescent - kinda of phase)
- All the spiritual phases that I find myself walking past - they all make up a big syllabus.
And every phase is a lesson plan with a great objective in mind.

The teacher - the Holy Spirit.

So I broke down all the major lessons and phases that i COULD remember myself going through
And here it is:

Lesson 1 - Trust
Left with few cents in my pocket on numerous occasions during tertiary years; but had since miraculously survived and put on at least another 10 kg (sighs).

Lesson 2 - Commitment; Endurance
I remember always getting very impatient with my fellow JAMs worker (aka santhi) during the last few minutes of finishing up projects. So instead of completing with joy, i'd end up receiving longer scolding sessions...

Lesson 3 - Humility
Shelved - no preaching; no leading segments for months; until i learned to be satisfied setting up chairs and standing behind the computer with a smile.

Lesson 4 - Anger Management
I never knew I had such huge anger problems until close friend entered in.. It took me a few years to learn to be slow to speak up and to hold back my anger.

Lesson 5 - Mercy
Yes... Mercy and grace to others - smile ;)

Lesson 6 - Love for God
God likes to revise this with me once in a while; probably more frequently now than ever

Lesson 7 - Love for others
This is a revisit after years; esp for those uncompassionate people in JAMs - who have forgotten HOW to love their fellow colleagues and friends

Lesson 8 - Wisdom of words
Say only what I mean - only what I really want to mean.

Lesson 9 - Submission to Leadership
Just when you thought that another person needs conviction in this area; you realise you also do.

Lesson 10 - Forgiveness
previous blog entry

Lesson 11 - Dependence upon God
Consistent lessons - crash courses once in a while.

When a teacher realises that the student has mastered the lesson, he moves on.
If not, some lessons could take as long as few years to complete.

I think I am a worse student than all those I have taught; combined.
I am just glad that I have a Teacher who has infinite patience and love.

Big heart, Lord - BIGGER!!