I Am Not Worthy

     I am feeling today, like if I don't have something worth writing about, I shouldn't write today.  Who gets to decide if what I'm writing is or isn't worthy of being written.  I guess that would have to be me.
     We are getting ready to wrap up our year for Religious Education.  We have Ash Wednesday Mass and one class left.  Well, really we have two classes left, but one of them is more like a fun night.  We are going to play review games and have pizza.  I think it will be fun.
     Next year I think I may be teaching alone.  The couple who have been helping have decided that this was to be their last year.  We are supposed to have about twenty-four students.  Lately, we have had only 6 to 7 attending class.  I should be able to handle that myself.  I think that part of our attendance issue has to do with the forming of our Youth  Ministry group.  The students were given the choice between coming to class or joining the youth ministry.  We lost eight to ten people because of that choice.  I have nothing against the Youth Ministry, in fact I helped get it started, and I really do like our Youth Minister too.  We have worked very hard to recreate the high school religious ed. program.  It was formerly taught by our pastor, who kept everything in his head.  When he became ill and suddenly had to retire, we scrambled through bumpy roads trying to create a curriculum.  We incorporated our youth ministry training and we try to make the classes interesting and fun.  Some topics are pretty dry, they are hard to make fun, but we try our darnedest.  We have a great textbook, it has six chapters.  We cover two chapters a year.  We are just finishing the second year.  So, our juniors will not have had the entire book, but they have learned a couple of things I hope.
     Next year I get to teach the sacraments.  I am kind of excited.  I am frustrated though, when we show up all ready to teach a class and only 6 students show up.  Those kids deserve a class, but I am not sure they want one.  They would love to just be sent home, but they stay and stare off into nowhere.  I think the cooperation is getting better, they seem to be getting used to me and I am much more calm, less nervous.  Every class is an adventure.  Every class is a new challenge to get them to open up.  I am excited about teaching, but I also get frustrated with the attendance.  I really do appreciate those who do come to class and participate.  They definitely keep me on my toes.