Sabbath Bells

Ben was just six weeks old when I proudly carried him into the cradle roll room and introduced him to what I hoped would become an important part of his life—Sabbath School. We “ring-a-ling-a-linged” our Sabbath bells and “tick-tocked” our wooden sticks along with the clock at “half-past nine o’clock.” And how we enjoyed welcoming one another by singing, “Who has come to Sabbath School?” Admittedly, the mothers sang more than the little ones, but it was not long before their sweet voices could be heard lisping along.

Ben’s favorite activity was story time, and by the time he was ready to leave cradle roll, my mother-in-law could not believe the extent of his Bible knowledge. It made me feel good to know Sabbath School had become one of the highlights of his week.

As I describe Ben’s experience here, I know many of you may remember the busy Sabbath morning routine. Perhaps someone asked you to teach a class, brush up on your rusty piano skills, and maybe even accept the responsibility of leading the department. I remember throwing myself into the new role and working hard to give the little ones the best Sabbath School experience possible. I spent hours preparing programs and decorating the Sabbath School room. I enjoyed every moment I spent creating a space that would hold special memories for each child. We grow with our children and find ourselves moving from cradle roll through kindergarten and primary. Suddenly, they are juniors, and after you have served faithfully in the children’s departments, it is time to hand over the reins to a new, younger mother.

Everyone should enjoy leading out in singing and ringing the bells. As I make this transition, I wonder where I will fit in. It has been so long since I was last part of the adult Sabbath School. While I may take a while to find my place, I am certain there will always be something more to do and many others to serve. I know I will ultimately find my place because this is where I choose to be. I love being in God’s house each Sabbath.

It is who I am. He created us all to serve.

And you see, I remember ringing the Sabbath bells.

Linda K. Wolfaardt