Voices?

Originally posted on Miss P’s Pondering on June 1, 2012.

I had lots of thoughts about what I should write today. Some of those ideas came from packing up my classroom and battling the “dust monsters” (Way too big to be dust bunnies!). A few of the ideas came from my favorite four-legged friend, Jasper, and his joy in me coming home “early” today. However, the topic I picked came from a short conversation at small group…. This discussion came from the “voices in my head”…. I honestly don’t know how it started…but somehow….during a time of us sharing concerns with which we wanted prayer. Oh, I know…I mentioned VBS…which led to my love of storytelling…which led to the “voices” I use when reading or telling stories.

A couple of the people in our small group (Andy & Martin) seemed to be new to hearing my voices, and they seemed to get quite a chuckle. Now, for those of you who don’t know me, let me take you back to the beginning. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.” Oops, I didn’t mean that beginning. At 5:15a.m. on July 8, 1970, a little girl was born to Jerry & Sharon Pflaumer. Oops! That’s the wrong beginning again. Back in 1984 (I think), my sister started dating a guy on the MHS basketball team, so I inherited her babysitting gig. For whom did I babysit? The four daughters of the Varsity basketball coach.

Gary and Ruth went to our church, and Ruth was a stay-at-home mom. So, the only times she was away from the littlest daughter was during morning worship and basketball games. Let’s just say that Kylie greeted me with crocodile tears and screams as Ruth would head out to the game. So, I developed a routine. I would immediately take her back to check her diaper. As she lay on the changing table still screaming, I created noises and voices. I would keep at it until the screams and tears became a smile…and sometimes even laughter. Ahhh, a new talent was created…thanks to the love of a child for her mother.

Over the years, those noises and voices have come in quite handy. Whether it’s teaching my third graders, leading DiscipleTown, storytelling at children’s ministry events, or manning a puppet or two…those “voices in my head” have been polished and used. As each school year passes, Mary and I read a lot of the same “read aloud” books to our classes. Mary laughs as a lot of the book characters have the “same voice” year after year. “Mrs. Jewels” in “Wayside School” always has an English accent. “Mrs. Gorf” from “Wayside School” has the same voice as “Grandma” from “George’s Marvelous Medicine.”

Funnier still is the fact that my students begin to ask for “other people” to teach math. There were many afternoons when someone would ask, “Can Mrs. Jewels teach us math today?” These voices come in handy. A friend of mine from school and church has two daughters and a son. His son would never talk to me more than a word or two when he was little. Then, one Easter, the church had an Easter Egg hunt where age groups would rotate through stations. I was the “storyteller”. So, I came in as “Farmer Fran” and used the Resurrection Eggs to share the gospel with each group. That day, Evan talked my ear off. He didn’t see me as “Miss Jodi” the teacher…or the adult…he saw and welcomed me as “Farmer Fran” the lady who talked funny and talked about colorful eggs.

However, there’s a more important Voice for me to share, and that would be the Holy Spirit. In fact, the chapter we discussed tonight in small group talked about how we live/think/speak according to the flesh or according to the Spirit. When we live according to the voice of our flesh, then our default setting is “all about me”. According to Romans 8:5-8, living according to the flesh (or the world) is death. This mindset is hostile to God and is unable to submit to God’s law.

Lots of “good people” do lots of “good things” without being “good” in God’s eyes because it is not for His glory. However, when we live according to the Spirit, we are led to life and peace. As a Christian, I have peace in knowing that “there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.”

What a gift of grace! Yes, God has given me the unique ability to develop voices and characters. He can use this talent to teach His children and to bring Him glory. But…these “voices” are nothing absolutely nothing when compared to the Voice that called me to be His child. The Voice who made me His own. The Voice that I hope will say, “Well done by good and faithful servant.” Until then…I’ll use the “voices” for His glory…and the entertainment of my elementary students not to mention my small group.