• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Catholic Review

Catholic Review

Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Menu
  • Home
  • News
        • Local News
        • World News
        • Vatican News
        • Obituaries
        • Featured Video
        • En Español
        • Sports News
        • Official Clergy Assignments
        • Schools News
  • Commentary
        • Contributors
          • Question Corner
          • George Weigel
          • Elizabeth Scalia
          • Michael R. Heinlein
          • Effie Caldarola
          • Guest Commentary
        • CR Columnists
          • Archbishop William E. Lori
          • Rita Buettner
          • Christopher Gunty
          • George Matysek Jr.
          • Mark Viviano
          • Father Joseph Breighner
          • Father Collin Poston
          • Robyn Barberry
          • Hanael Bianchi
          • Amen Columns
  • Entertainment
        • Events
        • Movie & Television Reviews
        • Arts & Culture
        • Books
        • Recipes
  • About Us
        • Contact Us
        • Our History
        • Meet Our Staff
        • Photos to own
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • CR Media platforms
        • Electronic Edition
  • Advertising
  • Shop
        • Purchase Photos
        • Books/CDs/Prayer Cards
        • Magazine Subscriptions
        • Archdiocesan Directory
  • CR Radio
        • CR Radio
        • Protagonistas de Fe
  • News Tips
  • Subscribe

When the Holy Spirit shows up for Sunday School and more (7 Quick Takes)

November 22, 2019
By Rita Buettner
Filed Under: Blog, Open Window, Uncategorized

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

~1~

There are Sunday school teachers who prepare days ahead of time. Then you have me, who often spends Sunday morning flipping through the curriculum for the day while feeding people breakfast.

I am one of the pre-k teachers, and I’m never alone. Last Sunday, the theme was “God made music,” and my fellow teachers and I were texting ideas for a book we could enjoy together and musical instruments we could make out of noodles, cups, and masking tape.

I persuaded my son to bring his trumpet to play, which seemed like a wonderful idea until we were running to the car and he couldn’t find it. He had left it on the bus on Friday.

Still, I wasn’t rattled. As I was walking in the hallway outside my classroom, I noticed that the music teacher happened to be in her room. So, I stopped in and asked if we could bring the students down for a quick visit so she could play the keyboard for us.

Instead, she put together a beautiful music lesson, leading the children in a song about Jesus as they waved scarves to the music. Then she introduced them to a series of instruments and made it into a game. The class flew by and the children—hopefully—took away the lesson that God created music and that we can use music to praise God.

The Holy Spirit showed up in a big way.

~2~

Are you cooking anything for Thanksgiving dinner? We are going to my sister-in-law’s house, and the emails have started as the plans come together. I think I’ve offered to make an apple pie, my hot broccoli dip, and maybe a vegetable. My husband volunteered for a charcuterie tray and some drinks.

I might also have offered to bring a green bean casserole, even though I have never made one and might only have tasted one once. That’s not one of my Thanksgiving staples.

~3~

This time of year I enjoy shopping, but I realize I can’t shop well with my children. They behave beautifully, but we find things they want. Then I have to figure out how to either buy them without their noticing or go back later without them.

I end up taking lots of photos of items, so I’ll remember what was where. I wish stores had some kind of sneaky way parents could slip a gift to them and pay for it on the sly.

~4~

It’s possible, of course, that the bigger problem with shopping is that I see things that I want but really don’t need.

The other day we were at discount store, and I saw that they had sets of parrot lights. Who needs parrot lights, you might ask? Who doesn’t need parrot lights?

Luckily the lines were so long that we might still be waiting to check out six days later. So, I left them on the shelf. But I can still hope I’ll find them in my stocking.

~5~

My purse strap broke the other day when my purse got caught in the car door. I was afraid I would have to replace it, but that would be such a waste. Luckily I was able to clasp it to a different part of the purse. But I think that maybe I am too rough on things. How does a purse get caught in a car door?

~6~

Parent-teacher conferences make me cry. Every. Single. Time. Even when there is absolutely no reason to cry, I find my eyes filling up as I think about all my children have accomplished.

I interrupted our fourth grader’s math teacher at one point during our session to say, “Look how well he spelled multiplication! Just the way it sounds!”

For the life of me, I cannot obsess about every grade or go on the online grading system all the time the way you’re supposed to. But I do like celebrating the little successes—and the big ones.

~7~

Tomorrow we are going to a baptism! I’m so very excited. The new Child of God is the little boy our friends adopted from China a few months ago. I am so honored to be included and so happy that we will be able to watch him grow up. Baptisms are just so wonderful, of course, but this is special because I don’t think I have ever been to a baptism of another child from China.

Read more quick takes at Kelly’s blog, This Ain’t the Lyceum, and have a wonderful weekend!

Print Print

Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this
Share
Share on LinkedIn

Primary Sidebar

Rita Buettner

View all posts from this author

| Recent Commentary |

Cupcakes with 2025 graduation toothpicks in them and a bowl of cookies

Our 31-hour Road Trip

St. Paul and discovering that sin is ‘missing the mark’

Six lit candles on a chocolate birthday cake

Making a birthday wish come true

Pilgrims of Hope: Walking the Way of St. Francis in the Year of Jubilee

The fisherman and the pharisee

| Recent Local News |

Archbishop Lori announces clergy appointments, including pastor and associate pastors

DUAL ENROLLMENT

Double the learning: Dual enrollment provides college credit to high school students

St. Mary’s purchases former Annapolis Area Christian School

Radio Interview: Exploring the Nicene Creed – Part Two

St. Clement Mary Hofbauer adapts to times, cultures as it celebrates 100th anniversary

| Catholic Review Radio |

CatholicReview · Catholic Review Radio

Footer

Our Vision

Real Life. Real Faith. 

Catholic Review Media communicates the Gospel and its impact on people’s lives in the Archdiocese of Baltimore and beyond.

Our Mission

Catholic Review Media provides intergenerational communications that inform, teach, inspire and engage Catholics and all of good will in the mission of Christ through diverse forms of media.

Contact

Catholic Review
320 Cathedral Street
Baltimore, MD 21201
443-524-3150
mail@CatholicReview.org

 

Social Media

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Recent

  • Movie Review: Superman
  • Judge blocks Trump birthright citizenship order as part of class action lawsuit
  • Ukraine religious leaders issue ‘desperate cry’ to world to end Russia’s war
  • Pope Leo wears Chicago-made vestments to July 9 ‘care of creation’ Mass
  • Movie Review: Sorry, Baby
  • ICE deports Iowa parishioner to Guatemala homeland as supporters pray for his release
  • Come away and rest awhile
  • French woman hopes sharing mystical encounter with Minnesota Benedictine helps sainthood cause
  • Pope: Vatican still ready to host peace talks between Russia, Ukraine

Search

Membership

Catholic Media Assocation

Maryland-Delaware-DC Press Association

The Associated Church Press

© 2025 CATHOLIC REVIEW MEDIA, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

en Englishes Spanish
en en