Exodus and Kindergarten

Today I am going to share a memory from my childhood.  My past has a lot to do with who I am today, so I will be sharing stories off and on.  Today is one of those days.

Exodus-When I was in kindergarten, we had a bible story read to us everyday.  However, it only happened when we went to Miss Kitley's classroom.  Mrs. Ainsworth didn't read bible stories.  At least I don't remember her reading them to us.  It could be that we always went to Miss Kitley for bible story time.  Two Kindergarten classes, two very different teachers.  Miss Kitley was happy and bubbly and fun.  Mrs. Ainsworth was large, gruff and a disciplinarian.

So Exodus.  Both classes, sitting on the floor and Miss Kitley was reading from the Illustrated Bible Story Books that you could get sent to your house every few weeks.  Boy, did I want those books!  Too expensive according to my Mama.  I know that Mrs. Fleming, next door had them.  They were a Catholic family and maybe my Mama thought it was just for Catholic families.  I don't know.  She had some rigid ideas about religion. Dr. Doty, our family doctor, had them in his office too. I don't remember what church he went to. Anyways, I digress- still bitter about not getting the books.



Ok, Exodus.  Miss Kitley was reading us the story of the chosen people of God being warned that an angel of death would come during the night and that they needed to be packed and prepared.  Pharoah had not relented, despite all the plagues and this was going to top them all.  Every household was to take the first born lamb from their flock, one without blemish, slaughter it and brush the blood of the lamb on the lentil and doorposts of their homes.  That would protect the firstborn son in the home from dying.  Those that did not follow God's commandment, would have their oldest son die.  People rushed around and did what God told them to do.  However, Pharoah and his people didn't do it and their oldest sons died.

That story had a huge impact on me.  It terrified me!  I had an oldest brother, Craig.  My daddy was an only child so he was the oldest.  Would they both die?  You have to realize that I was a very wildly imaginative child, filled with stories, and fears. When school got out, I ran home, trying to figure out how get some lamb blood to put on our door. We didn't have any sheep.  I didn't even know anyone that had sheep.  I was frantic!  My mother was leaving for work as an RN at the hospital and you did not disturb her when she was getting ready.  You could watch but you could not interrupt.  Someday I will describe this process.  So, when I couldn't come up with the blood, I made mud, with grass in it and brushed it all over the door frame.  I don't think I did this until my Mama left.  I don't remember who the babysitter was at that time.  But, I do know that my father was furious when he got home and saw the mud on the door and the porch and me.

Times have changed.  Bible stories don't get read in school anymore and even in Sunday School, Exodus isn't usually part of the kindergarten curriculum.  An avenging God is not the best message for kindergarteners, it isn't New Norm correct. They need to learn about the loving and forgiving God. 

By the way, my brother was still alive the next day, and just as grumpy and stern as the day before. So was Daddy.