7 to Thirty7: iAm Sam

February/2015

iPray eVotional

iPray eVotionals exhorts those who pray. It's the glass of water held out around each month's turn for the runners who can use a quick and easy quench in order to finish strong.

iAm Sam

Approx. reading time: 9 minutes

Seussi-School

There has been much rhyming going on in my house. My daughter and I are involved in the production Seussical, a musical that combines a number of Dr. Seuss stories into one grand story. As we are deep in rehearsal mode, we cannot seem to have a conversation without it sounding like a poem, fragmented sentence or a rhyming response.

"Time for Bed"
"Okay, what you said."
"What did you eat at Lunch?"
"Pasta and then some punch."
"Are you here?"
"Yes, my dear."
"Turn off the light"
"I just might"
It's like we are being constantly schooled in Seuss!

Say! Would you like to step into my Seussi-School classroom? It just happens to be story time. Sit on my cyber lap while I read you a story.

Click here to read the words of one of my favorite Dr. Seuss stories: Green Eggs and Ham

Seussi-Lessons

After reading THE PARABLES OF DR. SEUSS by Robert L. Short I was inspired to look at this classic Dr. Seuss favorite, Green Eggs and Ham, in a new light. It seemed so un-Seussical to leave it at that, so here is my take. I invite you to sit a bit longer on my cyber lap.

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

In this verse God promises us that if we don't give up tasting, believing, trusting and seeking truth we will find it. In Dr. Seuss' book "Green Eggs and Ham," Sam does not give up on his friend knowing that if he has never even tried green eggs and ham, he can't really know for sure if he doesn't like it. He just sticks by his friend's side until his friend takes a bite and then... "Say! I like green eggs and ham!" Sam's friend was full of gratitude that he did not give up on him and says, "Thank you, thank you, Sam-I-Am." Sometimes its hard to really trust, to have full faith and believe in Jesus. It's hard to see the big God-picture when we are in the middle of life struggles. God brings little "Sam-I-Am" messengers into our lives to help us look to Jesus. It's also hard to keep pointing our friends to Jesus without being annoying when they just don't believe. If we have never tried believing, it's hard to take that first bite. But we can trust God's word that says, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Keep on keeping on!

"Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life. I am the bread of life." John 6:47-48

In this verse Jesus claims to be the bread of life. Sam-I-Am wanted his friend to eat something he didn't see as appetizing. Anything green must taste disgusting, right? After trying it, Sam's friend changed his perspective. Should we EAT Jesus because He is the "bread of life?" Will our perspective really change if we just chomp in? Like Sam's friend, I think eating someone's flesh sounds disgusting! Where would we even get some Jesus-flesh anyway? It's not like we can find it in the meat department at the grocery store. Robert L. Short points out in his book that Jesus didn't mean that we are to literally eat his skin. Jesus meant that we should believe in him. When we believe (eat up) who Jesus is, everything changes! Truly, truly, we will have eternal life in heaven! His spirit becomes our life-guide, guiding us in our steps. "Would you, could you, step to the right? Would you, could you, step to the left?" In other words, His spirit helps us always as we live with our new and enlightened perspective.

Seussi-Literature

Robert L. Short points out that Sam, or Samuel, is the Old Testament name that means "name of God." What is God's name in the Old Testament? Well, when God asks Moses to be a messenger to set the Israelites free from slavery in Egypt, Moses asks God, "What shall I say to them?" God answers, "I am who I am...you shall say to the Israelites, "I AM has sent me to you."

In this light I present to you a poem inspired by Dr. Seuss' classic Green Eggs and Ham.

Jesus The Lamb...The Great I Am!

By Michelle Fozounmayeh

I am Great
Great I am

That Great I am, That Great I am.
I do not like, that Great I am.

Would you try, Jesus the Lamb?
I do not like, Jesus the Lamb.

Would you try, Him in a snare?
Could you try, your cupboards are bare?

I will not try Him in a snare,
I will not try Him when all is bare.
I will not try Jesus the Lamb,
I do not like the Great I am!

He lifts you up so you can soar...
Will you enter the open door?

Not to soar
Not at a door
Not in a snare
When all is bare
I will not try Jesus the Lamb,
I do not like the Great I am.

Forgiveness! Forgiveness! You can be saved!
I don't need forgiveness, on my own I'm brave.

Drink til your full, It's living water and true!
It's actually all lies, I've heard from a few.

Here is a fork, spoon and knife,
You can eat the Bread of Life.
You can feast at His table for two,
Could you, would you, if His best was for you?

I could not, would not, with a knife,
I would not, could not, eat bread of life.
I will not, will not, just to soar,
I'd rather sit here and be a boar.
I will not try Him in a snare,
I will not try Him when all is bare.
I will not try Jesus the Lamb,
I do not like the Great I am.

You have not tried Him I can see,
I point to Him when you come to me.
Out of the dark, how about today?
The light of the world will show you the way!

I like being blind, I'd rather not see,
Even if you say, He is good to me.
If I knew I needed Him because of my sin,
I still can't say if I would let him in.

If you were a fruit would you want to taste sweet,
Or walk through the fire with strength for the heat?

I'd like to taste sweet and get out of the heat,
But I can add sugar and use my own feet.
I may need him because of my sin,
I'm just too stubborn to let him in.
So leave with your question mark,
I will not come out of the dark.
Not today.
Not this way.
Not with a knife,
For the bread of life.
Not to soar.
Not at a door.
Not in a snare,
When all is bare.
I will not try Jesus the Lamb,
I do not like the Great-I-am.

If it meant eternal life when you finish up,
Would you, could you, drink from His cup?

I'm just not sure, if this is for me.
I'm not in need, maybe let me be.

You say you do not like Jesus the Lamb,
You say you do not like the Great-I-am.
You said you like being blind, a time ago,
You have not tried Him, how do you know?
As a friend I've pointed you to Him,
I don't wish to force you to begin.
Find out if this is what you need,
Try him, and you will see.

If I try, I will see,
If I try, will you let me be?

I will let you be, my friend,
It's your choice in the end.

Say, I like Jesus the Lamb!
I do, I do, the Great-I-am!
I believe, I believe, in a snare,
He can, He can, when all is bare.
Out of the dark, now I can see,
How very good He is to me.
I can taste sweet,
In or out of the heat.
I walked through the door,
I can soar!
I can be brave,
Say, He can save!
See, now that I let Him in,
I am forgiven of all my sin.
Yes! I say it today!
Jesus is the Way!
His table for two,
Has the best food.
I can now see,
His best for me!
I do so like Jesus the Lamb
Thank You! Thank You, Great-I-am!

Seussi-Recess!

The classroom lessons are over, it's time for recess! It's one thing to sit and learn about God's truth, it's another to go into the world and live it!

As you know, my Seussi-School opened it's doors the moment my daughter and I started rehearsals for the musical Seussical. Many times in rehearsals we play games. Games develop foundational skills needed for performing roles. Observation and imitation are primary mechanisms for learning and because people enact a number of different roles during their lifetimes, or even during the course of a single day, games can prepare us for the roles God calls for us to do. Preparing, rehearsing, and performing for important life events is a natural part of the human experience in any culture. You can't put Dr. Seuss in a box, so let's step outside of our box with a game that can help us become the Sam-I-Am God needs us to be!

Grab a couple of friends, or gather your family, and play the FAITH WALK GAME! This game encourages confidence, spatial awareness, teamwork, communication and being in the moment. It also holds spiritual lessons such as having faith, spiritual accountability, perseverance, readiness and seeking to find.

FAITH WALK GAME

Goal:
Sam-I-Am messengers guide their blind friends(closed eyes) by saying, "Would you, could you, step to the Right (or Left, Forward, Back) until they find (try) Green Eggs and Ham. The Game ends when teammates can proclaim, "I Like Green Eggs and Ham!"

Set-up:
-Find at least two willing friends
-Gather several sheets of paper, at least ten. On all but two of the sheets of paper*, write fun sayings that will tell the pair(s) to try again. Some examples might be, "Not here my friend, go try again," or, "Nice try, bye bye," or, "No, no, no, no! Go, go, go, go!"
-On the last two pieces paper, make one represent green eggs, and one represent ham. Be creative!
-Pair up, leaving one (or two if you have an even number) friend as the Giver of Good Gifts.
-The paired-up friends close their eyes as the Giver of Good Gifts places the papers all around the house, face side down.
-After the Giver of Good Gifts is done you are ready to play the game.

*If you are playing with a group with more than one pair of friends, set aside additional false findings and green eggs and hams for each pair.

How to Play:
-The pair(s) prepares to search. One starts as the Sam-I-Am guide, the other is the friend.
-The friend closes his/her eyes as if they were blind.
-When the Giver of Good Gifts says go, the Sam-I-Am messenger will stand close to his/her friend. Without touching, he/she will guide the friend by saying, "Would you, could you, step to the right (or left, forward, back)" The friend will then take one step in that direction. The messenger will continue guiding step by step, helping the friend to a piece of paper.
-When the pair finds a paper, Sam-I-Am checks it. If it is a green egg or ham, Sam-I-am has successfully helped his/her friend taste the truth! If it is not a green egg or ham, they continue to search. The team is not done until the friend has tasted both green eggs and ham.
-Once the friend has found one green egg and one ham, the blindfold comes off and they proclaim, "I Like Green Eggs and Ham!"
-After a full round, the friends switch roles.

Wrap up questions:
How did it feel to be the blind friend?
How did it feel to be the Sam-I-Am messenger?
How did it feel to be the Giver of Good Gifts?
What does this game teach us about being a Christian in the world?

You are never too old for recess...and ever too knowledgeable to rehearse.

iPray

Seussi-School Out:

As your Seussi-day comes to an end, remember that our Seussi-School will keep it's doors open until my daughter and I are done with this production. So come back for more seussi-parallels, rhymes, games and poems!

iPray that you will be the Sam-I-Am messenger that never gives up in doing good, and never gives up on your friends. That you will lead many to chomp on Jesus so they may receive the surprisingly great-tasting gift of eternal life. iPray that when the recess bell rings you will go into the world and lead others to righteousness. iPray that with creativity and fun, God's truth will come alive! In Jesus' name iPray, amen.

MICHELLE FOZOUNMAYEH
iPRAY eVOTIONAL

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Michelle Fozounmayeh

Michelle Fozounmayeh
A joy filled wife and mom that enjoys writing, praying, speaking at women events and being an Area Coordinator with the ministry Moms In Prayer International.

Blog:

7tothirty7.blogspot.com

Website:

http://7tothirty7.com/