Calling the Roll

By Hally Franz –

My children are members of Spring Branch Helping Hands 4-H Club, which formed when some families left the very large club, Spring Creek Lively Steppers. Both groups include kids with busy appendages and busy moms. As the current club leader, I write the monthly agendas, which include the roll call portion of the meeting. At each meeting, a truly thought-provoking question is posed to the young people. Their responses to the question verify their attendance.

Example questions include:
“What’s the scariest movie you have seen?” (October)
“Name a spring bird.” (April)
“What’s your favorite event at the county fair?” (July)

During our November meeting, kids were asked to name their favorite Thanksgiving food. My kindergarten nephew responded “beef – hot beef” with notable male enthusiasm. While his grandparents are cattle people, our Thanksgiving feast includes more foul than red meat.

There are usually a few “huh’s” or “whaaat’s” as we work through the list. These individuals have not paid attention to the assignment and need the question repeated for them specifically. A few members will simply say “here” indicating they choose not to participate. Others, sometimes even those with “W” names, are still pondering the question and require a few extra moments before answering. No problem – there are only 53 members in our group! A few of the younger, lively, helpful children go mute when their names are called, so their parents will account for them. Finally, there are the stars who consistently have appropriate, ready responses when their names are called. God love them!

Last night, we sang “When the Roll is Called Up Yonder.” I wondered about what questions will be posed for us at our Heavenly reunion. Will the Almighty ask me my favorite Bible verse or that I name one of Jesus’s miracles? Will it be something easy or a head-scratcher as I enter the gates?

And, what of my response to Him? Surely, I won’t appear clueless or oblivious, but rather attentive and engaged. I hope to be prepared, so as not to keep Him waiting, and I would wish to be humble, but not speechless. No attention-seeking silliness or comedic answers will do. I’d like to have a stellar response.

Perhaps, I should just hope that our Heavenly Father is less judgmental and more patient than any busy 4-H mom!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, help me to be prepared for that awesome meeting with You that awaits me, and all my brothers and sisters in Christ.

“For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the LORD, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel” (Ezra 7:10 NIV).