Snowdays



Remember when you were a kid and you dreamed of a snow day?  One day was good, a couple of days was even better!  A free day to sleep in, watch television, play in the snow...whatever you wanted to do.  Today is one of those days.  The wind is blowing like crazy, the snow is still coming down--sort of, and the schools are closed for miles and miles around.

I thought, when I was younger, that kids were the only ones who really appreciated the snow. The adults always looked so, I don't know, grumpy when it snowed.  After all, there is the shoveling and the snow blowing and the getting to work and all the regular stuff through the snow.  You never dreamt that there might be adults who wished for snow days too.

And then I became an adult, well in age at least.  In fact, I was the teacher in the classroom of the kids dreaming about a snow day.  And you know what?  I still dreamt of snow days.  Especially after Christmas when the winter doll drums kicked in and you just needed the world to stop for a little bit.  You didn't want too many snow days because that would prolong school, but just the number already included in the school calendar. 

So, why are snow days still so great?  After all, I'm an adult (we won't go through that again).  I can choose to take a day for myself any time I want.  It's a healthy thing to do...give yourself what I call a mental health day.  When my son was younger we would do that sometimes, just take a day in the middle of everything and stop the world.  We'd spend the day doing something that we hadn't done for a while.  It was wonderful and we would re-enter the regular routine the next day geared up and ready to face it all over again.

A dear friend and co-worker came to work on Monday.  Usually he bounces up the stairs and when he reaches the top just outside my office, he announces, "I'm here!"  There is a light in his eyes and you can see that he is ready for the day, the week, the year.  But on Monday, there was no bouncing and no light.  When I asked him if he felt well, he was surprised at my question and tried to assure me that all was well.  I assured him that it obviously was not and he let down his guard and said, "How did you know?"  He said it was really a lot of little things and it just felt like he was kind of dead inside.  He told me that when he has felt like that he usually would take a day to window-shop or just get away---a mental health day!  But he'd been out of the office quite a bit lately, on business, and he needed to be at work to catch up.

Well, God took care of that, and him, today.  Why is it that we tend to give so much of ourselves that we have nothing left?  Why can't we human beings understand that we are only good for others if we are good to ourselves first?  There comes a time we must stop and mend our minds and bodies so that we can continue the work that we do.  If we do not, we face dire consequences and stopping won't be a choice.  Our bodies will force us to stop and take notice. 

So, I'm going to take this day, stay inside and listen to the wind howl, snuggle up with my dog and ... I'm not sure what, but I know it will be the best snow day I've had (since the last one).

Yea!!!! No school, or anything else, today!!!

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 

Keep Your Dream



I have a friend named Monty Roberts who owns a horse ranch in San Ysidro. He has let me use his house to put on fund-raising events to raise money for youth at risk programs.

The last time I was there he introduced me by saying, "I want to tell you why I let Jack use my horse. It all goes back to a story about a young man who was the son of an itinerant horse trainer who would go from stable to stable, race track to race track, farm to farm and ranch to ranch, training horses. As a result, the boy's high school career was continually interrupted. When he was a senior, he was asked to write a paper about what he wanted to be and do when he grew up.

"That night he wrote a seven-page paper describing his goal of someday owning a horse ranch. He wrote about his dream in great detail and he even drew a diagram of a 200-acre ranch, showing the location of all the buildings, the stables and the track. Then he drew a detailed floor plan for a 4,000-square-foot house that would sit on a 200-acre dream ranch.

"He put a great deal of his heart into the project and the next day he handed it in to his teacher. Two days later he received his paper back. On the front page was a large red F with a note that read, `See me after class.'

"The boy with the dream went to see the teacher after class and asked, `Why did I receive an F?'

"The teacher said, `This is an unrealistic dream for a young boy like you. You have no money. You come from an itinerant family. You have no resources. Owning a horse ranch requires a lot of money. You have to buy the land. You have to pay for the original breeding stock and later you'll have to pay large stud fees. There's no way you could ever do it.' Then the teacher added, `If you will rewrite this paper with a more realistic goal, I will reconsider your grade.'

"The boy went home and thought about it long and hard. He asked his father what he should do. His father said, `Look, son, you have to make up your own mind on this. However, I think it is a very important decision for you.' "Finally, after sitting with it for a week, the boy turned in the same paper, making no changes at all.

He stated, “You can keep the F and I'll keep my dream."

Monty then turned to the assembled group and said, "I tell you this story because you are sitting in my 4,000-square-foot house in the middle of my 200-acre horse ranch. I still have that school paper framed over the fireplace." He added, "The best part of the story is that two summers ago that same schoolteacher brought 30 kids to camp out on my ranch for a week." When the teacher was leaving, he said, “Look, Monty, I can tell you this now. When I was your teacher, I was something of a dream stealer. During those years I stole a lot of kids' dreams. Fortunately you had enough gumption not to give up on yours."

"Don't let anyone steal your dreams. Follow your heart, no matter what."

-Unknown

“...forgetting the things which are behind, and stretching forward to the things which are before, I press on toward the goal unto the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3: 13-14)

Funny Grade School Exams



For all my teacher friends as they begin the new school year...

History Of The World According To American Grade School Student Exam Papers

1. Ancient Egypt was inhabited by mummies and they all wrote in Hydraulics. They lived in the Sarah Dessert and travelled by Camelot. The climate of the Sarah is such that the inhabitants have to live elsewhere.
2. Moses led the Hebrew slaves to the Red sea, where they made unleavened bread which is bread made without any ingrediants. Moses went up on Mount Cyanide to get the ten commandments. He died before he ever reached Canada.
3. Solomon had three hundred wives and seven hundred porcupines.
4. The Greeks were a highly sculptured people, and without them we wouldn’t have history. The Greeks also had Myths. A Myth is a female moth.
5. Actually, Homer was not written by Homer but by another man of that name.
6. Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock. After his death his career sufferred a dramatic decline.
7. Eventually the Romans conquered the Greeks. History calls people Romans because they never stayed in one place for long.
8. Julius Ceaser extinguished himself on the battlefields of Gaul. The ides of March murdered him because they thought he was going to be made King. Dying he gasped out: ‘Tee hee, Brutus’
9. Joan of Arc was burnt to a steak and was canonized by Bernard Shaw. Finally Magna Carta provided that no man should be hanged twice for the same offense.
10. Another story was William Tell who shot an arrow through an apple while standing on his sons head.
11. Queen Elizabeth was the ‘Virgin Queen’. As a Queen she was a great success. When she exposed herself before her troops they all shouted ‘hurrah’.
12. It was an age of great inventions and discoveries. Gutenberg invented removable type and the Bible. Another important invention was the circulation of the blood. Sir Walter Raleigh is a historical figure because he invented cigarettes and started smoking. And Sir Francis Drake circumsized the world with a 100 foot clipper.
13. The greates writer of the Renaissance was William Shakespeare. He was born in the year 1564, supposedly on his birthday. He never made much money and is famous only because of his plays. He wrote tragedies, comedies, and hysterectomies, all in Islamic pentameter. Romeo and Juliet are an example of a heroic couplet. Romeo’s last wish was to be laid by Juliet.
14. Writing at the same time as Shakespeare was Miguel Cervantes. He wrote Donkey Hote. The next great author was John Milton. Milton wrote paradise Lost. Then his wife died and he wrote Paradise Regained.
15. One of the causes of the revolutionary war was the English put tacks in their tea. Also the colonists would send their parcels through the post without stamps. Finally the colnists won the war and no longer had to pay for taxis. Delegates from the original 13 states formed the contented congress. Thomas Jefferson, a virgin, and Benjamin Franklin were two singers of the declaration of independence. Franklin discovered electricity by rubbing two cats backwards and declared, ‘A horse divided against itself cannot stand’ Franklin died in 1790 and is still dead.
16. Johann Bach wrote a great many musical compositions and had a large number of children. In between he practised on an old spinster which he kept up in his attic. Bach died from 1750 to the present. Bach was the most famous composer in the world and so was Handel. Handel was half German and half Italian and half English. He was very large.
17. Beethoven wrote music even though he was deaf. He was so deaf he wrote loud music. He took long walks in the forest even when everyone was calling for him. Beethoven expired in 1827 and later died from this.
18. The nineteenth century was a time of a great many thoughts and inventions. People stopped reproducing by hand and started reproducing by machine. The invention of the steam boat caused a network of rivers to spring up. Cyrus McCormick invented the McCormick raper, which did the work of a hundred men.
19. Louis Paster discovered a cure for rabbis. Charles Darwin was a naturalist who wrote the organ of the species. Madman Curie discovered raio. And Karl Marx became one of the Mark Brothers.
20. The first world war, caused by the assignation of the Arch-Duck by an anahist, ushered in a new error in the anals of human history.

Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalms 127:3-5

A Special Teacher



Years ago a John Hopkin's professor gave a group of graduate students this assignment: Go to the slums. Take 200 boys, between the ages of 12 and 16, and investigate their background and environment. Then predict their chances for the future.

The students, after consulting social statistics, talking to the boys, and compiling much data, concluded that 90 percent of the boys would spend some time in jail.

Twenty-five years later another group of graduate students was given the job of testing the prediction. They went back to the same area. Some of the boys - by then men - were still there, a few had died, some had moved away, but they got in touch with 180 of the original 200. They found that only four of the group had ever been sent to jail.

Why was it that these men, who had lived in a breeding place of crime, had such a surprisingly good record? The researchers were continually told: "Well, there was a teacher..."

They pressed further, and found that in 75 percent of the cases it was the same woman. The researchers went to this teacher, now living in a home for retired teachers. How had she exerted this remarkable influence over that group of children? Could she give them any reason why these boys should have remembered her?

"No," she said, "no I really couldn't." And then, thinking back over the years, she said amusingly, more to herself than to her questioners: "I loved those boys...."

Bits & Pieces - June 1995 Economics Press

“They shall be like a tree planted by water,
sending out its roots by the stream.
It shall not fear when heat comes,
and its leaves shall stay green;
in the year of drought it is not anxious,
and it does not cease to bear fruit.” (NRSV)

Jeremiah 17:8

The Thirty Second Quiz



Don't bother getting a pen and paper... just read... if you can't
answer them, just keep going.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.

2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners.

3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America contest.

4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.

5. Name the last five Academy Award winners for Best Actor and Actress.

How did you do?

The point is, none of us remembers the headliners of yesterday. These are no second-rate achievers. They're the best in their fields. But the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Now here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:

1. Name three teachers who aided your journey through school.

2. Name three friends who helped you through a difficult time.

3. Name five people who have taught you something worth while.

4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.

5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson?

The people who make a difference in your life aren't the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards. They're the ones who care.


(Wishing you a BEAUTIFUL day!)
Author Unknown

"Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."

James 1:12 ESV

What Life Is All About



Life isn't about keeping score. It's not about how many friends you have. Or how many people call you. Or how accepted or unaccepted you are. Not about if you have plans this weekend. Or if you're alone. It isn't about who you're dating, who you use to date, how many people you've dated, or if you haven't been with anyone at all. It isn't about who you have kissed. It's not about sex. It isn't about who your family is or how much money they have. Or what kind of car you drive. Or where you're sent to school.

It's not about how beautiful or ugly you are. Or what clothes you wear, what shoes you have on, or what kind of music you listen to. It's not about if your hair is blonde, red, black, brown, or green. Or if your skin is too light or too dark.

It's not about what grades you get, how smart you are, how smart everyone else thinks you are, or how smart standardized tests say you are. Or if this teacher likes you, or if this guy/girl likes you. Or what clubs you're in, or how good you are at "your" sport. It's not about representing your whole being on a piece of paper and seeing who will "accept the written you".

But life is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about who you make happy or unhappy purposefully. It's about keeping or betraying trust. It's about friendship, used as sanctity, or as a weapon. It's about what you say and mean, maybe hurtful, maybe heartening. About starting rumors and contributing to petty gossip. It's about what judgments you pass and why. And who your judgments are spread to.

It's about who you've ignored with full control and intention. It's about jealousy, fear, pain, ignorance, and revenge. It's about carrying inner hate and love, letting it grow and spreading it.

But most of all, it's about using your life to touch or poison other people's hearts in such a way that could never occurred alone. Only you choose the way these hearts are affected and those choices are what life is all about.

Author Unknown

On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the Sabbath, they were watching him closely…

When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give this person your place,’ and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place.

But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 

He said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.  But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 14:1, 7-14



Be Who You Must Be

I don’t know where you are on your path
I have never stood in your shoes
I see not with your eyes.
I know not what your purpose is here
In this stage of your evolution
But I feel blessed to know you
As you are not in my life by chance
And you are my teacher
As I hope you learn from me
I pray I show reverence to you
I pray not to judge you
I wish to let you be
Who you are
Who you dream of being
I will just be beside you
And watch you grow
And the day will come for sure
When we will know why
Our paths crossed this way
And until then my friend
Be who you must be

Diarmuid Cronin

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!”

Psalm 139:13-17

I Believe in You



Every good teacher (or parent) will understand this poem...

I believe in you
When you yell across the room
Or call someone else a name.

I believe in you
When you say you don't want to do
Something that you've been asked to do.

I believe in you
When you take the blame quietly,
Knowing it wasn't your fault--
Knowing that, probably, no one understands.

I believe in you
When you're bored and would rather be somewhere else
Having fun
But you buckle down and do your work anyway
And stay in school.

I believe in you
When the world around you makes bad choices--
But you don't.
I pray you never will

I love your red hair, blonde hair, black hair, and brown.
I love your freckles, white skin, brown skin, black skin, and tan.
I love you, not for what you are on the outside,
But what you are on the inside.

I believe in you when you try,
When you don't try,
When you turn the world upside down
Or try to set it right.

I believe in you
For who you were, who you are,
And who I know that you can be.

Sometimes I see your good manners, your caring ways,
And I think what wonderful parents you must have
And how proud they'd be if they could see you right now.
Don't ever shame them, but live to make them proud.
Bring them up with you before the world.

I've seen you hurt, seen you care,
Seen you stand together as a unit,
Seen your hands:
Your little, growing hands,
That went from holding toys in Show and Tell
To skillfully throwing balls through a hoop (or at the wall).
Those hands will someday be left in charge of the world.
Learn your lessons well.
I believe in you,
And so do others, though you may not know it.

Love,
Mrs. Barbie
Barbara Aldrich

The teacher sees what can be, what will be, if just nurtured a little bit, loved a little bit, encouraged a little bit.  I have been privileged to do just that with thousands of young people over the years.  I thank God every day for each of those opportunities.  They have all left their print on my heart.

 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate.

Psalm 127:3-5

What Do Angels Look Like?

Like the little old lady who returned your wallet yesterday.

Like the taxi driver who told you that
your eyes light up the world, when you smile.

Like the small child who showed you
the wonder in simple things.

Like the poor man who offered
to share his lunch with you.

Like the rich man who showed you it
really is all possible, if only you believe.

Like the stranger who just happened to come along,
when you had lost your way.

Like the friend who touched your heart,
when you didn't think you had one left to touch.

Angels come in all sizes and shapes,
All ages and skin types.

Some with freckles, some with dimples,
some with wrinkles, some without.

They come disguised as friends, enemies,
teachers, students, lovers and fools.

They don't take life too seriously,
They travel light.

They leave no forwarding address,
They ask for nothing in return.

They wear sneakers with gossamer wings,
They get a deal on dry cleaning.

They are hard to find when your eyes are closed, But
They are everywhere you look when you choose to see.

by Veronica M. Hay, 1990
Veronica's 'Angel' WebPage

For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways;

Psalm 91:11

Christmas Is for Love



Christmas is for love. It is for joy, for giving and sharing, for laughter, for reuniting with family and friends, for tinsel and brightly decorated packages. But mostly, Christmas is for love. I had not believed this until a small elf-like student with wide-eyed innocent eyes and soft rosy cheeks gave me a wondrous gift one Christmas.

Mark was an 11 year old orphan who lived with his aunt, a bitter middle aged woman greatly annoyed with the burden of caring for her dead sister's son. She never failed to remind young Mark, if it hadn't been for her generosity, he would be a vagrant, homeless waif. Still, with all the scolding and chilliness at home, he was a sweet and gentle child.

I had not noticed Mark particularly until he began staying after class each day (at the risk of arousing his aunt's anger, I later found) to help me straighten up the room. We did this quietly and comfortably, not speaking much, but enjoying the solitude of that hour of the day. When we did talk, Mark spoke mostly of his mother. Though he was quite small when she died, he remembered a kind, gentle, loving woman, who always spent much time with him.
 
As Christmas drew near however, Mark failed to stay after school each day. I looked forward to his coming, and when the days passed and he continued to scamper hurriedly from the room after class, I stopped him one afternoon and asked why he no longer helped me in the room. I told him how I had missed him, and his large gray eyes lit up eagerly as he replied, "Did you really miss me?"

I explained how he had been my best helper. "I was making you a surprise," he whispered confidentially. "It's for Christmas." With that, he became embarrassed and dashed from the room. He didn't stay after school any more after that.

Finally came the last school day before Christmas. Mark crept slowly into the room late that afternoon with his hands concealing something behind his back. "I have your present," he said timidly when I looked up. "I hope you like it." He held out his hands, and there lying in his small palms was a tiny wooden box.

"Its beautiful, Mark. Is there something in it?" I asked opening the top to look inside. "

"Oh, you can't see what's in it," he replied, "and you can't touch it, or taste it or feel it, but mother always said it makes you feel good all the time, warm on cold nights, and safe when you're all alone."
I gazed into the empty box. "What is it Mark," I asked gently, "that will make me feel so good?" "It's love," he whispered softly, "and mother always said it's best when you give it away." And he turned and quietly left the room.

So now I keep a small box crudely made of scraps of wood on the piano in my living room and only smile as inquiring friends raise quizzical eyebrows when I explain to them that there is love in it.
Yes, Christmas is for gaiety, mirth and song, for good and wondrous gifts. But mostly, Christmas is for love.

by Author Unknown

I also have a box that sits under my tree every Christmas.  It's wrapped in old and faded paper.  The wrapping is not very pretty, nor well done as it was wrapped by a 4 year old boy some fifteen years ago.  There is a little piece of curling ribbon taped to the front along with a note that reads:   'This is a very special gift that you can never see.  The reason it's so special is, it's just for you from me.  Whenever you are lonely or even feeling blue, you only have to hold this gift and know I think of you! You never can unwrap it.  Please leave the ribbon tied.  Just hold the box close to your heart--It's filled with love inside! Love to Mom and Dad from Jordan' (my son).  I wish each of you a special love for today and each day to come!  Merry Christmas!

And walk in love, [esteeming and delighting in one another] as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God [for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

Ephesians 5:2

The Heart of a Teacher

I always have a hard time, this time of year, with all the children and young people preparing to go back to school.  I absolutely loved school, both as a student and as a teacher.  I still teach but not in the public school classroom.  I love working with all of my students, but there's still something about that building, the room, the desks, and the bells that I just miss.  The feeling will pass in a few weeks, and I'll be glad that I am where I am, but for these next few days I'll reminisce and dream just a little while.

I came across this in my mailbox today, and I thought it was so exactly right for most of us who have chosen this profession.  Enjoy!



An excerpt from The Heart of a Teacher by Paula Fox

The child arrives like a mystery box... with puzzle pieces inside some of the pieces are broken or missing... and others just seem to hide But the HEART of a teacher can sort them out... and help the child to see the potential for greatness he has within... a picture of what he can be Her goal isn't just to teach knowledge... by filling the box with more parts it's putting the pieces together... and creating a work of art The process is painfully slow at times... some need more help than others each child is a work in progress... with assorted shapes and colors First she creates a classroom... where the child can feel safe in school where he never feels threatened or afraid to try... and kindness is always the rule She knows that a child can achieve much more when he feels secure inside when he's valued and loved... and believes in himself ...and he has a sense of pride She models and teaches good character... and respect for one another how to focus on strengths...not weaknesses and how to encourage each other She gives the child the freedom he needs... to make choices on his own so he learns to become more responsible... and is able to stand alone He's taught to be strong and think for himself... as his soul and spirit heal and the puzzle that's taking shape inside... has a much more positive feel The child discovers the joy that comes... from learning something new... and his vision grows as he begins to see all the things that he can do A picture is formed as more pieces fit... an image of the child within with greater strength and confidence... and a belief that he can win! All because a hero was there... in the HEART of a teacher who cared enabling the child to become much more... than he ever imagined...or dared A teacher with a HEART for her children... knows what teaching is all about she may not have all the answers... but on this...she has no doubt When asked which subjects she loved to teach, she answered this way and smiled... "It's not the subjects that matter... It's all about teaching the CHILD." http://store.simpletruths.com/teacher-appreciation

Are You For or Against?

It seems that we live in a world, today, of division.  Who is for this __________?  (You fill in the blank with an issue, a product, an idea, or even a thought).  Who is against this_______________?  We were all created with a mind of our own, much to the chagrin of our parents and grandparents.  We learned very early in our lives that we could use that mind to determine our own path, our own ideas.  We didn't have to think the same as our brother or sister.  We didn't even have to think the same as our friends, although it could make for some interesting conversations when you shared those differing opinions.

Here is my question...is it better to be for something or against something?  I've been doing some thinking about this lately because it seems we have become a culture of anti.  We've got anti-drug campaigns, anti-smoking campaigns, anti-war campaigns.  You name it, there's probably a group of anti-something toward it somewhere.  I'm not saying being anti is a bad thing.  I'm certainly anti anything that is harmful to ourselves or our world.  But therein lies the problem.  What I think is harmful, someone else may believe is helpful.  And then we're back to those pro versus con issues again.

Mother Teresa was asked one time if she would join an anti-war rally.  This was her reply:  "I was once asked why I don't participate in anti-war demonstrations. I said that I will never do that, but as soon as you have a pro-peace rally, I'll be there."  I'd never thought about that before.  Maybe it's all in how or what you focus on. 

We can choose to be against something, or we can choose to be for something else.  Mother Teresa wasn't against war, she was for peace.  There will be those that claim this is the same thing, but I think I would have to disagree.  Being against anything is a feeling of negativity.  To be negative is the opposite of being positive.  Mother Teresa was saying she chose to attack things from the positive end of the spectrum instead of the negative.  This thinking required a great deal of contemplation on my part. 

I had always been...anti-drugs, anti-smoking, anti-war.  But where have all of the anti-anythings gotten us?  In all of the years since the anti-campaigns began, have we made much progress?  We have a lot more campaigns against a lot more things, but do they work?

I wonder if we took a different approach, an approach that may be less publicized but may be more effective, if we would begin to see the changes we've all been 'fighting' for, for so long.  What would happen if we started being for things instead of against other things?  Instead of being anti-war, we followed Mother Teresa's advice and became for peace.  Instead of being anti-drugs, we became for sobriety.  Instead of being anti-smoking, we changed our focus to being for clean air.

Would it make a difference?  Some will see this shift as pointless.  It would appear, on the surface, that we are all aiming for the same goal, but I would question that.  You see, when you fight against anything, you are sending negative emotions and feelings to that goal.  These negative emotions produce all kinds of bad things because when you focus on the negative, your body takes those signals and channels those into all of your energies.  You become what you focus on, so if you're focusing on opposition and fighting, you'll get more opposition and fighting.  Even if you're fighting for something, it's still fighting.  It's still war.

If you focus on the positive, being for something, then you'll get more positives in return.  You're no longer fighting and moving in a negative direction, you're moving in a positive direction and more positives will return to you. 

I used to try to teach this concept to my preschool teachers.  They would come to me complaining about a particular child and how 'naughty' that child was.  My first question was always, "And what have you done?"  (I learned this idea from my parents.  It was always their first question to me when I had a problem).  The teacher's response was almost always, "Well, I've put them in time out, I've sent notes home to the parents, I've talked to the child over and over again.  I just don't know what else to do." 

My next question always surprised the newer staff people.  I would ask, "Have you told them what they're doing right, or well?"  The teacher would inevitably look at me as if I had two heads and say something to the effect of, "No, I don't think you understand me.  This child is a problem.  There aren't any good things to talk to them about."   My response was, "Really, NOTHING?  Do they cry when they come to school, or are they happy to come?  Do they help other children at any time?  Do they walk, instead of run, through the room?  Do they smile when you talk to them?  Isn't there something that they do that you enjoy about them?  No matter how small or seemingly insignificant, there must be something."  And as we examined it more closely, we would inevitably find at least one or two things that were good.  Many times the teacher was surprised by all the good things we could find.

My assignment to the teacher was to try something different; try to point out the good things, however few and far between they were, to the child.  Some days it would be difficult to find something, but they should do it.  Find something, any little thing, that was positive and celebrate it with that child.  Once the teacher made that shift, from the negative to the positive, change would begin to show in that child's behavior.  And there would be more positive behavior.  By the next visit with the teacher, in almost all of the cases, they would have good reports.

It's a small shift in our thinking.  Well, OK, maybe it's not so small.  For some of us, to shift away from being against the bad to being for the good, is a quantum leap but it has huge benefits.  Mother Teresa was never for war, but she understood that fighting against it would only produce more of what she didn't want.  Fighting just produces more fighting.  We've seen evidence of that over the past forty or fifty years.  Maybe it's time to try a new approach.  Maybe we need to start deciding what we're for!

"It is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the doing. It is not how much we give, but how much love we put in the giving."

 

Where Have All the Children Gone?

Gone to Grown-Ups, Everyone!

I was cleaning off my bookshelf the other day and found a book that I had forgotten that I had.  It's called Where Have All the Children Gone? and it was written by Karen Kaiser Clark.  I had the opportunity to meet Ms. Kaiser Clark many, many years ago when she led an in-service for the teachers in my school district in Kansas.  I was very impressed with her, enough to say that she  influenced the work of a very young, first year teacher, even to this day. 

The premise of this book is that as adults we strive to leave behind childish things and reach for a level of sophistication that we believe entitles us to be called "adults."  Her concern is that it is exactly this sophistication on the outside that tends to keep us from growing deep on the inside.  We are, most certainly, never too old to change, but that is a choice that we must make.  There is a child within each of us, somewhere.  Change is good, but change can also be not so good. 

I see this in my high school friends who have become grandparents.  It is so much fun to listen to them tell their stories of playing with their grand kids.  It provides a convenient excuse to do all those things we feel silly doing on our own, like laying in the grass and watching the clouds, pretending to be a princess or a crime fighter, singing silly songs, splashing in the puddles, or just taking a long walk for no reason at all.  When was the last time you did any of these?  I'll be honest and tell you that I haven't done some of them since I moved away from my little neighbor boys.  I'm afraid my new neighbors, who don't know me very well, would be concerned about the stability of my mind, if I went out to lay in the yard and watch the clouds or played princess.  So I sit on my deck and watch the clouds.  I have played in the puddles a few times.

Here is a small excerpt from the book:

Someday I'll be one too.  A grown-up!  I don't know if I want to be one...But I'm afraid I don't have a choice about it.  It seems the children part of people just goes away and boys and girls become grown-ups.
I wonder what it means to be a grown-up.  Does it mean more than getting big?  What does "mature" mean?  My grandma says it's what some grown-ups are.  She ways, "Few of us ever really mature.  Most of us just grow up tall."  I wonder what she means.
I wonder about a lot of things.  Kids do that.
I wonder if God can see the color of my eyes even when I'm sleeping.
I wonder where the white goes when the snow melts.
I wonder what flowers think of people and who wins wars.
I wonder if grown-ups ever wonder.
Grown-ups are always in such a hurry.  Then they complain about not having time to grow.  I wonder why.  I wrote a poem about them.

Grown-Ups

There go the grown-ups, forever rushing, filled with answers, always in control.  I wish that they would listen just a little more to me.  I wonder if they question all those things they seem so sure of.

Standing so much taller, they have a lot more power.  At times I feel frightened and unseen.  I wonder if the me today will simply disappear, when I am all grown-up and one of them.  I hope not.

Why do grown-ups do so many things?  Usually I see them doing a least two things at one time.  Like my mom, she doesn't just watch T.V.  She knits, reads the paper, watches T.V. and wiggles her foot all at the same time.  My daddy's very busy too.  He doesn't have time to just sit and talk with me.

As you can see, Ms. Kaiser Clark writes this book from the perspective of a child.  I think this is really important because it serves as a reminder to those of us who claim to be adults that we need to remember, for a lot of reasons, what it's like to be a child.  Remember how excited you got, as a child, with the first snow of the season, or the first warm day to go to the swimming pool?  One of my favorite summer memories was on those really hot days, before we all had air conditioners.  We would load up the six of us (my entire family) and head to the A & W for a frosty mug of root beer.  There was NOTHING better!  How I miss those frosty mugs!

I think it's important for us to enjoy the 'childish' part of ourselves sometimes.  I think it's possible to be an adult and to still access that child within, for ourselves and for those around us, especially when those around us are children.  It always saddens me to hear parents or any adult telling a child to "grow up."  My goodness, that happens all too quickly without any encouragement (or discouragement) from others!  You know, ages are just numbers that our society has decided to use to determine how many years we've been on this earth.  Let me repeat that...THEY ARE JUST NUMBERS!  They are useful for many purposes, but they can be detrimental when they are used in non-productive ways. 

I would encourage you to take time out today to remember some of the 'childish' things you loved when you were younger.  Make a list of them.  Now, stop and think about why you loved them so much.  Do you still love them today? 

Let's make each other a promise...TODAY we will remember one 'childish' thing we loved to do and we will do it again...TODAY.  Be childish, have some fun, rejoice in your life! 

Tell me what your favorite 'childish' activities are.  I look forward to reading them all! 

You Want Me to What????

I think I've mentioned here a few times (OK, a LOT of times) that I'm a teacher.  This is a label that I did not give myself.  It's one that I've known my whole life I had.  There has never been any doubt in my mind that I was put on this earth to teach and over the course of my fifty-three years I have taught a lot of subjects and even more people.  I've taught little tiny folks and grown-up folks; I've taught new moms (and dads) and old moms (and dads).  I've taught middle school students and high school students (thank God I was in a church for those folks.  I needed all the help I could get)!  I've taught public school, preschool, and Sunday school.  I've taught staff members, community members, and anyone who would listen.  I've done my best to teach my son.


But while I was teaching, I was learning.  Way beyond any information I was imparting to my classes, was what they were teaching me!  As I look back on what has been thirty five years in education, I am overwhelmed by the lessons that I have learned from every one of these people, young and old.  Little did I know, as I entered college to get my education, that I would receive much, much more than I've ever given. 
I thank each and every one of them!

And now I'm at a new junction in my life.  We have moved to this new community and when people ask what brought us here, I am honest and tell them that I don't really know.  We were both ready for a change.  We both wanted to move closer to family and friends.  We picked up a map and after some investigation on the internet, we chose a community that sounded good.  When we visited here, everything felt right.  It was decided...this would be our new home.  Most people choose a new home, a new community because of their work or because they've decided to retire there.  Not us, we chose here because that little voice I talked about a few days ago, told us this was where we were supposed to be.  We had made a list of the things that we would like to have in a new place, and within the first hour we were here, we found every one of them.  We are supposed to be here.

The question then became, what are we here for?  My son continues to work on his technology business and I continue to paint, both the interior of my home and the folk art pictures I love.  I give piano and voice lessons.  And more and more I know that I am being called to do something much bigger than I ever dreamed possible.  It's a scary time but what an exciting time!  I'm all about life lessons, so I keep asking myself what it is I'm supposed to be getting from all of this. 

Well, here is what I've learned....so far:  life isn't meant to be played safe.  We are created to reach out and attempt the impossible knowing that there is a power much greater than ourselves that will guide us, if we let it.  I've been forced, through my unemployment, to step out of the safety net and trust--trust those around me, trust myself, but more than that trust that all things work for good.  I have been amazed at the opportunities that have opened for me in just the last few days.  And I am thankful for the lessons that I continue to learn...from all the 'students' I'm teaching.

Have We Lost Our Minds?

According to wikipedia common sense "consists of what people in common would agree on : that which they "sense" as their common natural understanding."  Thomas Paine wrote many, many years ago:  "These are the times that try men's souls..." Well, I hear ya, Tom!  He, of course, was talking about the colonist's challenge to the British government.  His pamplet encouraged, in plain language for the common people, the separation of the colonies from British rule.  He entitled it "Common Sense" because he believed his thoughts to be just that.

Who decides what is common sense?  I would submit that it is a subjective term, largely dependent on the person and the circumstances.  As I Googled the term, I was shown images of some very interesting subjects!  I would venture to guess that not many people would say that these people had ANY common sense.  Sometimes it's just evident to everyone. 

We all knew people in school who didn't measure up to our definition of common sense.  They were extremely "book smart" but when it came to making choices based on common sense, they seemed to fall far short.  We all love to watch America's Home Videos where people tend to use something other than their heads to think.  My question to you is this:  are there more of these people today than there used to be? 

Maybe we're just more aware of them with YouTube and the twenty-four hour news cycles.  I'm not sure, but it seems to me that the inmates have taken over the asylum, so to speak.  There is a bill that is about to reach the floor of the Nebraska legislature that would allow teachers and administrators to carry guns to school.  I won't go into all of my thoughts about that here; I have addressed it much more fully in my article (Teachers Packing Heat).  Is it just me, or is this crazy?  Is allowing teachers to carry guns really the solution to the current issue of violence in our schools? 

As a long-time teacher my number one goal has always been to make the world a better place by instilling confidence, knowledge, and the love of learning in young people.  I thought that was the goal of the educational system of this country.  I just don't see how this law teaches anything positive to the young people of this state, the country, or the world.  I understand the reaction.  We all want to do something, anything, to protect ourselves and the children in our care, but my common sense tells me that this is not the solution.

I'll get down off my soap box now.  I'm interested in hearing what you have to say about all of this.  Don't you think we need to talk about it?