January 13, 2014

I am not sure when it happened.  When did it become okay for students and parents to make a commitment and then not honor it?  When did it become okay for students to join FFA, Student Council, FCCLA, athletics, and then never show up for practices or events?  When did it become okay for students to tell their sponsor that they would participate, and then not show up?  When did it become okay for parents to come to school and raise Caine with school staff because Little Johnny or Little Janey did not get to play in a game because Little Johnny or Little Janey didn't show up for practice and if they did show up they didn't put forth as much effort as Bob did.  When did this become okay?  When did it become okay to blame your child's teacher if your child has an F in a class when your child didn't do ANY homework for the semester?  Why is it the school's fault if your child got an F or two Ds and is ineligible for 6 weeks?  Why?  Maybe if you know, you can tell me...

An Open Letter to Westboro Baptist Church

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long; and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: Now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am know. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
May God grant that I may love others as Christ loved me, to the sacrifice of His own precious life. I know my own sin and God forbid I should judge others more harshly than my own Creator judged me.

Uncle Jerry

My Uncle Jerry is so precious to me. He and my dear Aunt Dorothy were just out for our oldest son's graduation. My son has loved Uncle Jerry from the first minute he laid eyes on him. We were at a cousin's graduation and Trenton saw Uncle Jerry and wanted to go to him. From that moment, Trenton was in Uncle Jerry's arms the whole evening and he didn't want anyone else.
They have always shared a special connection. Whenever Uncle Jerry has come to visit, Trenton spends his time beside him, talking with him.
Uncle Jerry was my dad's older brother. He was 4 years older than my father and his children would always come to visit in the summer. My sister and I always spent a couple of weeks with Uncle Jerry and Aunt Dorothy in the summers as well. I can remember waiting impatiently for Uncle Jerry to come home from work with his big company work truck. We would wait outside for him to get out of the truck and were so excited about him coming home. Those times are some of the most precious memories for me now.
Uncle Jerry looks more and more like my dear Grandma as he ages. He has parkinson's disease now and must use a cane to get around. His hearing is poor but his humor and wit are still the same as always and I love to see him.
My dad and my Uncle Charlie (my dad's younger brother) are both gone now. Uncle Charlie died in 2001 and my dad died in 2006. I miss them. Uncle Charlie always bought me Barbie dolls for Christmas, etc. He died in an auto accident and Daddy died after being run over by his tractor. Seeing Uncle Jerry brings back those fond memories of childhood. I love my Uncle Jerry. Each time I see him is more precious to me because I know each time could be the last. I will miss him when he is gone but I praise God for Uncle Jerry!

Till next time....

Idolatry of Fellowship

We have wonderful fellowship at our church! It is such a blessing to be among the saints and to share their trials and joys and to know that they are sharing mine. But our pastor has rightly admonished us not to idolize that fellowship.

What does it mean to idolize fellowship? Well the purpose of the worship service is to WORSHIP, not to fellowship. So if you are going to church for what your sisters and brothers in the Lord can do for you, you probably are not going for the right reason. Does that mean it is wrong to enjoy the fellowship of the saints? Of course not! I love my church family. They truly understand the joys and the griefs that I bear.

But when I think of worship I must always put the focus on the Lord, not on myself. And I must be thankful to Him for the mercy of giving me that fellowship.

Till next time....

Tales From School

High School:

A high school student was reading aloud from a passage in American History. This is what the student said, "Der Martin Luther King". The teacher asked the student what he said. The student repeated the passage again. What was the student looking at? Dr. Martin Luther King.

Another student was filling out paperwork in the same classroom. The paper was a standard application and there was a line for the student's name and after that line there was a choice between Junior or Senior; as in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. One of the students, a female, marked the space for Junior. When the teacher asked her why she had marked it she replied that she would be a junior next year.......

A third student was checking out a book from the library. The librarian told her that the book would be due March 17th. The student looked at the librarian and said, "March 17th; isn't that April Fool's Day?"

Elementary:

An elementary student was working on a packet for library skills class. She asked, "What is no dot six?" The librarian, thinking she had heard wrong said, "What?" The student repeated her question. The librarian asked to look at the question the student was looking for. This was the question: In the encyclopedia index, look up the answer you gave for No. 6. In which volume of the encyclopedia will you find information for that answer?

The librarian explained the the student that that abbreviation was for number 6. The next day the same student came to the librarian and told her that she couldn't find number 6 in the index. The librarian asked the student to bring the index to her so that she could help with the question. When the student brought the index to the librarian, she discovered that the student was looking for "number six" in the encyclopedia index!

Till next time...

Christmas Break

Christmas break is still on so I have another week off of work! The boys are gone until Wednesday and I am enjoying the time to myself during the day. I get to buy some new books for the library on Wednesday and that will be fun. I will have to get busy and take down the tree and all of the Christmas decorations sometime this week but don't really want to yet! Christmas has always been my favorite time of year. It brings such joy to me, the lights, the joy of giving to my family, and this year we have snow so that is wonderful as well. The thing I love the most though is celebrating the birth of our Savior. I love the music and the sermons at church. I love being with the saints and celebrating with them. I love the Christmas program at church and all of the joyous music we hear there. So I do love Christmas. I love the break from school as well. We all need it when it comes!
Till next time....

Merry Christmas!

Today is the last day of school before the Christmas break. We all need the break. Everyone is tired but we are all looking forward to our new school next year. I am thankful for the break! I am mostly grateful for all of the many blessings this year has brought. Our little grandson, my precious family and church family, my husband's joy with being back doing the work he loves to do, my wonderful job. So even though I am tired, I have a heart full of joy and I thank the Lord of all creation that He cares for me and that He is making me into the person He wants me to be!

Merry CHRISTmas and a Blessed New Year to you all!

Till next time....