The Life of a Third Grade Teacher

"There's no way I can share everything I have heard from those little voices during the last few weeks. But I will tell you that they reflect every hurt their families suffer, every lack they feel. Children don't have filters. They may cheat on a test but then turn around and be brutally honest about how it felt when the chaplain came to the door and told Mom daddy had been shot in the shoulder. Or how it feels that daddy is in jail. Or that life with a step-dad is better because daddy drinks and hides his beer under the bed. I can look at their clothes and see the needs, or notice that one who brings his books in a Food World bag instead of a backpack and took three weeks to get some of the school supplies he needed."

Read the full post here.

We Both Ate Lucky Charms For Breakfast Yesterday

From David at It's Like Herding Cats:

Spent some time yesterday with some of my favorite young people - Kira Stoy, Sydney Hoskinson, and Ian Anderson. Bunny had the girls in our Honda so Mr. Ian and I headed out in my car. Ian and I have a lot in common.

- We both ate Lucky Charms for breakfast yesterday
- We both wonder about things like physics and natural laws that other people don't
- We both love science fiction
- We both get our geek on, obviously

Yesterday though we had lots of fun looking at the high tech tools in Home Depot and Office Depot, and though we shared a love of pizza at Cici's (he ate at least 9 pieces, I ate 4), we also talked about something we share that neither of us ever wanted.

You see Ian's friend Lucy the dog is dying from a brain tumor.

I know how that feels.

Read the full post here.

Forgiveness

From David's blog: It's hard. Hard to forgive people who hurt you, who hurt your family, your loved ones, your church family. Read the full post here.

There's A War On

It's hard to tell we're at war most of the time, even in a military community like this one. We don't see much of what the preparations are even though we know they are going on. We don't get a running total of the cost.

But I saw part of it yesterday. In a fifth grade classroom.

Read the full post here.

87,273 babies

Read the post here.

There is an emotional cost...

From a pastor I love with all my heart comes a blog post that I believe every Christian should read.

There are days when being a pastor is a consuming joy. It's a job you enjoy because it's making a real difference and you're operating out of passion and conviction. That's why I love it.

But ...You can do your best in every way - in prayer, preparation, execution and follow through - but the efforts aren't guaranteed. The outcome is out of your control.

I struggle with that.

Read the full post here.

A Pastor's thoughts on Harry Potter

"As a pastor, over the years I have received different responses from people about the Harry Potter series when they found out I had read them all. And at times I've had questions from parents about whether their children should read them - those questions coming not because of what they knew personally from reading them, but what they had heard."

Read the full post here.

I've never gone hungry...

I've never gone hungry.

Ever.

For my entire life I've been taken care of by parents or had the wherewithal to buy food for me and my family.

That's not to say there weren't times when I ate something other than what I wanted to. But I've never been hungry, or had to eat something I would rather not for more than a meal or two.

And the King will answer, "Whenever you did it for any of My people, no matter how unimportant they seem, you did it for Me." Matthew 25:40 (cev)

Read the entire post here. Then, fall on your knees and try to understand how blessed you are...how you are placed here on earth to make a difference.

Rice and beans for a week

From It's Like Herding Cats:

I can remember the first time I heard about what God was doing in Uganda through Katie Davis. Admiration and amazement came to me in equal amounts. How this young woman would see caring for orphaned children in Africa as better than life here in the USA and then how in the world was she able to do it?

Once I spent some time reading her blog and hearing her stories, it was obvious that God was using this woman to teach a lot of others about living for Him. Amazima Ministries is the organization that grew out of her desire to love and care for these children.

Read David's full post "We'll Hold the Ropes" and learn how rice and beans can make a big difference.

Smaller church - Huge Heart

Smaller Church - HUGE HEART

Soul Manna

In the midst of just terrible news worldwide, David reposted this. It's one of those "places" every Christian is required to be in...that every person needs to find. Read the whole post because the "Soul Manna" offered there is fulfilling.

Soles4Souls

From It's Like Herding Cats:
Barefoot Sunday is coming this week to New Hope - Valparaiso FL. Bring your gently used shoes and change the world for someone. Do something!

Letter to Mukashyaka

I've had quite a bit of correspondence with Compassion regarding our sponsorship of Mukashyaka. David and I desperately want to bond with her. Considering she is a little girl from Rwanda and for the most part actual handwritten letter correspondence is nearly obsolete now, we try to include along with our letters a small gift. One letter will have a length of ribbon. The next will have a packet of stickers.

The problem is, we try to send items that are a smidgen over 1/4" thick. Do you know how hard it is to find items to send that are that skinny??? We included a sweet little Golden Book with the last letter we sent. Remember the beautiful illustrations from Eloise Wilkin? The particular book was too thick. Ugh! I grow weary of such restraints.

I had been trying to figure out a way to add interest to what must be very boring letters from us. The last letter from her began with, "your daughter, Mukashyaka Alphonsine greets you in the name of Jesus." Oh, my goodness...she had me. I knew I had to do something more.

Last night I had 5 of the kids from Child 2 Child write her letters. I hadn't had time to read them until just a bit ago. They are all lovely and sweet, handwritten, and from the heart. I was almost finished with them and about to grab an envelope to mail when I read the last one in my hand. Keep in mind that this is from a 10 yr old New Hope girl. Here's a portion:

"Do you know that every day and every second of your life God and my church and I are caring for you? We love you. God cares for you and knows what's happening however you're feeling."

Can there be much better testimony of how the Lord is working in the heart of our kids at New Hope?

I'm discovering that most problems that develop within a church are brought on by adults.

The people brought children to Jesus, hoping He might touch them. The disciples shooed them off. But Jesus was irate and let them know it: "Don't push these children away. Don't ever get between them and Me. These children are at the very center of life in the kingdom. Mark this: Unless you accept God's kingdom in the simplicity of a child, you'll never get in." Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them. (Mark 10:15)

If only... Why is it so hard for us? What happens to adults that we have such trouble seeing the good in life?

I want to be like New Hope's little 10 yr old girl. I want to be an encourager that shares the Good News easily and simply.

Looking back, looking ahead

My dear husband writes about 2009 on his blog "It's Like Herding Cats" here.

That's how ministry is...

That's how ministry is. You may hear nine really good things, but it's the one critical comment that will eat away at your soul. We tell ourselves that it's really nothing, that "you just have to laugh about it," and that those small paper cuts really don't hurt. But they do. Over time, those small wounds build up and we experience "death by paper cuts." - Rob Bell

via David Wilson/Facebook