The Grinch Who Stole Christmas!

For those of you who have not heard, our family will be having Christmas at Andrea & Dustin's house in Pennsylvania. This official announcement is intended for all those who were planning on coming out here to Utah, those who have already bought tickets to come here, and those who would feel bad about being the last one to know such information.

I've been teasing Andrea about "stealing Christmas" from me, as we were originally planning on meeting here at my house in Utah...hence, the title. This picture was very appropriate, too, I thought.

My Students Love Tchaikovsky!

In our classes, especially during seatwork times, we play classical music to help the students focus on their lessons. In a sense, it acts as white noise to help them block out other distractions.

Well, the other day, one of my 1st-3rd students raised his hand and asked, "Ma'am, can we please listen to something new that we haven't listened to before?" Since we have five boys and only one girl in the class, I thought we could listen to Tchaikovsky. I mean, the 1812 Overture with its battle theme and canon shots would be great! His Piano Concerto No. 1 is also very powerful. So, that was what we listened to that day. The kids loved it. They can now recognize the tune of the 1812 & the Piano Concerto No. 1. In fact, they like to race to see who can identify the song first.

Then, yesterday, the first question of the day was, "Ma'am, can we please listen to Tryclopsky again today?" I could not help a laugh! My kids love Tchaikovsky! What have I done?

This poem is an excerpt from the book How I Know God Answers Prayer by Rosalind Goforth. Quite a challenge!

I cannot tell why there should come to me

A thought of someone miles and years away,

In swift insistence on the memory,

Unless there is a need that I should pray.

We are too busy to spare thought

For days together of some friends away;

Perhaps God does it for us -- and we ought

To read His signal as a sign to pray.

Perhaps just then my friend has fiercer fight,

A more appalling weakness, a decay

Of courage, darkness, some lost sense of right;

And so, in case he needs my prayers -- I pray.

Favorite Teachers: Part One - Elementary

Since I've been truly immersed in teaching for the last couple of months, I have become so very thankful for each of my teachers. As that appreciation grows, I begin to wonder, 'What is it that elevates a teacher from "okay" to "amazing" status? Why are some hard to remember, and others seem to have a tremendous bearing on the direction of my life?'

So, I have done a mental case-study of the teachers who stand out to me, and here is what I have come up with.

[Disclaimer: To be fair, I do not remember much about teaching style, etc. before 5th grade, or so. I know that I had some great teachers from Kindergarten to 4th grade. There was Mrs. Gordon in K-3, 4. She is still a good friend. We were Mrs. Brater's first K-5 class. I remember learning how to cut with scissors in that class, but that is about it. However, I do have a very good foundation in phonics. This I definitely attribute to her, as well as many other things. I remember Mrs. Hady vaguely. We enjoyed the class, and learned a lot, that I know.]

When it comes to personal recollection, though, my best (and favorite) elementary teacher would have to be Mrs. Gonzalez. Any other students of hers are joining in a hearty "YES!" at this point, I'm sure! I remember my two years in her class, 5th & 6th grades, as a major turning point in my life. That was a time when I really awoke to an awareness of what was going on around me and my relevance to those things.

In comedy, I remember the red sweater/green headband days. Her "explosions" were so expected, dreaded, anticipated, and helpful. I remember being the "Burger King Class" in 5th grade. Why? It was because we followed their motif: "Have it Your Way!" And Mrs. Gonzalez would say, "No! You can't always "have it your way!" That was when we learned that the world was not revolving around us. I also remember the lectures on common sense. Mrs. Gonzalez would say, "The Bible says to ask for wisdom. Do you know what wisdom is? It's common sense! Ask for it!" Wow! Such a practical application of a whole book of the Bible.

She also taught us how to treat adults, and how to treat the one in our class who struggled. She showed us how to describe something around us, and how to control our bad attitudes. She had great PTF programs, too...Hugh Idle & Mr. Toil, Peter Rabbit, the Olympics ("It's been tremendous, I mean stupendous...I hate to see it end."), and more.

Then, there were the things that she could have never taught us with words, only by example: the patience (oh, such patience!), the love for the Lord and His work, the smile of approval and encouragement. There was the extra effort she put into visuals, Candy Sale boards, and contests. Along with that, there was the extra effort she required of us and the rewards for such excellence. I remember the 'Award Certificates' that meant so much. Most of all, there was the genuine interest in what we had to say, what we were excited about, and what was going on in our lives.

To crystallize so many thoughts and memories into workable principles is hard. Naturally, the key element would be her love for the Lord, His work, and His people. Yet, I would have to say that her interest in our lives as people was the practical application of that truth. We were not just students taking subjects in school. We were children to be molded into servants of Christ.

While many of her students have taken separate paths, most will always carry the impressions made by our 5th-6th grade teacher. What a challenge for the next generation of teachers, including myself! When it is more necessary than ever, may we make the same lasting impression on our students.

Brief Update

Due to recent events, namely Candy Sale, I am shamelessly resorting to the very impersonal update format.

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Several interesting items have come up, and I would like to share with the general reading public. First, we finally started a "band" for our Sunday night services. Actually, right now, it is more of a trio that could blossom into a quartet. Matt Thompson plays trombone, Hannah Starr plays her flute, and I am the french horn player. Of course, we are no orchestra--in size or skill. It is a blessing, though, to have another outlet in the church to add to our song/worship service. (Also, if anyone is interested in joining us, I think Charity has enough instruments to front an entire symphonic orchestra. ;-)

The next piece of news is a big praise from our ministries! At the beginning of the school year, I was able to become a helper in Mr. Warren's 5th-6th grade Sunday School class. Also, I was finally dubbed an official "bus worker" on the North Ogden bus route. (Before, I was somewhat split between two routes, as needed.) This opportunity has allowed me to devote my entire attentions to those families on the "N.O." Route. In the course of that venture, we were able to spend a good deal of time, over a period of several Saturdays, at one particular family's house. The mom, Angela, has had a rough life. However, she was very receptive to our in depth look at salvation. Finally, last Saturday, she accepted Christ as her Savior! What a blessing to see the Lord working in a person's heart!

Finally, as I mentioned briefly before, we are in the middle of our semi-annual Candy Sale! Many of you understand the variety of emotions that run through the mind when I say Candy Sale! However, I am sure they run much deeper for you at Fairhaven. Did I mention our CS is only a week and a half? I know, some of us just have it too easy, right? ;-)

Well, I have been working the area in and around Park City, UT. For those of you not familiar with the area, it is about an hour and twenty minutes away from Ogden. The elevation is approximately 3,000 feet above ours, too.

The 2002 Olympics on Salt Lake City really put Park City on the map. It attracted much of the high-end clientele with its world-class ski resorts, hotels, and scenery. Even now, they have a large number of people from other countries who own second and third homes in the area. It is the city where everyone drives a Prius or a SmartCar. They only buy dark chocolate. And your Columbia coat will look like "trailer trash." ;-)

But, the people are nice enough, and we are very thankful for that!

HOPE IN THE BUCKET

A couple of Sunday nights ago, our pastor preached a message out of Lamentations 3. On the first take, the passage really does seem a bit confusing. However, after his message, and personal study and thought, a truth has finally coalesced in my mind as a blessing from the Lord.

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From verse one until verse twenty, Jeremiah recounts some troubles he has had to face. The physical journey was difficult, but the spiritual battle being waged was even more treacherous. Yet, at the end of his narration (vs. 21), Jeremiah says "This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope." Hope?!? That is the last word I would have expected to be the result of those difficulties…bitterness, reason to complain, doubt, many things come to mind…but not hope! When drawing from the well of adversity, you do not expect to find hope in the bucket.

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To be sure, the hope he speaks of is not that of a wish or a general desire that something be fulfilled. Rather, it is that promise, or confident expectation. In essence, it is the "evidence of things not seen." It is "Finding Assurance In Trusting Him." It is the strengthening of our faith.

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I am reminded of an ancient fable. There was a king who commanded his servant to take water from a nearby well and pour it into a basket. After much effort in what may have seemed like a fool’s errand, the servant drained the well. At the end of his labor, however, he found a very valuable ring that would have been lost, had he not poured the water in the basket.

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So, during times of difficulty, our human minds can think of how this is wrong on so many levels. It may seem foolish, entirely too difficult, or even embarrassing. Why could we not ask for the help of our neighbor? Is there no other way? But when we reach the end of the work He has given to us, when we pull up that last bucket of trouble, we find that the effort was more than worth it. We look back on the burdens as blessings. They brought us to the place of stronger faith…to our ‘hope in the bucket.’

A Song In My Heart

One of my 1st grade students will often begin humming while working one of his lessons. As it disturbs the other students, I usually have to remind him to stop humming.

One day, we were talking about it, though, and he said, "Sometimes I can't help it! I have a song and it just comes out!" ...Exactly my feeling, many times. ;-)

So, here's my song of late...

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I sing of Thee, O Blessed Christ,

Since Thou hast saved me by Thy grace.

Redeemed by Thee at dreadful price,

With angels I would sing Thy praise.

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Chorus:

I sing of Thee, O Blessed Savior,

Thy praise shall now my tongue employ.

I sing of Thee, O Lord, forever,

For Thou hast filled my soul with joy.

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I sing of Thee and smile through tears

When sorrows come to make me sad.

For I remember, through the years,

Thy grace and sing because I'm glad.

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