tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79814784011927607292024-02-06T17:56:47.498-08:00Reenie's ResourcesOpening doors for people to overcome challengesLaureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.comBlogger61125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-65159770045756895772014-11-08T15:31:00.002-08:002014-11-08T15:37:33.943-08:00Thoughts for our students on Remembrance Day<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When I was a little
girl, I attended Remembrance Day services at my school every year, just like we
do.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p> </o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
found our Remembrance Day services interesting, but mostly they were a way to
get variety from being in the classroom all day.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I remember we tried
very hard to be quiet during the moment of silence, but I don't think we always stayed
as quiet as we could have. In fact, one year, just before the moment of silence, our principal reminded
us that we didn’t all need to cough during that time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Yet in my own little
girl way, I did try to take the services seriously. Mostly, however, I was glad
that war had only happened long ago and far away.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
was glad to remember and pay tribute to those who’d served in it. But I was
also glad it was all over.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">There would be no more
war in Canada, I thought.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And
in our country at that time, in my small town, in my school, in my neighborhood,
in my family, there <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">was</i> mostly peace.
No war. Only peace.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But as I grew up, I learned
what you already know -- that there isn’t peace everywhere in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When
I became a teacher and spent a year teaching in a beautiful but difficult country on the other side of the world, I learned what it
feels like to live in a place where you can’t count on having peace around your
home.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><o:p><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span></o:p></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I
was never hurt by any of the conflicts there, but I did feel afraid sometimes.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Living there, and
seeing how hard it was for the local people during times of conflict, helped me to
understand a little of what it’s like for people who live in places where there
isn’t always peace.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">These days, it seems
like there are wars and conflicts in many places around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sometimes, it seems
like there’s conflict in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">most </i>places.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And
I’ve learned enough to know that war hurts everyone around it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It hurts the armed
forces personnel who get hurt or give their lives.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It
hurts families who lose their homes or their crops or their jobs.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">It hurts children
who have to leave their parents in order to move to a safer place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And
it hurts everyone who lives with constant fear, because they don’t know what’s
going to happen to them, and because they
don’t know whom they can trust.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">All
the problems that go along with war make me even more grateful I live in
Canada.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’m grateful there
are no official wars going on in our country. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">One people group
isn’t fighting another group of people, at least not officially.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I’m
very grateful for my home in Alberta. And I’m grateful for our
school.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">I feel blessed every
day that I get to teach here, to be with you.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Most
of the time, we Canadians live in peace. We enjoy freedom and we enjoy safety.
Almost every day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But
the incidents in Ottawa, our own capital city,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">just a few weeks ago,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">when two soldiers
were killed simply because they were Canadian soldiers,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">keeping
the peace in Canada,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">reminded me that,
even in Canada, we don’t have peace all the time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Today,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">as we remember the many soldiers who fought in various wars throughout history,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and the many Canadians who go overseas to help people find peace in
other countries--</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">we also remember
Corporal Nathan Cirillo and Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">who died in those
senseless attacks in Ottawa just weeks ago.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We’re
grateful the Canadian government is planning to make stricter laws,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">so they can
prevent those kinds of acts from happening again.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But here in Alberta,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">in our school,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">we are safe.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We’re at peace.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The events in Ottawa have nothing to
do with us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Right?</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Actually,
they do.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The events in Ottawa, when those soldiers died, have important lessons
to teach us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">They remind us that
making peace, and keeping peace –<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
b</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">uilding
safety in our province, our country, and every other place around the world—<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
h</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">as a lot to do with
us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Peace
and safety start with you and me—</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here at our school,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">here in our neighborhoods</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and at home in our families.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we’re kind to
other students,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">even kids who don’t seem as cool as we want ourselves to be...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When
we accept an invitation for friendship from a classmate,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">even if that person isn’t exactly the person we were hoping to be
friends with...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we’re kind to
someone who’s younger... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">or older... </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">or from another class...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">or from someone who has
special needs...<o:p> </o:p></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When
we’re kind to someone who has learning challenges,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">or who doesn’t always know
how to make friends</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and sometimes goes about it in the wrong way...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we speak kindly
about others behind their backs,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">even if those people don't always speak
kindly about us...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When
we take time to help each other—</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">instead of rushing by to play outside -- </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">or
instead of making fun because that person can’t do it on their own...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we say “Good
job,” because someone tried hard,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">rather than pointing out that they didn’t do
things perfectly...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When
we stand up to someone who’s being unkind, perhaps acting like a bully,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and when we tell them to STOP...<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we solve our problems
in a positive way,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and encourage other people to do the same -- </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">instead of
getting people into trouble or paying them back for how they’ve hurt us...</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And,
surprisingly, even when we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">think</i> kindly about others,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">trying to
understand them</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">instead of putting them down or complaining about them...</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">When we do those
things, you and I are making peace.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">’re building safety.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We’re building peace
and safety in our classes.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In our school.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">On our playground.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In our
neighborhoods.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">In our families.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We’re
building peace in our relationships.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We're building peace in our hearts.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And
we’re building the habits of peace.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">As we continue to
practice the habits of peace where we are now,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">at the age we are now,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">we’ll make
those habits stronger.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">And
as we grow,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">we’ll take the habits of peace-building to other schools we attend,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">to relationships with more and more people--</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">--here in Alberta,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">across Canada---
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">and for some of us, maybe even around the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So today, as we look
back and remember, let’s also look forward and remember –</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">let’s remember the
kind of future we want to have.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">We
do want a life of peace and safety for ourselves, for our families, for our
friends.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">So let’s keep building
a world that has peace and safety in it.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Let’s build it--</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">one
thought,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">one word,</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">one action at a time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">-<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">
</span></span>Laureen F. Guenther</span></div>
</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-67183802828095864962014-09-04T21:42:00.001-07:002014-09-04T21:45:29.799-07:00 The teacher becomes a learner<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I took a photography course this summer,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and now I’m becoming a much better photographer.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But at the time, I wasn’t so thrilled
about my learning.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The first morning, as I settled into my
seat,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">it took me only about two minutes</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to realize I was the least-experienced
photographer in the class –</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and that my camera was, by far, the simplest model.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I wondered if I even belonged there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And, as our teacher dove into explaining camera
technology,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was quickly in over my head.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For most of the two-day course,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I felt
a concept or two behind.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The most painful part was the challenge to
my self-image --</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">knowing I was the “weak student”.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s an
unfamiliar feeling, because, as an adult,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I can focus most of my learning in areas
where it’s easy to feel I thrive.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">(I haven’t, for instance, </span><span lang="EN-US">taken any
engineering classes</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">or enrolled in graduate level chemistry lately.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But, despite my lack of confidence,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I persevered,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I improved,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and, when the course was over,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I walked away much smarter – and
happier -- than when it began.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This week,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I went back to class again,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">this
time as a teacher.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Now I’m exploring the strengths and challenges of my own new
set of learners.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Some of my children may also struggle to learn –</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">perhaps for an
hour or a day.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Perhaps for a month, perhaps for a year.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Whatever the reason for the struggle,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and
no matter how long it lasts,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">these are six things I want to remember:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">Each student’s equipment
is uniquely shaped to accomplish his purposes.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I’d chosen my camera,</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">so much less complex than my classmates’,</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">because
it fits my purposes;</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">it takes good-enough pictures, yet is small enough to
carry easily.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Each child in my class has also come with his own set of learning equipment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">It’s differently developed than his classmates’,</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but is perfectly designed to accomplish
his purposes in this world.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just as my photography instructor didn’t scold me – </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">or ignore me –
</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">because I hadn’t brought a more sophisticated camera,</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I don’t want a struggling
child in my class to think I’m disappointed with his equipment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Nor do I want
him to feel he’s less valuable to me, just because his equipment is different.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">My children need to have me
point out their strengths.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When I felt <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">so </i>humble in that photography class,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was quick to reassure myself
with</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I have strengths in
other areas.<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">When one of my children struggles to learn,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to help her do the same thing:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to know she has strengths in other areas,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to understand what those strengths are,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and to be able to tell herself so.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I also want her to know that the strengths <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> listed on her report card</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">may be
just as important as those that are.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">My students carry more
than I realize -- and their burdens may be heavy.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I had a migraine the whole first day of my
class,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and I wasn’t surprised that the pain made it even more difficult to
absorb new information.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I was fascinated, though,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">that the headache made it very
easy to get distracted by thoughts I can usually ignore.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">My migraine reminded me how hard it is for
children to learn when they don’t feel well – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and, even more, that some of them carry much greater
burdens than a day-long headache. Family sorrows.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Money worries.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Playground
conflicts.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">World-size fears.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I marvel, sometimes,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">that a child can even pretend to care about addition
facts and capital letters</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">when he’s afraid someone will say mean things to him
at recess,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">or worried Mom might not come home tonight.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I aim to know my students’ needs and joys as
well as I can,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but I can’t know everything.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">For the moments when a child
doesn’t listen,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">doesn’t try,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and doesn’t seem to care,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to let him know I
care about <em>him</em> anyway.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">And for the times when I just don’t understand,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I will extend
grace.<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">My struggling learners might
not want to ask questions.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Although I often needed help in that
photography class,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I sometimes had no clue how to phrase my questions.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Other
times,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I knew what to ask,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but was too proud to show my teacher and classmates how
much I didn’t know.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">As I, at my age, had a hard time with that,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I reminded myself how much harder that can be for my children.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span lang="EN-US">When a student struggles to learn,
she too may not know how to ask for help,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">or she may be too embarrassed to ask.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to make our classroom a place where she feels it’s always safe to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ask.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">More than that,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to remember to
ask <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her</i> questions,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-US">specific questions </span><span lang="EN-US">that show me how much she does or doesn’t understand,</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and how much I still need
to teach her.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 18pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-align: center; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">My little learners might
get tired of trying.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">At the moments when I felt most discouraged
in that photography course,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I got a bit childish – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I didn’t even want to practice
my developing skills.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I almost – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but not quite – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">fell into the trap of
believing “I’m never going to catch up with my classmates,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">so why should I
try?”</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I could see why a discouraged young learner
can easily fall into that trap,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">one he doesn’t know is there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">He has not yet
learned that persistence is essential – </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and that it has benefits.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to go beyond encouraging that little
learner to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">try</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">In every situation,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I
want to show him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">how</i> to try,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and I
want to teach him that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trying is worth
it.</i></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US" style="mso-bidi-font-family: Cambria; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Cambria; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6) </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span lang="EN-US">If I’m a good teacher, I’ll
be an adaptable teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Just as my instructor adapted his teaching to
help me get the best use from my camera,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I need to choose my words and methods carefully</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to help my children get the best learning out of their equipment.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">If one of my children struggles,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I want to take
time to adapt the content I teach,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and the methods I use to teach it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I need
to understand how she learns,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and I need to teach her in the way she learns.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I may be confident I'm a good teacher,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US" style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but if
I don’t adapt my teaching to the needs of a struggling child,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span lang="EN-US"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">I am not a good
teacher to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">her.</i></span></span></div>
</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-2904998132609779872014-05-11T00:07:00.000-07:002014-05-11T00:08:41.089-07:00Invisible Mothers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This Mother's Day,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">we’ll give sweet cards,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">make long-distance
calls</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and buy bunches and bunches of flowers.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Many mothers among us will be honoured and praised and
cheered.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They deserve every bit of that, and a whole lot
more.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But there are some women among us, also mothers,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">who
won’t receive cards, or calls, or flowers.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They won’t receive public praise or honor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">No one will stand and
call them blessed.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">These mothers are invisible.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who used to be mothers,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but lost their children</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">-- to
death, to marital break-ups, to estrangement, to abduction.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who gave their hearts and lives to raising
one or more children, as best they knew how...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but received rejection in return.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who tried to become mothers,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but were stymied by
infertility, miscarriage, or "failed" adoption....or all three.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who gave birth before they were ready to
become mothers... </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and placed their child for
adoption,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">so their child would have a
mother,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and some other woman would
have a child.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who were unexpectedly pregnant and chose
to abort their babies... </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and have carried secret guilt and
sorrow ever since.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who dreamed, expected, and longed to be
married and have children,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but for whom God had other
plans.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who quietly, lovingly, sacrificially mother
other people’s children... </span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">as aunts, as big sisters, as
teachers, as caregivers, as medical practitioners...</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but will never be called “mother”,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and long to hear that they're appreciated anyway.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They are the women who are all around us.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We see them every day.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We admire them.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We laugh with them.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">We gladly receive what they do.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">But somehow, on Mother’s Day,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">we leave them in the shadows.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">This Mother’s Day,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">let's pray God will open our eyes and our hearts,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">to see and to applaud,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">the love, the sorrow and
the sacrifice</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>of
all mothers...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">even those who are invisible.</span></div>
</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-46726836510900931042012-09-09T23:33:00.001-07:002012-09-09T23:36:21.258-07:00Parenting a Child with Special Needs<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Medical
appointments, prescription trials, multiple surgeries, therapy sessions, school
meetings, behaviour plans, physical care, sleep deprivation and lack of available
special needs childcare.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Tears, fears
and lots of heartache.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Whatever the diagnosis,
raising a child with special needs is not easy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But if you’re
raising a child with special needs, <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">what you do matters</span></em>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZTSfuMgIUefhjbXr53KGxBup8PWuD2aguAUz-G4KufJsHy29TW5l0jz6FkHs3PbQh2dF6zlSgxnX0QQy79DVnvFfEf5Va8_fcp3Xl_00RSR0hh4fh_dUXaE9kePRYo_NxKMR8ei1zQy1/s1600/IMG_5797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_ZTSfuMgIUefhjbXr53KGxBup8PWuD2aguAUz-G4KufJsHy29TW5l0jz6FkHs3PbQh2dF6zlSgxnX0QQy79DVnvFfEf5Va8_fcp3Xl_00RSR0hh4fh_dUXaE9kePRYo_NxKMR8ei1zQy1/s320/IMG_5797.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With my youngest niece, The Princess</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">What you do matters to
your child.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Even if your
child's special needs are so severe she doesn't have the ability to say so,
what you do for her <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">matters.</i> In more
ways than you and I will ever imagine, what you do matters to your child.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #f1c232;">What you do for your
child with special needs matters to your typically-developing children.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></div>
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Stephen Covey
said the security of everyone in the family rests on how the weakest family
member is treated. When you love and cherish your child with special needs, <em><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">even on the darkest, most difficult days</span></em>,
your typically-developing children know they too are worthy of your unconditional
love. They can live in the security that, no matter what, they too will be loved
and cared for.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: large;">What you do for your
child with special needs matters to your church.</span></i></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Church in
North America needs a reminder that people with challenges are worthy of love
and care, and that the Lord commands us to care for them. When you visibly, consistently
display your love for your child, the Church hears the reminder it so badly needs.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It may be
hard on you to be the one giving this message, but when you do, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">it matters</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;">What you do for your
child with special needs matters to your community and your country.<o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b><br />
<span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In Canada, several
years ago, a father killed his teenage daughter who had cerebral palsy. His
lawyer called it a "mercy killing", but more accurate information showed
the family felt they could no longer care for her. My heart goes out to this family,
so beleaguered they planned and carried out the killing of their own child.
However, I'm even more grieved they received so much public support for doing
so.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> care for, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">love</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">cherish</i> your
child with special needs, even on the days you're sure you have no caring left, you declare
to your community and your country that you value all human life. You silently,
powerfully shout that the life of a person with special needs is also worthwhile.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong><span style="color: #f1c232;"><span style="font-size: large;">What you do for your child with
special needs matters to God.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">God didn’t
give you this challenging task – raising a child with special needs -- because “you’re
so special”.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Nor did He place you in this role as a punishment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But according to His own wisdom and goodness, for
reasons we don’t fully understand, He did orchestrate the events of your life so you’re
raising a child with special needs. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He who called
you to this task treasures your child... and He treasures you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He asks you
to be faithful in caring for him or her. (Not perfect, faithful.) He also cares for you.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He understands
how hard it is for you...and for your child.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And when you
show tender-loving care to your child with special needs, He is honored by your
faithfulness.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Whatever we
do for someone in need, we are doing for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Jesus
Himself.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">That doesn’t just apply to caring for poor and hungry strangers.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It is for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i>, caring for your own
child within your own family.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">What you do,
on the front lines and in the shadows, in the public moments and the unknown corners of your child’s
life... all matters.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Please remember... what you do matters.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">-- Reenie<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">*From </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/Habits-Highly-Effective-Families/dp/0307440850/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1347257579&sr=1-6"><span style="color: #f1c232; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-small;"><strong>Seven
Habits of Highly Effective Families</strong></span></a></div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-25591369125253103732012-09-07T12:55:00.000-07:002012-09-09T23:39:06.889-07:00Justin Hines: Say What You Will<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me introduce Justin Hines, a composer, musician
and Canadian.</span></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIc4QBPrX0Y3j1egQ_CF9CHUrnzIH8rLqR-Kz2bU-aN0hkoaF79AKCoQzzXOho2FI6AP87gWZtXTsxMSquhepJ0KwMIqoZLABxM6zs4DV3DNX2oTApP7eti7s8uqBiUaO0CUO46b_ETO4/s1600/justin+hines+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLIc4QBPrX0Y3j1egQ_CF9CHUrnzIH8rLqR-Kz2bU-aN0hkoaF79AKCoQzzXOho2FI6AP87gWZtXTsxMSquhepJ0KwMIqoZLABxM6zs4DV3DNX2oTApP7eti7s8uqBiUaO0CUO46b_ETO4/s320/justin+hines+2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Justin Hines</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two years ago, Justin performed in Calgary, to a packed auditorium
at Centre Street Church. I was thrilled to be part of that awed and cheering crowd.
It’s an experience I won’t soon forget.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Justin was a hit with people of all ages, including my family
members, who are teenagers and middle-aged adults. They were still raving about
him the next day.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That night, Justin performed his song <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Say What You Will</i>, reminding us to say the words our loved ones
need to hear -- before it’s too late.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZj7T62lFIo"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Here's
Justin's Say What You Will video.</strong></span></a><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">*****</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Justin has performed throughout the States, across
Canada, and in numerous countries around the world, growing more fans
everywhere.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some of his youngest fans, a Grade 4 class in Indianapolis,
created their own video of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Say What You
Will</i>. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><a href="http://www.justinhines.com/blog/a-letter-to-my-friends/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Here's the Grade
4 students' video.</strong></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They posted it online and sent Justin hand-written letters,
inviting him to come and visit.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Justin thanked them for the letters and the video, but didn’t
respond to the invitation -- at least not right away.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A few months later, Justin went to Indianapolis for another
event. </span><a href="http://youtu.be/GJSDlPstABk"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>This is what happened the next
morning.</strong></span></a> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">(Before you click, make sure you have Kleenex nearby.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">*****</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I wanted you to meet Justin today, because I love the story of what Justin did for those children and their teacher. (I love it especially because I'm a teacher, but you don't have to be a teacher or a student to appreciate it.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I also wanted to introduce Justin so I could tell you some great news:</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: x-large;"><strong><em>Justin Hines is coming to Calgary this fall!</em></strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">He's coming back to Centre Street Church on October 12, to perform in </span><a href="http://www.cschurch.ca/lalh/concert/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Courage: A Concert with Justin
Hines and Tony Melendez</strong></span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>.</strong></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span> </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I promise, you don’t want to miss it.
</span><a href="http://www.itickets.com/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><strong>Get your tickets here.</strong></span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><strong><em>See you at the concert October 12!</em></strong></span></div>
</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-20393845658163957022012-09-04T14:05:00.000-07:002012-09-04T20:32:11.541-07:00What I Wish Young Women Knew About Unjust Criticism<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHzt2oQfM6W6_saV4gGzWixEU-Jio9rFRz7t6NeIDcOyqDmnN3YzhM8119W8N8Y5J6Og7zmreFUkyq9c52dnAgVspby8nLsivaZDCrgOwQt6CMi6XEgRTSpuYA9HxQ5HRo10PlzmFupX8/s1600/IMG_5818.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzHzt2oQfM6W6_saV4gGzWixEU-Jio9rFRz7t6NeIDcOyqDmnN3YzhM8119W8N8Y5J6Og7zmreFUkyq9c52dnAgVspby8nLsivaZDCrgOwQt6CMi6XEgRTSpuYA9HxQ5HRo10PlzmFupX8/s320/IMG_5818.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
It took me way too long to learn some key life lessons. I haven't learned them the easy way, but it makes a big difference for me to understand these things now.<br />
<br />
I wish the younger women I care about could learn these principles earlier than I did. It would save them so much heartache.<br />
<br />
The greatest lesson I Wish Young Women Knew came from a wise older lady with whom I worked.<br />
<br />
One of our colleagues was telling the older lady and me that, at a former place of employment, they'd told her all kinds of nasty things about herself. Having worked with our colleague, the older lady and I both knew those accusations weren't true. Our colleague probably knew it too. Yet, years later, those criticisms still hurt.<br />
<br />
Then our wise friend said, "When they said those things, they were saying nothing about you and everything about themselves."<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><strong>They're saying nothing about you</strong></span></em></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<em><span style="color: purple; font-size: x-large;"><strong>and everything about themselves.</strong></span></em></div>
<br />
My dear young woman, when people subject you to cutting words, snobbish behaviour, and unfair treatment...it's because those people are insecure, and are trying to build themselves up by tearing you down. Most often, their words and behaviour have nothing whatsoever to do with you. And certainly, they're not giving an accurate picture of what you're really like.<br />
<br />
When someone says "You'll never be good enough to date that kind of guy" or "You're not as pretty as she is," it doesn't mean it's true.<br />
<br />
When someone points out that you're a few pounds overweight or aren't as organized as your sister, it doesn't mean those are the most important things about you.<br />
<br />
When someone you care about doesn't affirm you for being creative or compassionate or intelligent or courageous, it doesn't mean those strengths don't exist. It doesn't mean your strengths don't matter.<br />
<br />
When someone doesn't give you the approval or the position or the invitation you've worked for, it doesn't mean you're not worthy of that recognition.<br />
<br />
Your worth isn't based on what other people think or say about you.<br />
<br />
Your quality as a human being doesn't vary according to whether or not someone expresses it aloud.<br />
<br />
Your value is based on your beginning -- that God created you. He made you <em>in His image.</em><br />
<br />
When people speak harshly of you, look at you with condescension, or don't look at you at all... most often, it has nothing to do with you.<br />
<br />
Those people are telling you nothing about what's in your heart, your mind and your future... but they're saying a lot about their own.</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-64003800703457859102012-09-03T02:02:00.001-07:002013-04-10T21:19:44.966-07:00Lennette Randall: God's Faithfulness -- The Place Where Courage Grows<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pQ5uSJS2ExD_jSe9QlIt8sHeg4bRlLp89448mUpx6Z1xGx8ZdSs8PFmbM26bFjLSQUQqMT7tr9eOihkNpTnl5vJRenkWvSG6nrGPKu8K_tW8dVD8B98ngZoqH686HdsNVLHDnr899phD/s1600/promo+pic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="295" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-pQ5uSJS2ExD_jSe9QlIt8sHeg4bRlLp89448mUpx6Z1xGx8ZdSs8PFmbM26bFjLSQUQqMT7tr9eOihkNpTnl5vJRenkWvSG6nrGPKu8K_tW8dVD8B98ngZoqH686HdsNVLHDnr899phD/s320/promo+pic.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When a foolhardy wasp dove into Lennette Randall’s salad, her
fingers dove in right after it and plucked it out. Eight of us had been shooing
away wasps as we ate, but only Lennette was brave enough to nab one
with her bare hands.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">That wasp-catching episode is a picture of Lennette`s courage
in facing life’s greater challenges.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Born in Sierra Leone, Lennette moved to the U.S. when she
was 14. After high school, she went to live with her dad in England, and finished
a communications degree. In 2006, she heard of Rosebud School of the Arts – a
tiny school in a faraway Canadian village -- where they offered performing arts
training with a Christian worldview.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But “all Heaven broke loose” and family and financial
issues got in the way of her attending.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two years later, Lennette considered Rosebud again, but the
obstacles still seemed insurmountable – until suddenly they disappeared. A visa
that should have taken 6-8 weeks arrived in 7 days. Lennette found a
ridiculously-cheap plane ticket for £199 ($400 Canadian). She was
on her way to Canada.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">She arrived in Rosebud with enough money for one semester,
hoping she could stay a year. Four years later, she’s still here -- and is about to graduate.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lennette cherishes the high degree of investment her instructors
have given her, but she emphasizes she hasn’t been “babied”. Living in a tiny
village has also been an education, as she’s observed how people relate to each
other and how each person finds a place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Most of all, she says, it’s required “a lot of work and trust” day by
day, year by year, to watch God provide – through scholarships, jobs, and an ability
to work.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">This summer, for example, Lennette worked three different jobs, in addition
to playing Mrs. Spencer in Rosebud’s <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Anne
of Green Gables, </i>all while writing and developing her final student project <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under the Mango Tree</i>. Since she describes herself as a person who “needs to know what’s
happening every day”, it hasn’t been easy.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Two years ago when her aunt died, Lennette went to Sierra
Leone for the funeral, using money she’d saved for school. She returned to
Rosebud with no way to pay tuition – until she discovered that generous friends had
collected and donated money on her behalf.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">She has learned to “trust every day” that God will provide.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the past three years, Lennette has lost her grandparents*, as well as her aunt, so when she began her final project she wanted to honor
them by retelling the stories they’d told.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the project didn’t come together
smoothly or quickly. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Lennette started with the idea of an eight-member cast and a
back-up choir. Early in her drafts, an unexpected male character “appeared”.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">As Lennette worked with Kelsey Krogman, her dramaturge**, <em>Under the Mango Tree </em>gradually evolved, keeping the male character but leaving out the choir. The final version
includes Lennette and Conrad Belau, who make audience members laugh and cry as they perform outside under
a graceful, old, easy-to-climb tree.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under the Mango Tree’s
</i>universal themes of cultural and family conflict; sorrow and loss; friendship,
forgiveness and loyalty resonate deeply with viewers. I hope this play’s life extends
far beyond the planned performances that took place this weekend.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the meantime, Lennette will complete two more written
projects and an oral exam before graduation at the end of September. Then, after
she’s had REST, she’d like to look for work with a company -- perhaps in Canada, perhaps in
England -- that uses performing arts as a communications tool.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It’s my prayer that Lennette will continue to use her remarkable writing and performing abilities and convey her keen insights into human nature by telling
stories that express our unfailing need for God, and remind us of His unfailing
faithfulness.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under the Mango Tree </i>is
dedicated to the memory of Lennette’s aunt and grandparents.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">**A dramaturge supports a
playwright, ensuring the play maintains a plotline,
stays true to characters, etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>-- Reenie</em></span></div>
</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-40556140804080686692012-09-01T22:50:00.003-07:002013-04-10T21:13:54.367-07:00Lennette Randall: Graduate, Rosebud School of the Arts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<em>I've changed the title of this post because spam-commenters were attracted by the name of the tree in the title of the play. The rest of the post is unchanged.</em></span><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Childhood stories told under an African mango tree are reborn and retold in Lennette Randall’s play <em>Under the Mango Tree</em><em>.</em></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Directed by Nathan Schmidt, Lennette stars with Conrad Belau -- both of them graduating students at Rosebud School of the
Arts -- in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under
the Mango Tree </i>this weekend, culminating Lennette's four years of study.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WjDqORkUMikAA3aDH0eL3EMvMWbnsvFo61iuvpG6tjbRJ4st_owAtcDEUe4ME__S1Iw8P0sn2vUKsfoKNDLYalv8np-UGdgWhvVUoeT6HeiZy5XDXDycDR8PYBFBLhaxUxz3b9CLV7oq/s1600/under+the+mango+tree+--+danny+in+a+trap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="272" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9WjDqORkUMikAA3aDH0eL3EMvMWbnsvFo61iuvpG6tjbRJ4st_owAtcDEUe4ME__S1Iw8P0sn2vUKsfoKNDLYalv8np-UGdgWhvVUoeT6HeiZy5XDXDycDR8PYBFBLhaxUxz3b9CLV7oq/s320/under+the+mango+tree+--+danny+in+a+trap.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Twyla traps Danny under the Mango Tree (photo credit: Neil Bousquet)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Hilarious-then-heart-rending, the story is of two college
students, Twyla (Lennette) and Danny (Conrad), vying for a private place under their
favorite tree, where they like to play, work, and process life.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">From Twyla’s making siren noises while cycling
onto the outdoor set, to catching Danny in a trap, to Danny’s rooster re-enactment and mimicking of African
dance, these two display a knack for making people laugh. We audience members giggled and chuckled throughout the first act. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then the story turns
serious, for Lennette’s memories of Africa are not all happy ones.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Through dance and music, laughter and tears, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under the Mango Tree</i> shows us the antagonism-turned-friendship
between Twyla and Danny. But its message goes deeper – challenging us to trust God and keep praying, even when He doesn’t answer in the way we think He should. </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I hope some of you will get to see the remaining performance
of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Under the Mango Tree</i> –
Sunday, September 2 at 1 pm in Rosebud, Alberta, under the labyrinth tree behind
Rosebud Church. (Rosebud is a small community. Ask anyone in the village for directions.) Tickets are $12. Additional donations are accepted for the tuition
of students in Sierra Leone and The Gambia.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m honored to watch Lennette Randall and Conrad Belau perform early in their careers, and I look forward to seeing God work in and through them in the years to come.</span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQ8gNitC3Py6lkxFHmv33rXPRAP6udln7dK5THTj9W-UmRk2xH3IEvcWfhqHXdEaREEXAtYsJNWRHVU1773VE_tt60szUIdyJvNJMK0u4goq-XCJfCUgmq_X8uG1Wd83O8MlUFIXp0s8g/s1600/IMG_7238.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCQ8gNitC3Py6lkxFHmv33rXPRAP6udln7dK5THTj9W-UmRk2xH3IEvcWfhqHXdEaREEXAtYsJNWRHVU1773VE_tt60szUIdyJvNJMK0u4goq-XCJfCUgmq_X8uG1Wd83O8MlUFIXp0s8g/s320/IMG_7238.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With Conrad Belau, Lennette Randall and my friend Brenda (on right)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">My next post, on Sunday,
September 2, 2012, will tell you more about Lennette herself.</span></i><br />
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></em><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>-- Reenie</em></span></div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-32297091339222723552012-08-21T21:07:00.002-07:002012-08-21T21:09:18.464-07:00Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies... Part 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mamas and papas, it’s important to keep monitoring
technology use when kids enter their teens. Continue to limit technology time, and remind
them to evaluate the values of what they watch, hear and play. Promote physical
activity. In social situations, require them to turn off technology, put it
away, and use the manners you’ve taught them – make eye contact, greet others,
listen attentively and make polite conversation. Shyness or being an introvert is
not an excuse for poor manners.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">At every age (not just adolescence), that includes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> letting your kids tune out on music,
games or movies when riding in the family vehicle; don’t “buy” yourself an easy
break by fostering a tune-out. That may lead you to wonder, later, why your
children don’t talk to each other or to you. Even on long trips, make sure your
kids spend at least half their time talking to the people in the car;
reading, drawing, or writing; or watching the scenery go by. Daydreaming develops
more creativity and intelligence than does repetitive use of technology.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Walk-the-talk you give your kids about technology. Deliberately
choose physically active and socially-engaging activities. Revolve your life around
face-to-face encounters and real life objects, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>around your cell phone, iPod, computer and TV. Turn away from technology
to give your children full attention. Show them you can turn technology off,
put it away, and limit its use. And, please, if you don’t want your kids to
play violent, life-demeaning video games – don’t bring them into the house for yourself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We adults – mamas and papas, as well as everyone else -- must also remember the manners our mamas taught <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In social situations – at home and elsewhere – we must limit
our use of the phone, the iPhone, the computer, the whatever. Immediately answering every
text, email and phone call does <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not </i>make
us more important. For most of us, it just means we can’t set boundaries.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In social situations, when we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">need </i>to respond<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> </i>to a call
or message, we apologize profusely to the people we’re with, leave the room, If
possible, and efficiently deal with the interruption. Then we put the
technology away, and return ourselves and our attention to the people waiting
on us.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Like me, many of you would never deliberately use technology
to tune people out. But perhaps, like me, you’ve done it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unintentionally</i>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ll be talking on the phone and happen to be near my laptop.
I tell myself I’ll “just do this little thing” on the computer while I’m on the
phone, believing I’m still fully engaged in the conversation. Only after the
other person says a sudden good-bye do I realize I've done it again. My friend heard in my voice that I wasn’t paying
full attention, so -- more graciously than I deserved – he or she ended the call. Worst
of all, I’d just said, "You’re not important enough to earn my full
attention.” Once again, I resolve not to do it again. I’m
still learning.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It will be our ongoing challenge to use <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">technology, </i>and not
let it use <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">us</i>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mamas and papas, don’t let yourselves by ruled by
technology.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Please don’t let your babies grow up to be ruled by it
either.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">-- Reenie</span></div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-37254393700138604062012-08-18T23:10:00.001-07:002012-08-18T23:13:57.915-07:00Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies.... Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Besides teaching our preschoolers to engage with the rich
and wonderful world around them, rather than using technology for their play time, we need to be thoughtful in what and how we teach about technology
to our school-aged children.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When children enter school-age, there’s an explosion in the number of technological devices and activities designed for them. That doesn’t mean every
child has <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">a right </i>to use it all, or that he <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should </i>use it
all. It certainly doesn’t mean, the more he gets to use, the smarter and better
socially adapted he’ll be. (The opposite is more likely true.) Parents <em>and fellow teachers</em>, just as not all food
is good for your children, not all technology experiences are a valuable
use of children’s time – and that includes “educational” technology.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every piece of technology teaches something. About every potential
new program, ask yourself: what values and skills does this technology teach?
(That might be different from what it claims.) Does my child need those
values or skills? Is there a richer, real-life way for her to learn those skills and values? What not-so-positive skills and values might my child learn from this technology?
While she’s using it, what real life sights, sounds, smells,
tastes, tactile experiences and movement will she miss?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mama, don’t believe your child when he calls you mean for enforcing
time limits or taking technology away. Reassure her of your love, and don’t
give in when she whines. Do encourage school-age boys and girls to experience a
rainbow-wide array of real-life activities (even if they’re messy). You’ll be
glad in the long run... I promise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mamas and papas, talk to your children about your
family values, and help them discern which technology does and doesn’t support those
values. Foster open, non-condemning discussions about these topics. Praise your
children for their efforts to make value-affirming choices. If you
tell yourself, “Well, every kid is doing this now, and I want my kid to be normal, so I’d better say yes,” you’ll later wish your teens weren't so eager to give in to peer pressure from other "normal" teens. Demonstrate a courageous example
by standing up against peer pressure yourself.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When your children are in social situations, please teach them
to turn their technology off and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">put it
away. </i>Teach them ordinary manners like making eye contact, greeting people and
making conversation. Teach them to cope without technology when they’re waiting or even a little bored.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mamas, please limit your school-aged children’s exposure to technology.
They’re still young enough to shape, so be intentional about shaping them now.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><em>Part 3 of "Mamas...." will appear on August 21</em></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-- Reenie</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-76706134995707423152012-08-17T02:41:00.001-07:002012-08-17T20:41:20.011-07:00Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently, I sat across the restaurant aisle from a mother and her young son. The little boy, maybe six years old, was playing some kind of electronic
handheld game. Twice, his mom told him to put it away. Once, she even took it away. When he protested, spelling out exactly how mean she was for doing such a thing, she gave it back, and
he resumed play. The mom essentially ate her meal by herself.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">On another occasion, I was visiting a young lady's home. I entered with other guests, and within a few minutes, our sweet-and-shy hostess had picked up her laptop and started engaging with it.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> I don't know what </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">she was doing, but it had nothing to do
with us. She gave us divided-at-best attention for the remainder of my visit.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Another time, friends and I were visiting another family's home. In the midst of conversation, a very nice young man pulled technology out of his pocket and started playing a game. Within a few minutes, the
conversation had somehow adjusted to his mental absence. The rest of us eventually left the
room. An hour later,
the young man was still alone in the room where we’d begun, still playing his solo game.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A mother admitted to me recently she’d used technology as a
babysitter for her toddler son when his baby sister had colic. Now that toddler
is a teenager and his mom has paid him <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hundreds
of dollars</i> to give up technology for the summer. She’s only one of
the many parents I've heard complain that their teenagers spend too much time on technology. This mother stands out, though, for recognizing this: her son’s addiction to technology is more her fault than his<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do we prevent otherwise nice children from becoming teenagers and adults who tune technology in and tune people out?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">We start when they're young.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Mama, when your baby or toddler learns to use a computer mouse or navigate your phone more easily than you did, please don't make the mistake of thinking she's especially clever or gifted. Of course, she <i>is </i>clever! She very likely <i>is </i>gifted! But the reason she can learn technology quickly is because, right now, her brain is a sponge for <em>any</em> learning.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I implore you to focus her learning on books, music, pictures, conversation, technology-free games, active movement activities, building toys, conversation, drawing-writing-scribbling-coloring, looking at nature and live social interaction. I hope you'll allow and encourage her to <em>actively </em>explore every one of her five senses. (Yes, I know that's more messy than occupying her time on the computer.) Please... don't overfeed her technology or use it as a crutch for yourself. Don't teach that super-absorbent brain to start disengaging from the living world.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Part Two of "Mamas..." on August 19</span></em></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<em><span style="font-family: Calibri;">-- Reenie</span></em></div>
</div>
Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-75302315493659267732012-08-09T00:33:00.002-07:002012-08-09T01:06:11.068-07:00Breaking News, Breaking Down<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve long thought of journalists with envy, because they get
to write as a <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">job</i>, and they always
have assignments to produce more written words.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">More often, though, and less charitably, I’ve considered many
journalists as insensitive, self-serving individuals, who grab for a story no
matter how much it costs those whose suffering is told in those stories –
stories of accidents, disasters, crimes, loss, and sorrow.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Recently I watched a DVD that has, thankfully, changed my perspective: </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking
News, Breaking Down.<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eRgrJjcMgHjDYqhGG81o1GgMBjXOpcuc30cQJ1iup7Ujj0tqC2k0u7cInkJujULrDtRmUnTfXt4xdLr121hluUjs5FP9KPBxeLONSJAhUlDc72f5bM9G1l8HEQuYD84ZjivSPA_mCGj3/s1600/breaking+news,+breaking+down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2eRgrJjcMgHjDYqhGG81o1GgMBjXOpcuc30cQJ1iup7Ujj0tqC2k0u7cInkJujULrDtRmUnTfXt4xdLr121hluUjs5FP9KPBxeLONSJAhUlDc72f5bM9G1l8HEQuYD84ZjivSPA_mCGj3/s1600/breaking+news,+breaking+down.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this award-winning documentary, Mike Walter, a news journalist
with 25 years experience, turns the camera and the story on himself and to his colleagues.
He tells the stories <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">they</i> live when
they document the tragedies of other human beings, day after day after day.</span><br />
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Specifically, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking
News, Breaking Down </i>tells about the narrator’s – and other journalists’ –
personal response to the events of September 11, 2001 and follows with their experience
at the disaster of Hurricane Katrina. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It highlights the story of John McCusker,
a journalist who was so impacted by the trauma in New Orleans, including what
Katrina did to his own home, that he experienced a devastating emotional
breakdown.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But the documentary doesn’t end on a bleak note. It describes
the simple strategy a group of journalists followed, to help themselves and each
other heal, and to find hope. They chose a place of retreat to rest and
recover, and helped themselves heal further by providing physical help to New
Orleans residents whose homes Katrina had torn apart.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In watching <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking
News, Breaking Down, </i>it’s been most important for me to realize that, when
journalists view another person’s trauma, report on a tragedy, tell the world
of a disaster, it takes an emotional toll.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some journalists attempt to close off those emotions. Others
move to another line of work. But most journalists just keep on going...
telling the world’s painful stories, and absorbing one emotional hit at a time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To see a trailer of <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking
News, Breaking Down:<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2nrhJuBzI0"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2nrhJuBzI0</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To see an interview with Mike Walter about <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking News, Breaking Down: </i></span><a href="http://nationalpress.org/blogs/newsbag/how-i-got-the-story-mike-walter/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">http://nationalpress.org/blogs/newsbag/how-i-got-the-story-mike-walter/</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">To purchase <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Breaking
News, Breaking Down: </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.amazon.com</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>or </span><a href="http://www.amazon.ca/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.amazon.ca</span></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To borrow a library copy: </span><a href="http://www.calgarypubliclibrary.com/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">www.calgarypubliclibrary.com</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">-- Reenie</span></div>
</div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-29462600140597919952012-08-05T21:35:00.000-07:002012-08-05T23:50:42.593-07:00When I Get to Heaven<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LYg4u4rtr6BUY-SgGKz-BXNEAw2Dy3YS-QTNjdgZGpVYlR2dIB3RJKQVi74mDcbUEx476383AId5_Mf6ofIEhQL5mkImrlPtuuND8WuV5VTmrwnauE6WAk6N5Z2e2ao4G8Pq5-FDjJoy/s1600/IMG_5097.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6LYg4u4rtr6BUY-SgGKz-BXNEAw2Dy3YS-QTNjdgZGpVYlR2dIB3RJKQVi74mDcbUEx476383AId5_Mf6ofIEhQL5mkImrlPtuuND8WuV5VTmrwnauE6WAk6N5Z2e2ao4G8Pq5-FDjJoy/s320/IMG_5097.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I get to Heaven,</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I will play the violin.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll learn sign language with no effort</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> -- and speak it
fluently.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I'll have time and space to raise my favorite animals --
llamas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(They won't even stink.)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll sing and talk and write and read and play the piano</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">...all
day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And when I go to Heaven,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll leave a lot of unpleasant things
behind.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My body won’t feel old there.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll never be tired.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My brain won’t lose names and dates and events.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I won't buy any more insurance in case of accident,
flood, fire or violence.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Never again will I do housework or homework or follow a
budget.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And I’ll no longer have to work to keep myself slim.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Over there,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">my loved ones will have perfect bodies, too.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My nephew won't have diabetes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My dad will have clear and
complete vision.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And my niece, The Princess,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">won’t have any more limitations
caused by cerebral palsy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She’ll be able to express herself</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and everyone will
understand what she’s saying.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She’ll breathe easily</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and move smoothly.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">She’ll have no more seizures</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">or surgeries.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">We’ll dance together,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">both
of us on our feet,</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">for the first time.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When The Princess and I meet each other in Heaven,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it
will be a wonderful, wonderful day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But even better than all that...</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">When I get to Heaven,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll hang out with the One Who’s loved
me all these years,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">every day of my life,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Who’s watched me and guided me through thick and thin,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">hard times and happy.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The One Who now protects, comforts and guides
me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Every day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I’ll sing with Him,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">celebrate with Him,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and follow Him
around.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He’ll give light wherever I go</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">and fill my heart with the
eternal certainty that I am eternally <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">loved</i>.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">By His goodness,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">He’s given me a very good life to live
here.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am thankful for its blessings every day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">But when I get to Heaven,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">it’ll be even better.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It will be glorious!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">-- Reenie</span></div>
</div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-57728102381191168152012-06-21T23:28:00.000-07:002012-07-27T03:05:55.693-07:00My Father's Daughter<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I'm my father’s daughter...<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
often talk to strangers and make instant friends.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I'm my father’s daughter...</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I'm
passionate about classical music and I'm a loyal listener to CBC Radio.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I'm my father’s daughter...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I need
a variety of people in my life, and I get blue if I spend too much time alone.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m my father’s daughter...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
love books. I collect books. I read books every single day. I must. have. books.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I'm my father’s daughter...<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I'm
usually involved in at least three income-generating activities at one time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m my father’s daughter...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
enjoy that flexibility and variety, but I’ve also learned that rest is
valuable, too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Anyone
who knows both me and my dad will tell you that,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> yes, I am very much my
father’s daughter.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">This
week of Father’s Day,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I celebrate the gigantic life-long impact my dad has had
on my life.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;">F</span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">rom my heart, I thank God for my dad.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">I
also remember that I’m the daughter of a Heavenly Father. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Alas, I confess that <em>His </em>traits don't come quite so naturally.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Every
day, I hope, I long, I pray,</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> that I'll be a little more like Him than I was the day before.</span><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
pray for more much-needed patience toward other drivers on the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS;"> I pray for increasing courage to speak up for people who are hurting.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter...</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
pray I'll speak more and more words of gratitude.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
want to speak more grace toward those who struggle.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
pray I'll remember How much He loves me...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> instead of building
myself up by </span><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">tearing others down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">Because
I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
pray forgiveness will become my automatic response to hurt and offense.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";">And because
I’m <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">His </i>daughter...</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"> I
pray that I'll more quickly ask forgiveness when I've been in the wrong.</span><br />
<br /><strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">In what ways are you your father’s
child?</span></i></strong><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"></span></i></strong><br />
<strong><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">And which of your Heavenly Father's
traits is He growing in you?</span></i></strong></div>
</span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-49709889443298030732012-05-26T12:52:00.002-07:002012-05-26T12:52:34.809-07:00Thin Place<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A thin place is where we’re especially close to God. It’s a
place where the barrier between us and God is thinner, the obstacles fewer,
than in most times and places on this earth. *</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Every month, the Special Needs Ministry of Calgary’s Centre
Street Church hosts The Outpouring, when people of all types of abilities
gather to pour out their hearts in worship.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Outpouring is a very thin place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now, The Outpouring is not simply a ministry <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">to </i>people with disabilities. It’s not a
service where “normal people” <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">include</i>
people with disabilities, talking to them about the love of God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It is a place where many people share gifts – of music, leadership,
speaking, visual arts – so people of all abilities can stand (or sit) shoulder-to-shoulder,
loving and worshiping our wonderful, loving God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">During Jesus’ time on earth, He welcomed and cherished
people who are poor, who are sick, people who are young or old. He gave a lot
of attention to people who are vulnerable, people on the fringes of society.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">So, when we gather for an Outpouring, I sense He is very
close, moving among us, through us, between us. As we pour out our hearts in
worship, He pours out His love onto us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I come away, I know I’ve been in His very presence.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">If you live around Calgary, Alberta, I invite you to come
and experience this thin place, near to the heart of God.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<a href="http://www.cschurch.ca/event/278343-2012-06-15-the-outpouring-an-inclusive-worship-experience/"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Calibri;">The Outpouring</span></a> <span style="font-family: Calibri;">is held every third Friday evening of the month at Centre Street Church.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">*Mary DeMuth, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thin Places: a memoir,</i> Zondervan, 2010.</span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-66682953791593077932012-05-11T20:02:00.000-07:002012-05-11T20:02:21.965-07:00Without a Scolding<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">In my
small city, there is only one drive-through automatic car wash.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I’m loyal
to that car wash because:<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">(a) I don’t
want to get wet at a do-it-myself wash, and<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">(b) this car
wash is easy to drive into, and out of. </span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I enter
when it says Enter. I stop when it says Stop. I drive away when it says Go.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">That matters because, once, just once, I tried a different kind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">To enter
that other wash, I was to steer my tires, in a precise direction, onto a narrow pair of
tracks, then put my car in neutral. The gracious, do-it-all-for-me tracks would
then grab my tires and effortlessly guide my car through the swishy-sudsy experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">It's a
nice idea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I took only
a bit of trying to get my tires <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">into</i>
the tracks, but it seemed impossible to turn them in exactly the right
direction.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I steered
this way and that. I put the car in neutral, tried to back up, tried to drive
forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I kept
trying but nothing worked. With a long and growing line-up behind me, I was stuck -and I didn’t know what to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Finally, the
driver behind me came to my rescue. Standing outside my open window, he told me
how to turn, turn again, and, once again, put the car in neutral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">Thanks
to that man’s directions, I’m not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i>
stuck in the entrance to that car wash.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">But, oh, I
paid a price for his help.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">He didn’t
call me names. He never swore. He didn’t threaten me. He didn’t even raise his
voice...much.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">But with his
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">tone, </i>he went
up-one-side-of-me-and-down-the-other. He made it absolutely, unequivocally, 100%
clear that he thought me <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">extremely</i>
stupid. Without a single insulting word, he left me no doubt about his opinion of my worthiness and capability.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">When I
drove out and away from the car wash that day, I did <em>not</em> wave back to the man in
thanks, but </span><span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I did
send a prayer of thanks heavenward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I thanked
God for His promise in the book of James, where it says, “If any of you lacks
wisdom, he should ask God, who gives to all generously, without finding fault,
and it will be given to him.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I have tested that promise many times, and I've found it to be true.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">When my
life is so stuck I don’t know where to turn or how to move forward, I can – and
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should – </i>ask God for His help and wisdom.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">And when
I ask, He gives the wisdom I need. Best of all, He gives it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">without scolding</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">He tells
me the direction to take, shows me how to step forward... and never ever tells me I’m
stupid for needing help.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I might be wayyy too slow in remembering to ask Him for wisdom, but He always gives it as soon as I ask.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">I might give myself a sound scolding for getting into yet another situation, but He never heaps His own scolding on top of it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">He just wants me to go to Him for help, and He's happy to help me when I do.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">He extends the same promise to you.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif";">You can count on it.</span></div>
</div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-21789259550351785822012-03-07T21:15:00.000-08:002012-03-07T21:15:37.640-08:00Thank You for the Valley<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When I was 14-years-old, on a summer missions trip, my teammates and I used to sing:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;">Thank You for the valley I walked through today.<o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The darker the valley, the more I learned to pray...<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></strong></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As a good-intentioned but usually-confused teenager, </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I needed that lesson – </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that God would bring me through the turbulence of the adolescent life,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and would use every experience to help me grow.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Thank You for every hill I climbed...</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I haven’t sung that song for years, perhaps decades.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">But lately I’ve been singing it again.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">For every time the sun didn’t shine...</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></strong></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The last few weeks, I’ve walked a deep valley,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">climbed a steep hill,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and have seen more clouds than sunshine.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So in the darkest moments, it helped to sing:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong>Thank You for every lonely night,<o:p></o:p></strong></span></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #20124d;"><strong> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I prayed til I knew everything was all right...<o:p></o:p></span></i></strong></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As a good-intentioned but often-tired adult,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I need this reminder – </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">that God is still bringing me through life’s challenges,</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and He’s still using them to help me grow.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Today, I’m nearing the edge of the valley,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">there’s a bit more sun in my sky....</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and I can see I’ve grown a little deeper,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a little more courageous,</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">a little better at trusting.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So I say "Yes, Lord..."</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><strong><span style="color: #20124d;">Thank You for the valley I walked through today.</span></strong></span></i></span></div></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-9955172071735325432012-02-13T21:41:00.000-08:002012-02-14T22:30:38.520-08:00Beautiful Because<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKeoaBeqK025ZRUr5mrKns2gZ63G7PM3jlvp1PY588xpi2Y3q8rapFjS-g0hhAY-lytaIqtwJQ3ae4SPgwV28uXJb2axAEH2OftQXcrnjFbwjj0m2Fc8KHK68Z0rGDI_gsgZEXjEmiYPo/s1600/IMG_5357.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibKeoaBeqK025ZRUr5mrKns2gZ63G7PM3jlvp1PY588xpi2Y3q8rapFjS-g0hhAY-lytaIqtwJQ3ae4SPgwV28uXJb2axAEH2OftQXcrnjFbwjj0m2Fc8KHK68Z0rGDI_gsgZEXjEmiYPo/s320/IMG_5357.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I received a grand old quilt at Christmastime. My grandmother made it. My aunt had it. When she downsized, my mom accepted it... and passed it on to me.</span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the nearly 30 years since Grandma died, this is the second of her quilts that has become mine.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first has had an honored place in my home for years, but it hasn't impacted me as this one has.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">The first quilt looks like most of Grandma's projects -- carefully-planned, delicately-sewn. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But this quilt has a totally different story.</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was created from upholstery samples -- rough, scratchy and heavy. Grandma didn’t attach a backing to this quilt. The pieces are in earth-toned shades, some solid, some prints, and she cut them into different sizes and shapes. Then, it appears, she sewed them together into a random, wherever-they-fit design.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">By the standards of today’s quilters, this quilt could never be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pretty.</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">But I still find it <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beautiful, </i></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">because it was Grandma’s, and even more so because she <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">made it. </i></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeNdMtWGB53lgLlVn0agGwjAxlhyPYArNF2hQA0TXn4ooE6i5gSFKL9PjhkgIqf2k6vkcAbZIgtuWEr2gP2WB7fmkT_f_YZ4B_YYewFb4rg8CnVrfty2sz2rTFzHzX855T2Z41YMQ0jzp/s1600/IMG_5360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZeNdMtWGB53lgLlVn0agGwjAxlhyPYArNF2hQA0TXn4ooE6i5gSFKL9PjhkgIqf2k6vkcAbZIgtuWEr2gP2WB7fmkT_f_YZ4B_YYewFb4rg8CnVrfty2sz2rTFzHzX855T2Z41YMQ0jzp/s320/IMG_5360.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In the weeks I've seen this quilt lying on my bed, it keeps reminding me that you and I are like it.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We may (or may not) be pretty as this world defines prettiness, but in a way that matters, and in the way that <em>lasts</em>, we will always be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beautiful</i>.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Regardless of our size, body-shape, skin-tone and even of our character, we are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">beautiful</i> because God made us.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Long ago, He planned us. He designed our bodies, your personalities. He chose our family, our culture, our ethnicity.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then, from the moment of our conception, He's watched over us, r</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">egardless of whether we're pretty, or </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">kind or smart or charming. </span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He watches over us because He loves us. </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-xx69m9gcb4NNs0t1ryvuojgYYZgWQBHx1YVK8bxh4pavrkCNoidPPccyEeRKyglHt7DWu5lrAW1yly9ynHWupviYD5fR9jv-ouKQUNPdNxY2s5Hp1qUxD-bS0IZM6mSsmRmu50nxtki/s1600/IMG_5349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEif-xx69m9gcb4NNs0t1ryvuojgYYZgWQBHx1YVK8bxh4pavrkCNoidPPccyEeRKyglHt7DWu5lrAW1yly9ynHWupviYD5fR9jv-ouKQUNPdNxY2s5Hp1qUxD-bS0IZM6mSsmRmu50nxtki/s320/IMG_5349.JPG" width="240" /></a><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And because He loves us, <em>we are beautiful</em>.<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This world’s definitions of beauty change with every season. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The attractiveness we have in our youth will fade almost as quickly.</span></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But, in God’s eyes, our beauty will never fade. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">No matter how we look, no matter how we act, no matter what we achieve...or don't.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">He will always love us.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Therefore, we will always be beautiful.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">**Thanks to Jamie Langston Turner for putting my thoughts into words in her novel </span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Sometimes a Light Surprises.</span></span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-81773040672191323552011-11-11T00:44:00.000-08:002011-11-11T00:44:11.025-08:00String Around My Finger, Poppy Over My Heart<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">When I was a little girl, attending my school’s Remembrance Day services, I wore my annual poppy with great pride but little understanding. I was happy for the peace of my beautiful Canada, and I was glad all the soldier-killing wars were far away and long, long gone.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">They certainly seemed long gone. Surely, they’d never be necessary again.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Yesterday, decades later, I attended my school’s Remembrance Day ceremony, along with my students. I’m thankful my school chose to emphasize the solemnity and significance of the occasion. I’m glad my students seem much more aware of this day’s meaning, than I was at their age.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’m sorry, though, for the reasons this day is so relevant to them.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In our day, in our time, Canadian soldiers – both men <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">and</i> women now – are once again travelling to dangerous places around the world, deliberately sacrificing family life, home comforts, and, potentially, their very lives, because of their commitment to keep peace for <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">other</i> people.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Bible says, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Greater love has no one than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends.”</i> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our peacekeepers define “friends” very broadly. They consciously, intentionally lay their lives on the line for people whose names they don’t know, whose mother tongues they don’t speak, and whose political histories they’ll never fully understand.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">During the two World Wars, Canadian men often joined the armed forces after being drafted. Most went willingly, but usually only after they’d been told to go.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">In this decade, the Canadian government no longer requires peacekeepers to join the armed forces. What’s remarkable is that, driven by their own commitment to make the world a better place for others, they go anyway.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Today, with my heart and eyes full, I pause.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I remember.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I say, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Thank you!”</i></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">And when tomorrow comes, I pray I will remember then, too.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Reenie</span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-58000535417207035682011-09-25T00:27:00.000-07:002011-09-25T00:29:06.192-07:00Two-Handed Praying<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We’re all familiar with Jesus words: “Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Yet, eventually, we all come up against the uncomfortable truth that God <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">doesn’t </i>always do what we ask Him to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When that happens, some of us get mad at God and stop talking to Him entirely. We figure we’ll teach Him a lesson by giving Him the silent treatment.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Others of us don’t walk away from Him entirely, but we do stop praying for things we want and need, and for Him to do anything in and through us. He’d likely say no, anyway, we think, because He seems to like giving us only hard things. So we keep walking alongside Him, but all communication has ceased.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Some of us want to keep praying, but we’re so confused by God’s methods that we play it safe. We pray only for things that are within the realm of our imaginations. We don’t ask for much...and we don’t get much in return.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I suggest we continue to pray... but to exercise two-handed praying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">With one open hand, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">we must continue to ask God for what we need... and want.</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Bible book of James says, “You don’t have because you don’t ask.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jesus summed up at least one of His parables with, “You should always pray, and not give up.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Bible also says, “Nothing is impossible with God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Only God knows (literally) the things He’d like to give us, or do in us, or in the lives of others...but He hasn’t – because we haven’t asked.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">should</i> pray for things we need and want, good things we want God to do. We must<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"> ask</i>, ask <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">big</i>, and <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">keep on asking</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">With the other open hand, we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pray in surrender.</i><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jesus also taught us to pray: “Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.”<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Later, on His way to the cross, He begged His Father to let Him escape the agony ahead. But then, “Not My will but Yours be done.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Yes, we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">must</i> pray in surrender, letting God do what He wants and accepting that His ways <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">are </i>better and wiser than ours.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But we must <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> surrender without asking! Surrendering without asking is resignation, which quickly creates a cold, hard heart.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And we must also <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">not</i> ask without surrendering! Asking without surrender is acting like a spoiled child, demanding God give us everything we ask for, claiming we know best.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But when we pray with two hands, open hands, we ask great things from a good God...and we trust Him to do what’s best.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We see Him do amazing things in response to bold prayers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We hear Him say “No” in ways we realize are the very best.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We also trust Him to be good, to give and to do good things.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">And we trust Him to lovingly withhold what is not-the-best.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So let’s have no more one-handed praying.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No more closed or selfish hearts.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Two open hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Ask and surrender.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Watch and see what God will do.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">-- Reenie</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 11pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><em>Thanks to JH for helping me clarify the points in this post.</em></span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-70682947830104575042011-09-10T21:51:00.000-07:002011-09-19T09:44:43.310-07:00If You Don't Do It...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Three young women were asking each other,<br />
"Do men like strong women... or meek women?"<br />
<br />
The woman who introduced the question is capable. She's independent. She's strong.<br />
And she's confident...about everything except her single status.<br />
<br />
What she was really asking was:<br />
"Should I change who I am, so that a man will like me?"<br />
<br />
Her friends offered various perspectives, none of them providing much wisdom.<br />
<br />
I wish I'd told those women they'd been trapped into believing a lie.<br />
<br />
The lie is that we have to be a certain way,<br />
we have to do certain things... <br />
in order to be loved romantically,<br />
in order to be married.<br />
<br />
Sometimes,<br />
it's easy for us, ahem, <em>older</em> folks to tell young women they're wonderful and beautiful just as they are.<br />
It's so obvious they don't need to be like anyone else.<br />
<br />
But sometimes we who are older are not that much wiser.<br />
We get stuck on the same lie, though usually in a different form.<br />
<br />
Lots of us<br />
-- old and young, male and female -- <br />
believe we have to "be" and "do" a certain way.<br />
<br />
Otherwise, we think, <br />
we won't be good enough to "win" a romantic relationship,<br />
deserve a good career path,<br />
or earn society's approval in general.<br />
<br />
Sometimes, we think,<br />
those who don't conform<br />
don't even deserve to have good friends<br />
or the love and blessing of their families.<br />
<br />
But no matter how old we are,<br />
how much experience we've gained,<br />
no matter how wise we should be...<br />
if we believe these things,<br />
we've been trapped by the same lie.<br />
<br />
The TRUTH is that God didn't make us to be all one way.<br />
He didn't make us to squeeze into our society's mold,<br />
or live up to anyone else's standard.<br />
<br />
The God of the Universe planned for each of us to be unique,<br />
and He wants us to stay that way.<br />
<br />
Therefore, we shouldn't focus our thoughts on figuring out what the world tells us to be,<br />
and becoming <em>that.</em><br />
<br />
We shouldn't make it our aim to be like our most popular friends<br />
or our most ambitious co-workers.<br />
And we certainly shouldn't try to be like the people on the magazine covers.<br />
<br />
Our noble and lofty lifetime goal should be<br />
...to become the best person God made us to be.<br />
<br />
Not always easy,<br />
but perfectly simple.<br />
<br />
If God made you to be the nurturer, the caregiver, in your family and circle of friends,<br />
but you're always trying to be the entertainer...<br />
who will do the caregiving?<br />
<br />
If God made you to be the entertainer,<br />
but you feel guilty for not being the caregiver...<br />
who will do the entertaining?<br />
<br />
If God made you to be a thinker who shares wisdom borne of experience,<br />
but you get jealous because the entertainer gets all the attention...<br />
who will pass along the wisdom you've learned?<br />
<br />
If God made you to be an artist, the creator of large and messy projects,<br />
but you spend your life longing to be an organizer whose house is always spic-and-span...<br />
who will bring your creative beauty into the world?<br />
<br />
And if God made you to be a teacher...<br />
an organizer,<br />
a courageous leader,<br />
a change-maker,<br />
an encourager,<br />
a gentle supporter,<br />
a coach and guide,<br />
a fixer,<br />
a builder,<br />
a designer,<br />
a friend with a listening ear...<br />
<br />
but you waste your time and energy trying to be someone else...<br />
<br />
who will do the job of being "you"?<br />
<br />
YOU are precious and wonderful.<br />
God designed you<br />
and created you uniquely,<br />
just as you are.<br />
<br />
You're not perfect,<br />
and you're not complete.<br />
<br />
I'm not either.<br />
That's why we need each other.<br />
<br />
So, I beg of you...<br />
let's become the best YOU and ME that we can be.<br />
<br />
Together,<br />
let's care,<br />
and encourage,<br />
and entertain,<br />
and share wisdom,<br />
and support,<br />
and lead,<br />
and repair,<br />
and build,<br />
and create,<br />
and make a difference...<br />
<br />
Let's, each of us, fill the one-of-a-kind shape God designed for us to fill.<br />
<br />
Together we'll be complete.<br />
Together, we'll do awesome things.<br />
And, together, we'll be just about perfect.</div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-13429884479190929692011-09-07T23:07:00.000-07:002011-09-07T23:21:18.649-07:00Setting an Example<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">I went for lunch with my teenaged nephew BB the other day.<br />
He chose a restaurant in downtown Calgary,<br />
and I agreed only because it was a holiday,<br />
and I thought it would be easy to find parking.<br />
<br />
We found a space in a privately-owned lot,<br />
and <em>then</em> I tackled the automated payment system.<br />
<br />
I slipped in my credit card,<br />
then waited for selections.<br />
Eventually, it offered several,<br />
and I punched "holiday rate", expecting to get a cheaper-than-usual hourly rate.<br />
Instead, I was charged $12 for our intended two hours of parking.<br />
<br />
I wasn't happy, but it seemed there was nothing we could do to change it.<br />
We waited for the machine to produce the receipt.<br />
And waited some more.<br />
<br />
I was getting a little hot under the collar<br />
when a parking company employee drove onto the lot.<br />
<br />
I quickly made sure to tell him exactly what I thought of his system.<br />
I didn't yell, and I didn't use any words my mother would disapprove of,<br />
but my tone left no doubt that his system <em>stank.</em><br />
<br />
To his credit, he immediately left his car,<br />
helped me re-navigate the system,<br />
and pay a more reasonable rate --<br />
only $6 for two hours.<br />
Bargain.<br />
<br />
I expressed my concern (same polite words; same unmistakable tone)<br />
that the system would now charge my credit card twice... or even more.<br />
<br />
But again, there was nothing else I could do.<br />
<br />
As we walked to the restaurant,<br />
I was still muttering fiercely in the same unmistakeable tone.<br />
<br />
But BB,<br />
my young 16-year-old nephew,<br />
who had listened to his "mature" auntie complain up one side of that system and down the other and then start all over again --<br />
BB<em> </em>responded to me with words that were <em>gracious</em> and <em>patient</em><em>.</em><br />
<br />
I pointed my finger at him and said, "YOU are showing a much better attitude than I am."<br />
But I returned to my complaining a couple times more.<br />
<br />
BB expressed understanding of my frustration<br />
but was always gracious.<br />
<br />
As he continued to respond gently and quietly,<br />
I finally said,<br />
"Okay -- I'm going to stop complaining now."<br />
<br />
And, strangely, when I stopped complaining,<br />
my attitude about everything else improved, too.<br />
<br />
A couple thousand years ago, Saint Paul advised his young protegee, Timothy:<br />
<em>Don't let anyone look down on you because you're young.</em><br />
<em>But be an example in life, in love, in faith and in purity!</em><br />
<br />
I guess the lesson is still current.<br />
<br />
Thanks for the example, BB!</div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-77005667172662255422011-09-04T22:51:00.000-07:002011-09-07T22:29:36.946-07:00The Worst Thing About Teachers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"></span></span><br />
<div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The best thing about teachers is their humanity.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They have a remarkably personal ability to build a caring, one-on-one relationship with each individual student.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They can adapt the very same lesson to fit each student’s unique learning needs.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> <span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teachers have an amazing capacity to give everything to their students</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">every single day.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Then, in evenings and on weekends, they keep giving more.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teachers know their students’ feelings are fragile.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They also know their students need firm boundaries.</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They can be gentle and tender-hearted one moment,</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">and no-nonsense firm two minutes later.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They’re always learning –</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">new strategies, new content and new insights about their students.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teachers stretch themselves a little further,</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">give themselves a little more,</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">work a little harder</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">and persevere a little longer,</span> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">hoping just a little more effort will make the difference for one of their students.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">The <em>worst</em> thing about teachers is their humanity.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teachers have a lot of patience...</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but sometimes they run out.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They keep on giving...</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but then they get exhausted.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teachers take care of students, colleagues and parents...</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but also need time to take care of themselves.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">They’re always learning new ideas...</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">but there’s a lot they’ll never know.</span> </span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teachers love each student...</span></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but they have to work harder at loving some than others.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;"> </span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">Teachers are professionals...</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif;">but they'll never be perfect.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNoSpacing" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-language: EN-CA;">Teachers' gift... and their limitation...is that they're only human.</span></div></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-12092331871131728342011-08-20T22:11:00.000-07:002011-08-20T22:19:09.570-07:00Underthanked<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">In the midst of a conversation about unfulfilled dreams, my wise friend pointed out that one aspect of her life is nearly perfect. “I have such a great roommate,” she said. “And I admit God goes largely underthanked for that.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-CA; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Her cool, new word – <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">underthanked</i> – stuck in my head and didn’t let go. I, too, must admit God goes <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">underthanked</i> for many of my blessings.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">I try to make a habit of saying, “I’m thankful.” Unfortunately, I usually follow it with a “BUT”.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">As in, “I’m thankful I live in a large, world-class city... BUT commuting takes so much of my time!”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Or, “I’m thankful I’m healthy... BUT I wish I were slimmer.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">And, of course, “I’m thankful for my freedom as a single woman... BUT some things aren’t fun to do by myself.”<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">So...here’s the start of my new Thank-You-With-No-Buts list.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">Thank You, God...<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For giving me five terrific nieces and nephews, and for how they’ve changed my life.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For my solid family, and for my parents who’ve been married for 50 years.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For my friends who are so loving and loyal they dropped everything to take care of me when I needed it.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For all the educational opportunities I’ve had – and still have.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For the freedom and opportunity to travel – and safety when I do.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For giving me gifts and skills that I enjoy using – and for giving me enjoyable work.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For giving me very good health – and for allowing me to recover from illness.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">For my own home, where I’m safe, warm and comfortable.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">That I live in a country which has no war within its borders.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">...where I, as a woman, have the same freedoms as men.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">... where I can worship openly without fear of persecution.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">... where I can trust the law to be mostly just.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">... where I can vote... and make a difference.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">... where I have excellent medical care available, at hardly any cost.<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif";">...and.....<o:p></o:p></span></i><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Thank You, God!</span></i><br />
<br />
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">-- Reenie</span></i></span></span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7981478401192760729.post-18311563455876758672011-08-17T21:48:00.000-07:002011-08-20T21:59:51.801-07:00Dietrich Bonhoeffer Plays Drums at Centre Street Church<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German pastor and teacher, is well-known for being executed by the Nazis for his role in a plot to assassinate Hitler. What is less well-known is that Dietrich was also a highly-skilled musician. In his large family, where everyone sang and played musical instruments, Dietrich’s siblings said he was the best pianist of them all.*</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">A young man who plays the drums at Centre Street Church, where I attend, resembles a young Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Like the Dietrich of 70 years ago, our drummer has a fair, round face and light-colored hair, and he wears round wire glasses. Whenever I see this young man on stage, I imagine for a moment <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Dietrich Bonhoeffer is playing drums in church today.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">That makes me think of how church music has changed from 1930’s-40’s Germany to 21<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">st</span></sup> century Canada. If Dietrich Bonhoeffer were expressing his worship through music in 2011, perhaps he’d be playing drums instead of the more traditional piano. Very likely, he’d be playing a much different musical style.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">But some people, sincere Christ-followers, will be uncomfortable with that suggestion. The hymns used in the German church when Dietrich Bonhoeffer was alive, were worshipful and sacred, they feel. They have a hard time believing that the music sung in today’s Canadian churches is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">worshipful.</i> After all, the music is so much faster and louder. The songs are less rhythmical, and many of them don’t even rhyme!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Let me assure you – I won’t claim that all of today’s church music <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is </i>worshipful. But nor do I believe all traditional music is worshipful either.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Worshipfulness of music (if we can call it that) has nothing to do with volume, tempo, beat, or the era in which it was written. A song’s worship value depends solely on the truths contained in the lyrics.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">To each generation, God has given a new way to worship Him through music. Thousands of years ago, the Psalmist said God had put a new song in his mouth. (Psalms 40:3). Today, God is still doing that for those He’s gifted to compose worship music.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Now we who are, well, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">older</i>, or who have different musical preferences, don’t have to like the new music. We are, however, called to love the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">people</i> who are making the music.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We are <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">all </i>members of the Body of Christ. At all ages, in many languages, and through the music of every generation, we worship Him together. And He is pleased.</span></div><span style="font-family: Times New Roman;"> </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">*<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy; </i>by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Eric Metazas; </i>published by <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Thomas Nelson.</i></span></div>Laureen F. Guentherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15678769417004977951noreply@blogger.com2