Every Life Has a Story

Saw this on Tara Barthel's blog (check her out here - I highly recommend this blog), and I had to share. Everyone does have a story and we do need to be compassionate to all because we really don't know what they are going through.

A few cute sayings . . .

Here are two cute things some of my first graders have said this week:

Miss Peeler, if you ever come way out in the country where I live you will see wild hogs. The kind with big tusks. Them are dangerous. You need to stay away from them. (Yeah, apparently we still need to work on grammar here in first grade!) Same child also said that their accent was so country that they wrote are instead of our.

One of our spelling words this week is bridle. One of my students asked what that was, and since I have another student who rides horses, I asked that child if he would like to explain to the class what it was. He grinned and put his hands together and said proudly, " Well, do you know about a steering wheel in a car? That's what a bridle is for a horse." He then went into great detail about how it worked.

I just loved it! Having students teach other students and share their knowledge is so awesome. It definitely encourages them in their quest of learning.

Looking ahead to this weekend, I'm hosting my discipleship girls for lunch on Saturday. I hope that, not only do they come, but they enjoy themselves. I question myself. Why would they want to hang out with me. I'm not exactly "cool". Then I remind myself of the previous post and where my security lies. Then I worry some more. I'll let you know how it goes. Pray for me!

Where does your security come from?

The month of March just flew by. I knew it was going to be really busy, but somehow, it passed by in a blur. We had Stanford testing to get through and then the Praise Concert at school. The entire school did an amazing job glorifying our Saviour!

Anyway, I often have to remind myself that my security comes from Jesus not _______ (fill in the blank). I also know that my security in who I am does not come from first graders. For example, at recess this week:

"Miss Peeler, can you do cartwheels?"

My response: Not any more

"Why, are you too large?"

Um no, do you think I am?

YES was the emphatic response. In the child's defense, they thought they were too big and they weighed 75 pounds. So logically I must be too large as well!

Then again today:

You must know that I have ladybugs all over my class door with each child's name on one. Miss Peeler, you need to put your name on the big lady bug in the center. We know it's you cuz it's so big, it's squashing the flower it's on.

I joked to some coworkers that while I don't think I've gained any weight, but kids must think that I have. They in kind responded that my kids must have gotten the words tall and large mixed up. Let's hope so!

I'm so thankful that my security lies in Christ, and I don't have to prove myself to anyone but him. And of course in him, I'm completely accepted. Praise God for that!

A trip to the farm!

Ok, so while my life in Africa proved that I may not actually be cut out for rural life (translation: I like my cushy life in the "city' - such as you can call Dillon), I definitely enjoy being around animals. Anyway, two weeks ago (yeah, I'm a little behind on my blogging), I was invited over to spend some time on a dear friend's farm. They have three precious children who gave me a great tour of all their animals. They had just gotten in a batch of baby turkeys. Oh my goodness, how cute were they - not even a week old. Sadly, their fate is not a good one for them, but a good one for us!

You can't really see the little guy that I'm holding. So, here's a close-up of the baby turkeys!

Chickens! Farm Cats! Oh the joys of being on a farm. Kinda reminded me of being back in Africa. Only here, I know the animals don't carry weird diseases.

A very shy donkey, and a not so shy goat. I think he definitely tried to make a meal out of my shirt at one point.

Now I got to meet this sweet little girl one day after she was born a few weeks ago. My goodness baby goats are so soft and sweet.

I couldn't resist a picture of the guinea fowl. They don't actually do anything except eat bugs, but hey, that's important, too! So by the end of my time, I had thoroughly enjoyed being a part of farm life again, but definitely glad that I could leave them there.