... want them to know that people notice them, and that it matters when what they notice is good and praiseworthy. I've known from the other side how much this can mean. I often lack confidence in my own abilities as a teacher, so it gave me quite a lift when a friend who works with families in the community mentioned that he has heard several times from parents how glad they are to have their kids in my class. It just feels more important somehow ... wonderful custodian we all adore. We often talk about how lucky we are to have her, but she's here after many of us are gone for the day. She was delighted to hear it when I told her that so many teachers are singing her praises. When I overheard conversations about the retirement of our superintendent-an announcement that was met with sadness-I thought he should know how we felt. So I made sure he did. I'm guessing a boss must ...

... laughter. For weeks, he'd been memorizing songs for his school's" Winter Pageant" I didn't have the heart to tell him I'd be working the night of the production. Unwilling to miss his shining moment, I spoke with his teacher. She assured me there'd be a dress rehearsal the morning of the presentation. All parents unable to attend that evening were welcome to come then. Fortunately, Nicholas seemed happy with the compromise. So, just as I promised, on ... But in her innocence, she had no idea they were laughing at her as she stood tall, proudly holding her" W". One can only imagine the difficulty in calming an audience of young, giggling students. Although many teachers tried to shush the children, the laughter continued until the last letter was raised, and we all saw it together. A hush came over the audience and eyes began to widen. In that instant, we understood-the reason we ...

... Faith and Deeds I am a mother of three (ages 14, 12, 3 ), and have recently completed my college degree. The last class I had to take was Sociology. The teacher was absolutely inspiring with the qualities that I wish every human being had been graced with. Her last project of the term was called" Smile." The class was asked to go out and smile at three people and document their reaction. I am a very friendly person ... but we are believers. That day showed me the pure Light of God's sweet love. I returned to college, on the last evening of class, with this story in hand. I turned in" my project" and the instructor read it. then she looked up at me and said," may I share this ?" I slowly nodded as she got the attention of the class. She began to read, and that is when I knew that we, as ...

... . I guess she was there to teach." No! That's not how I showed you !" she scolded. The woman she was teaching giggled nervously. She wasn't being mean. I believe she was related to my sixth grade teacher who would throw a chalk eraser across the room to hit a kid in the head who fell asleep. It was her" teaching style" Now teachers just need to be psychologists, parents, guards and babysitters. The world's so much ... now. Anyway, the woman finally got nerve enough to leave." Okay, I got it. I'll be back tomorrow to buy the things I need ," she said." Will you remember what I told you ?" the teacher asked." Yes"" What's the most important thing ?" she quizzed her. She paused too long to answer. I believe a second went by. I leaned in to pick up on this. I mean, if ever I ...

... Quite a Character I can remember when I was a child in grade school, my parents would attend the Parent Teacher Association meetings. I stayed at home shaking in my boots, fearful of what my teachers had to say about me. I don't know why. Most of the time when they returned home, my father would say," I asked how you were doing in class. She said" Bob's a charmer" I'd smile and sigh with relief." ... quite a character, Bob ," my mother would tell me. So, for most of my life I thought being a character was the most important thing. Being a" charmer" didn't hurt either. Then one day when I had been much too long in adulthood, I heard someone talk about my reputation. It wasn't very flattering. Most likely truthful to some extent, but not something I'd want my parents to hear at PTA. Being a charmer doesn't always work ...

... was almost blind" After they'd been working with her for about a year-and it was tough sledding with Annie-the Perkins institute for the Blind opened its doors. They were able to help her and she went on to study and became a teacher herself. Annie came back to the Tewksbury Institute to visit, and to see what she could do to help out. At first, the Director didn't say anything and then he thought about a letter he'd just received. A man had ... animal. He'd been told she was blind and deaf as well as 'deranged ' He was at his wit's end, but he didn't want to put her in an asylum. So he wrote here to ask if we knew of anyone-any teacher-who would come to his house and work with his daughter. And that is how Annie Sullivan became the lifelong companion of Helen Keller. When Helen Keller received the Nobel Prize, she was asked who had the greatest impact on her life and ...

... Faith and Evolution (boy prays for teacher) A boy named Bob, age 14, was a Christian. However, he was in a science class with a teacher that stated at the start of the year he was an evolutionist, and by the end of the school year he would have all the Christians believing in evolution. There were 5 other Christians in the class besides Bob. As the year went by in the science class, one by one the Christian students fell away from their belief. The teacher would challenge Bob with questions trying to get him to deny the existence of God. When questioned about God being real, Bob always said he had faith in God and believed the Bible. On the last day of school, the frustrated science teacher stood in the front of the class with a raw egg in his hand and said to the class: The school year is over, I have changed all the believers in God ...

... I Just Get Started I sat in my seat, as my new grade six classmates found theirs. At the front of the class our new math teacher stood watching us," Come on, class. We don't have all day. Get settled please" Mr. Stevens was the strangest teacher we ever encountered. At the beginning of the school year, he rented the basement of a house on the other side of the cove from our school. He drove a yellow Volkswagen Beetle, but usually jogged to school-a rare and strange thing in the early 1970's in Nova Scotia. There were rumors that he flossed daily, which was later witnessed in class after he ate his healthy lunch of vegetables and fruit. All of these habits were things we were not used to in our small fishing village. The bell rang." Ok, class. Welcome to a new school year. I'm Mr. Stevens and I'm sure I'll learn ...

... . And yes, Tim, I will salute the flag as long as it stands for" one nation under God with liberty and justice for all" Sincerely, Pamela Blaine June 2002 ** NOTE: The name “ Tim ” is fictitious, but the story is true. ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ ~~~ The Pledge of Allegiance-From the Red Skelton Hour, January 14, 1969-This actually took place on live TV. Getting back to school, I remember a teacher that I had. Now I only went, I went through the seventh grade. I left home when I was 10 years old because I was hungry. (laughter) And. this is true. I worked in the summer and went to school in the winter. But, I had this one teacher, he was the principal of the Harrison school, in Vincennes, Indiana. To me, this was the greatest teacher, a real sage .of my time, ...

... very professional, but when mine were combined with hers in vases, they became breathtaking bouquets. After the flowers were completed, Grammie dipped them in melted paraffin. Instantly, they were transformed into translucent splendor that rivaled the real thing. With a bit of imagination one could almost smell their fragrant scent. I'm not so sure that Grammie didn't drop a bit of her Evening in Paris perfume from the cobalt bottle into the melted wax. As Memorial Day approached, our teachers explained its significance as a special time to honor and show appreciation to fallen American soldiers. In the mid 50s, WWII was still a haunting memory to many. To commemorate Memorial Day, students and teachers marched from school to the nearest wharf. One of the teachers offered a prayer of thankfulness for soldiers who willingly paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country. After singing God Bless America, a student solemnly tossed the wreath of white roses onto the waters of the Atlantic Ocean ...

... The Ant And The Grasshopper A mother of a 9 year old boy, Mark, received a phone call in the middle of the afternoon. It was the teacher from her son's school." Mrs. Smith, something unusual happened today in your son's third grade class. Your son did something that surprised me so much that I thought you should know about it immediately" Mother's seldom want to hear from their child's teacher in the middle of the day. The mother was uneasy and nervous by such a beginning to a phone call." What now ?" the mother wondered. The teacher continued," I have been teaching for many years and nothing like this has happened until now. This morning I was teaching a lesson on creative writing. And as I always do, I tell the story of the ant and the grasshopper. The ant works hard all summer and stores up plenty of food. But the grasshopper plays all summer and ...

... weekly but not just as ordinary reports, over the weekend, the innovative and artistically inclined Laurie, chose a theme so that every single report was set on special paper, highlighted with sparkling glitter. One week she placed the names of the youngsters on lightning bolts and another week every report was done on teddy bears and another time, on little T-shirts, all hanging on a clothesline. The bulletin board itself was always eye-catching and crowds gathered so that soon parents, teachers and other staff were also gathering around to see what was happening for the new week. When the school year drew to a close, Laurie took each and every" good deed" report filled in by the students and teachers and attached them to one long continuous sheet of paper. This was to be the final reminder to all, that little things do make a difference. She chose a time when only teachers were at the school and she and her young daughter literally ...

... Keeping The Motor Idling I relate well to the comment made by Barbara Johnson:" Patience is the ability to idle your motor when you feel like stripping your gears" I know that if I can keep the motor idling, it will be ready to go when I need it. A kindergarten teacher practiced keeping her motor idling. A story has it that she was helping one of her students put his snow boots on. He asked for help and she could see why. With her pulling and him pushing, they finally succeeded and she had by now worked up a sweat. She almost whimpered when the little boy said," They're on the wrong feet" She looked and, sure enough, they were. It wasn't any easier pulling the boots off, and then she had to wrestle the stubborn boots on again. Just as she finished lacing them he announced," These aren't my boots" She bit her tongue to keep ...

... Love And Recognition A teacher in New York decided to honor each of her seniors in high school by telling them the difference they each made. Using a process developed by Helice Bridges of Del Mar, California, she called each student to the front of the class, one at a time. First she told them how the student made a difference to her and the class. Then she presented each of them with a blue ribbon imprinted with gold letters which read," Who I Am Makes a Difference" Afterwards the teacher decided to do a class project to see what kind of impact recognition would have on a community. She gave each of the students three more ribbons and instructed them to go out and spread this acknowledgment ceremony. Then they were to follow up on the results, see who honored whom and report back to the class in about a week. One of the boys in the class went to a junior executive in a ...

... Lessons From a Child Two of the greatest teachers in my life are my children. There is no doubt in my mind that parenting has taught me more than any other life experience. My lovely daughter offered a lesson today on the way home from school. Every conscious man who has ever raised a daughter can testify to a special bond between himself and" daddy's girl". This idol status can be amusing, but one has to be careful when they know they are on a pedestal. It takes a lot to foul up, but when you do it is more critical than if you were just an ordinary guy. Today my status suffered a slight stumble. We have two dogs. We took in both, mixed breed dogs, after they were abandoned in the country. We live at the intersection of country and city. Horses and cows in two directions; new subdivisions in the other two. Thousands of acres of woods and ...

... The Big Show When I was younger I loved taking part in the high school musicals. I loved the idea of performing in front of hundreds of people and I loved to sing. In one production, I auditioned like everyone else. My music teacher, who was also the music director for the show, was so convinced that I'd get a particular part that she had me sing for people who visited our classroom. We even rehearsed my songs. One day the show director pulled me aside. I was expecting to be offered the part. Instead he said," Bob, I owe a favor to someone. I need to give the part to another boy" I had always been an" easy touch ," a kid you could push around. If I had a quarter all my friends shared in the penny candy it bought. I walked to school with kids no one else had time for. I'd take the blame for something ...

... presents under the tree for me and I was excited to watch the children open their gifts, but first on my mind was the feeling of waiting for the ceramic Christ Child. We had opened just about all of the presents when one of the children found one more for me buried deep beneath the limbs of the tree. He handed me a small package from my former visiting teaching companion. This sister was somewhat less-active in the church. I had been her visiting teacher for a couple of years and then, when she was asked to be a visiting teacher, she requested to go with me. I had learned over time they didn't have much for Christmas, so that their focus was on the children. It sounded like she didn't get many gifts to open, so I had always given her a small package-new dish towels, the next year's Relief Society lesson manual-not much, but something for her to open. I ...

... The Wager I once had lunch duty with an older teacher who would never let any of the students borrow a single, thin dime. Her name was Anathema Honeycutt and she had a simple philosophy about lending money out to kids:" Don't do it" Although it was just the two of us standing there and a cafeteria full of hungry, swarming, pre-teen hooligans, somehow, some way, they knew to avoid Mrs. Honeycutt like the plague and instead cut a bee-line straight to me. I'd listen to their sob stories just like the still-nurturing, second year teacher that I was, and as soon as I made that inevitable reach for my ever-thinning wallet, I'd hear Mrs. Honeycutt" whisper" her well-worn philosophy:" Don't do it, DON'T do it" The kid, of course, who was standing close enough to me to take my money, was certainly standing close enough to HER to hear every word." ...

... Jeremy's Egg Jeremy was born with a twisted body, a slow mind and a chronic, terminal illness that had been slowly killing him all his young life. Still his parents had tried to give him as normal a life as possible and had sent him to St. Theresa's Elementary School. At the age of 12, Jeremy was only in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy irritated his teacher. One day, she called his parents and asked them to come to St. Theresa's for a consultation. As the Forresters sat quietly in the empty classroom, Doris said to them," Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It ...

... Robby's Special Piano Recital For His Mother At the prodding of my friends, I am writing this story. My name is Mildred Hondorf. I am a former elementary school music teacher from DeMoines, Iowa. I've always supplemented my income by teaching piano lessons-something I've done for over 30 years. Over the years I found that children have many levels of musical ability. I've never had the pleasure of having a prodigy though I have taught some talented students. However I've also had my share of what I call" musically challenged" pupils. One such student was Robby. Robby was 11 years old when his mother (a single mom) dropped him off for his first piano lesson. I refer that students (especially boys !) begin at an earlier age, which I explained to Robby. But Robby said that it had always been his mother's dream to hear him play the piano. So I took him as a student. Well, Robby ...

... A Bag of Kindness" Class, tomorrow I want you all to bring a cup of macaroni for our crafts class, okay? Now go on out there and enjoy the day" These words from my second grade teacher at the end of the day echoed in my mind all evening. I was dreading the next day because I knew we wouldn't have any macaroni at home. Living in an alcoholic environment we never had to much of anything laying around our house except beer bottles. I trudged home after school with my mind working overtime. Where would I find macaroni? I knew that the local bottle depot at the edge of town gave twenty cents for a case of beer bottles so I decided that I would collect some bottles and maybe I could buy a small box that evening at our local corner store. When I got home I started collecting the bottles and before long I had a nice pile in the back of my wagon. ...

... a special kind of tail-wag for animals of nature, especially for squirrels -for which he had some strange obsession. Scruffy became" famous" the day one of the children asked if he could take the dog to school for" show and tell"." Show and tell ?" I asked." Dogs can't go into school ” But that is exactly what happened, David and I took Scruffy to school. David was in a" special" class, and the teacher thought that a dog might give some stimulation to some of the problem children in the class. (David was not one of them) The teacher was right about giving stimulation. David proudly introduced his dog, and then sat down on the floor with the twenty other children. I put Scruffy through his paces. First, I told him to find David. David made no gestures. He sat with quiet expectation, knowing that his dog would not disappoint him. He ...

... formation, letting someone else take his or her turn. If we do not share the work we will not get to our destination. If the lead goose were not willing to share the lead he soon would become so exhausted that he would be of no use to the rest. But by their sharing, no one goose becomes useless from exhaustion. I remember when I was much younger we had the care of nine children. And I was also a Sunday school teacher, some of those children being in my class. I would be so exhausted by Sunday school time that I could hardly pull myself together. I approached the pastor, asking to be relieved of my teaching responsibility for a while. I told him I had little time for preparation, and felt that I was of no use as a teacher. He said, “ You have had all your life to prepare. Why do you have to have special preparation to teach Sunday ...

... simple. What it comes down to is this: Kathie was part of a team, and she refused to let them down. With their support she was able to conquer fear. She climbed the ladder step-by-agonizing-step (maybe the toughest part of the ordeal, in retrospect ), hitched herself to the rappelling ropes, gingerly backed over the edge and descended. It wasn ’ t pretty, what with all of the screaming and flailing (and that was just from the rappelling instructors). But she did it. And that was the important thing. The next day I asked Kathie if the experience helped her to overcome her fear of heights. “ Define ‘ overcome ,’” she said. “ Well, are you less afraid of heights now ?” I asked. “ Is bungee jumping up next for you ?” “ You ’ ve got to be kidding ,” Kathie said, laughing. “ I ’ m just as afraid as I ever was ” “ ...

... would come over at about eight o ’ clock that evening. Judy and I were eating supper when we heard a knock on the front door. When I opened the door, the man who had placed a $100 deposit on the dog was standing there. We walked inside where I filled out the paperwork, he paid me the balance of the money, and I handed him the puppy. Judy and I did not know what to do or say if the teacher showed up with her grandson. Sure enough at exactly eight o ’ clock the doorbell rang. I opened the door, and there was the schoolteacher with her grandson standing behind her. I explained to her the man had come for the puppy just an hour before, and there were no puppies left. “ I ’ m sorry, Jeffery. They sold all the puppies ,” she told her grandson. Just at that moment the small puppy left in the bedroom began to ...

... . Really makes you think. A few years after I was born, my Dad met a stranger who was new to our small town. From the beginning, Dad was fascinated with this enchanting newcomer and soon invited him to live with our family. The stranger was quickly accepted and was around from then on. As I grew up, I never questioned his place in my family. In my young mind, he had a special niche. My parents were complementary instructors: Mom taught me good from evil, and Dad taught me to obey. But the stranger .he was our storyteller. He would keep us spellbound for hours on end with adventures, mysteries and comedies. If I wanted to know anything about politics, history or science, he always knew the answers about the past, understood the present and even seemed able to predict the future! He took my family to the first major league ball game. He made me laugh, ...

... The Parable of the Push-Ups There was a boy by the name of Steve who was attending school in Utah. Brother Christianson taught at this particular school. He had an open-door policy and would take in any student that had been thrown out of another class as long as they would abide by his rules. Steve had been kicked out of his sixth period and no other teacher wanted him, so he went into Brother Christianson's class. Steve was told that he could not be late, so he arrived just seconds before the bell rang and he would sit in the very back of the room. He would also be the first to leave after the class was over. One day, Brother Christianson asked Steve to stay after class so he could talk with him. After class, Bro. Christianson pulled Steve aside and said," You think you're pretty tough, don't you ?" Steve's answer was," Yeah, I do" Then Brother ...

... . Then, all of a sudden, out comes my brother. He was covered in yucky stuff, they said it was from Mom's play-center !, so there must be lot of stuff inside there" Then Erica stood up, took a big theatrical bow and returned to her seat. I'm sure I applauded the loudest. Ever since then, if it's show-and-tell day, I bring my camcorder, just in case another Erica comes along. [By an Anonymous 2nd grade teacher-submitted by: Eva Young-orginal source unknown] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...

... . I can see the summer extending before me-An eternity of Popsicles and fireflies, of lying in grassy fields and feeling the earth rising up to hold me. I am riding my bicycle, my Huffy two-speed with the turquoise sparkle paint and the cushy banana seat with the psychedelic daisies, around and around and around the block. First I'm riding with a pack of friends, and we're all yelling raucously" No more homework, No more books, No more teachers, dirty looks !!" and feeling like rebels. Slowly the pack has dwindled and I am left alone in the twilight of a warm June night. The air is just a little cool, and smells green. The light is that golden light that only happens early in the morning and just before the sun goes down. Painter's light, but I don't know that yet. There are so many things I don't know yet. But, I do how it feels to be ...

... I have to get caught up with the housework … mainly the laundry. I seem to be able to keep up with most everything but this laundry! Well, I guess You know all about it. You gave me all of these little kids to care for and You know they need clean clothes to wear. You know how much work this takes and I know You understand" The following Sunday my husband and I were sitting in Sunday School class waiting for the teacher to begin, when our family's adopted grandmother, Betty, came and sat down beside me. Betty is a widow who has raised five children. She's a wonderful woman who's always helping someone, and had personally blessed our family on many occasions, but I was totally unprepared for what she had to say on that particular day! She leaned toward me and said," I have a proposition for you" My curiosity was aroused." O.K, what is it ?" ...

... It wears heaven's highest Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Its strength is not in enclosed fibers of manufactured steel but in fine-textured threads woven from the very heart of God. Today, God's Security Blanket of Love is wrapped around the tendrils of my heart for comfort, around my head and body for protection, and around my life for purpose. His Security Blanket warehouse is packed to overflowing. And it's available for all.~Mariane Hlobrook~Mariane Holbrook is a retired teacher, an author of two books, a musician and artist. She lives with her husband on coastal North Carolina. She maintains a personal website www.marianholbrook.com and welcomes your Emails at Mariane777 @bellsouth.net. [by: Mariane Holbrook Copyright 2006 (Mariane777 @bellsouth.net)-submitted by: Mariane Holbrook] Inspirational Stories SkyWriting.Net All Rights Reserved. ...

... as bad as that man. I was much better. Or was I? Just as quickly, as this situation presented itself, it drove away. I had imagined dragging this fellow out of his car the entire time. I doubted anyone else would have minded. You probably could have formed a line of people that would have taken a turn, as well. Jesus was tired of watching this Kung-Fu movie in my mind and replaced it with this message:~Teacher, they said to Jesus, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say? They were trying to trap Him into saying something they could use against Him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with His finger. They kept demanding an answer, so He stood up again and said, All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone! The He ...

... that he was nervous about his speech. So, I smacked him on the back and said," Hey, big guy, you'll be great !" He looked at me with one of those looks (the really grateful one) and smiled." Thanks ," he said. As he started his speech, he cleared his throat, and began:" Graduation is a time to thank those who helped you make it through those tough years. Your parents, your teachers, your siblings, maybe a coach .but mostly your friends. I am here to tell all of you that being a friend to someone is the best gift you can give them. I am going to tell you a story" I just looked at my friend with disbelief as he told the story of the first day we met. He had planned to kill himself over the weekend. He talked of how he had cleaned out his locker so his mom wouldn't have to ...

... imagined and greater than all you believe. Stand up! Get moving! Start planning! Discover today what God sees in you, by asking Him to reveal it in all of its glory. You need not stand on a stage, in a spot light, write an epic novel or discover the cure for cancer. But you must, I repeat, you MUST, live up to your full potential. Perhaps as a wife, mother, husband, father, teacher, mechanic, singer, dancer, painter, friend, lover, janitor, plumber or anything you believe is your gift to the world. For as the ugly duckling became the graceful swan, you will develop into the perfection only you can be. The greatest, shining example of YOU! Now, go and watch this ordinary, simple, woman who is mocked by the crowd and judges until .until God said" Shut up and listen! She is my Child !" ...

... You Are Loved One of the warmest Christmas memories that I have was the year that I was Santa Claus. I was a young, substitute teacher with a new family just starting out in life. I was called in to work at the local grade school on the last day before the Christmas holidays. Near the end of the day I was summoned to the principal's office and asked to be the Santa who visited all the classrooms. Being a great lover of both children and Christmas I agreed. I can still remember going from classroom to classroom doing my best to sound both old and jolly at the same time. I was about 50 pounds heavier then so I had the round little belly part down fine. My beard, however, was another matter as it kept sliding halfway down my face. I think that more than a few of the kids recognized me, but it didn't matter. They still rejoiced in seeing Santa. They ...

... could give. As He gently guided and I often resisted, His love continued. Everywhere I look this morning I see what is truly a gift from God. I will never again take life for granted. God is in His Heaven and that can make all right with the world. Yes, each day brings its own priceless miracle-the renewal of life and a promise of tomorrow.~Dorothy Casper~Copyright 2007 blueprint4living @netzero.com Many years ago my favorite teacher stressed the importance of each of us students to recognize that we should each make worthwhile contributions in our lives which did not require finances. About 20 years later I found myself facing the biggest challenge of my life-breast cancer. During my treatment session my oncologist suggested I write a book to place in the waiting room-to help the other patients. I did! The book was called, “ Life ’ s Interruptions ” After interviewing many patients I soon quit feeling ...

... covet your neighbor's stuff. Oh, yeah, I just thought of one more: Humor thy father and thy mother. One of Moses ' best helpers was Joshua who was the first Bible guy to use spies. Joshua fought the battle of Geritol and the fence fell over on the town. After Joshua came David He got to be king by killing a giant with a slingshot. He had a son named Solomon who had about 300 wives and 500 porcupines. My teacher says he was wise, but that doesn't sound very wise to me. After Solomon there were a bunch of major league prophets. One of these was Jonah, who was swallowed by a big whale and then barfed upon the shore. There were also some minor league prophets, but I guess we don't have to worry about them. After the Old Testament came the New Testament. Jesus is the star of the New Testament. He was born in Bethlehem in a barn ...

... and you ’ ll be fine" Those two pelicans have gone on down the coast, but I see similar scenes everyday. There is the mother who sits with her daughter sharing her years of experience as a wife, a mother, and a lady. There ’ s the father showing his son how to hold a baseball bat and how to stand at the plate. An older mechanic patiently explains the strange noise under the hood to the new guy. An experienced teacher illustrates her technique of classroom discipline to the recent graduate. The long-time student of the Word explains a text to his disciple. Jesus when he asked Peter," Do you love me ?" People taking time to share their wisdom, explain their success, and reveal their failures. Both benefit from the experience. Many others will reap the fruit of their time together. A little later I saw the two pelicans on their way back down the coastline (I ’ m not ...

... doing her routine chores." Whenever I stopped to do something and turned back around I would trip over him ," she said." Several times I suggested fun activities to keep him occupied, but he would just smile and say, 'That's alright Mommy I'd rather be in here with you ' He continued to follow me and after the fifth trip, my patience wore thin and I asked him why he was following me constantly" He said," My Sunday school teacher told me to walk in Jesus ' footsteps but I can't see him so I'm walking in yours" The greatest way we can teach our children about and show our loved ones the love of Jesus is through the example of how we live, and how we model his love in our everyday life. As another has said," We raise not the children we want but the children that we the parents are" Suggested prayer," Dear God, please help me to ...

... Luckily, they both didn't want to quit at the same time !) I have the utmost respect for Kim. It takes a special person to stick with a goal as long as she has. I attended college for three years when I got out of high school, but I stopped when I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. Many times I have looked back and wished that I had stuck with it and gone on to be a high school teacher. If for no other reason, I wish I had finished something that I had started. I know what it feels like to walk out of that last final exam of the semester, breathe in the fresh air just outside the doors of the university, and feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders for at least a little while. I can't even begin to imagine what it felt like for Kim after so many years. I love you ...

... resounded from the door and everyone ’ s attention was drawn to where Santa entered with his pack full of small brown bags. Every child was given one of the bags that contained hard Christmas candy ribbon and various other hard candies. The bag was topped off with a big round orange. The gifts under the tree were given to their recipients and at the end there was one little girl who had not received a gift. My mother, who was a high school teacher, saw the little girl who had tears in her eyes. She looked at the little girl and said, “ You know, I think somebody just missed finding your gift under the tree. Let ’ s go look again ” Sure enough there was a gift behind the Christmas tree stuck under the tree skirt and the little girl ’ s face lit up as she choked out an emotional thank you. I knew at the time that Mama had that same gift in her ...

... going to have a wonderful time !" I remember saying too cheerfully. He didn't look convinced. He kept rubbing his finger across Malcolm's head, something he did often to comfort the rather emotional rabbit." It makes Malcolm feel better ," he'd once explained to me. I think it probably made my little man feel better, too. I remember praying silently on that drive that he would like school and that the other kids would be nice to him and that his teachers would be smart enough to see how utterly special this blue-eyed child was? head and shoulders above any other kid in the school or any other kid in the world for that matter. Maybe I was a little biased. But only a little. When we arrived at the preschool, he got out of the car with Malcolm tucked under his arm. I reminded him that Malcolm would have to stay with me. I promised to take good care of him." He'll ...

... out of a lot. I would never get a Mother's Day Card! I'm not sure when it all changed. I don't think there was one specific moment when I realized that I had more children than any mother could possibly ever have! And, that's the answer I gave to my friend. Smiling, I explained that as long as I work in the nursery, I will have babies to rock and sing to. As long as I am a Head Start teacher, I will have first days of school. Working with the youth will give me plenty of experience with teenagers. Carissa lost her first tooth at my house and no one was ever a better Tooth Fairy. I hosted an exchange student from Germany last year and got to shop for prom dresses. I even cried when she gave me a locket with her picture in it, engraved with one simple word on the front," Mom". I still have it and ...

... . He was told that his goal was foolish because even if he planted trees, and even if they grew, the wind would only blow the seeds forty feet per year, and that's all you'd get because there weren't any birds or squirrels to spread the seeds, and the seeds from those trees would need another thirty years before they started producing seeds of their own. Therefore, it would take approximately twenty thousand years to revegitate that six-square-mile piece of earth. His teachers told him it would be a waste of his life to try to do it. It just could not be done. So he tried to go on with his life. He got a job operating heavy equipment, got married, and had some kids. However, as a good Christian, he knew that" faith by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead" (James 2: 17). So, he kept studying about the subject, and ...

... in front of them. It was then I noticed that David had only one card in front of him. My heart nearly broke, but now was not the time for questioning. There would be time for that later. When it was David's turn to share his valentine, that strange look reappeared on his face. He turned the card over, and his usual smile returned to his face as he read," To David, My Special Valentine. From your Teacher, Miss Waters" The card was not anything out of the ordinary. It was just one of the run-of-the-mill valentine cards, but to David it was special. After he read it he hugged it to his heart. It was the only one he had received. There was nothing wrong with David. That is not why he did not have friends, nor why he did not receive any valentines. He was not shunned by his peers because he was a trouble-maker. ...

... attention we needed so badly. It was a piece unknowingly written to the beat of those who loved and guided us. As teenagers we" marched to the beat of a different drum". Some of us discovered that we didn't like the instrument we were and would have gladly exchanged it for another. We struggled then to like ourselves for what and who we were. In those early years our music was influenced by the world around us, our peers, our teachers and often times changed from day to day. We were writing a piece, that when played, was understood and appreciated only by ourselves. We were, in a sense, auditioning for our part in life. Then we enter adulthood. Until now we were just playfully tuning up our instruments. In the orchestra pit, our music mixed well, running the scales made us limber and ready for our debut. Suddenly the noise stops. Reality strikes the baton on the ...

... , the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders locker room. But there was one place I actually had a chance of going where I definitely didn't want to go. Vietnam. Don't get me wrong. I was as patriotic as the next guy. I loved my country. I was almost an Eagle Scout. And I could play a version of" The Star Spangled Banner" on my tuba that could bring tears to your eyes. At least, it brought tears to my band teacher's eyes. And it wasn't that I had strong feelings one way or the other about the morality of the war. I registered for the draft like I was supposed to when I turned 18, and I wasn't thinking about burning my draft card or moving to Canada or anything like that. The fact is, I didn't know all that much about the war's political implications, and I didn't really care-not like I cared about my '62 Caddy, my collection of Neil ...

... learn all this it is heart-warming to see young children teaching this to their parents. The simple act of washing hands helps raise the health standards and reduce common illness like diarrhoea, colds and stomach ailments ,” avers Dr Nisha Munshi, a board member, who has been with TMC for about 20 years. Interestingly, many among these children come back to provide inputs to TMC. Malinath Shinge, for example, spent his childhood with Tara and then after qualifying as a teacher, chose to come back and work with Tara. “ It is important to spread the message that knowledge is the ultimate power ,” says this soft-spoken but extremely confident educator. As one of the committee members puts it, “ The trick is to understand that every child has the potential to shine. All they need is a little boost from the adults and they will carve their own space. That is what Tara Mobile Creches is all about – giving a fighting chance to ...

... and affection. They don't fake it. Every piece of kid art ever handed to us is a seal of approval, a medal of honor. Don't take it lightly! If you get kid art, you know that in the eyes of that child, you are special and deserve the best. Display that award proudly. Come to think of it, I think a certain recipe holder needs a better spot.~Beth Fryer~bfryer @nbn.net Beth is a teacher and grandmother, collector of kid art in school and at home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She says," Kid art is a joy! One of my prized possessions is a picture drawn by my granddaughter. It shows a stick-figure me feeding two cats. There's a heart above their dishes to show that I love them. I have the red hair that was long gone, but Lydia had heard and remembered. The framed drawing is prominently displayed" [By: Beth ...

... as he stepped from the comfort of our hometown in Bolivia to the unknown in a foreign land. I did the same as I stepped into the unfamiliarity of a sightless world. Holding onto God's hand, I gained confidence and learned the language of gratitude. With profound appreciation for my father's example, I learned how he had applied a powerful blend of faith and tenacity-the same blend I used to fulfill my own role as a wife, mom, Sunday school teacher, Spanish court interpreter, inspirational speaker and writer. What I inherited from my father helped me to see my life with a more radiant and meaningful glow.~Janet Perez Eckles~< jeckles at cfl.rr.com >Janet Perez Eckles is a conference speaker, free lance writer, contributor to ten books including the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and Guidepost books. She authored the inspirational book, TRIALS OF TODAY, TREASURES FOR TOMORROW — Overcoming Adversities in life. Janet imparts nuggets ...

... A Quiet Voice This little story reminds us to listen to that small quiet voice from within-you never know where it will lead you. As a teacher of origami (the ancient Japanese art of paper folding) at the LaFarge Lifelong Learning Institute in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Art Beaudry was asked to represent the school at an exhibit at a large mall in Milwaukee. He decided to take along a couple hundred folded paper cranes to pass out to people who stopped at his booth. Before that day, something strange happened-a voice told him to find a piece of gold foil paper and make a gold origami crane. The voice was so insistent that Art actually found himself rummaging through his collection of origami papers at home until he found one flat, shiny piece of gold foil." Why am I doing this ?" he asked himself. Art had never worked with the shiny gold paper; it didn't fold as easily or neatly as ...

... as I ran as fast as I could. Finally I stopped, bending down to catch my breath as my tears meshed with the raindrops. I slowly turned around and walked home, sat on the curb, and wept until my throat closed. I was stuck. I couldn't run away. I had no money, no place to go. I was 13 years old. Where could I go? I started smoking at the bus stop, pushing boundaries with my teachers, and drinking with my best friend. My attempts to be tough must have appeared hilarious to others. I was skinny to a fault and looked younger than my age. Being tough didn't come natural. My heart was gentle and I hated conflict and fighting, yet every single time I let my guard down someone hurt me. Angry words all sharp and pointy, a knife in my soul. That's when the hardness crept in. Never let them see you cry. ...

... with their wonderful songs over the last 45 years than any other group I can think of. We often bought the popular children ’ s albums that Gloria wrote and they sang, teaching children in a unique way with delightful songs, blending biblical truths. Bill Gaither was born in Alexandria, Indiana, and formed his first group with his brother Danny and sister Mary Ann while still in college in 1956. After graduating from Anderson College in 1959, he became an English teacher. In 1962 he married Gloria, and after trying to juggle a full-time teaching position and a music career, he gave up teaching and concentrated fully on the Christian music industry. His breakthrough song, “ He Touched Me ,” came in 1964 and is still one his most popular today. Gloria Gaither often writes the lyrics while Bill writes the music, although composing is usually a collaborative project between the two. Together, they have composed to date over 700 songs. Other ...

... driver leaned out and said" Happy Secret Day !" as she waved a small note in the air." Honey, the bus driver got one, too ?" Mom asked of her child." I don't know, it's a secret ," she said. The young child went to her room to change into her play clothes. Mom headed to the phone to check for messages." Beep" the tape system sounded." Mrs. Anderson, this is Heather's teacher. I just wanted to tell you that was an wonderful idea. Your daughter touched so many lives today, including my own. The Principal, lunch ladies and our janitor, Mr. Bennett all got one of her notes." Happy Secret Day !" Beep" Just then Heather came walking in." I am so very proud of you. What a lovely thing you did for everyone," Mom said. The young girl paused for a moment and said, ...

... . 1800 is 6: 00 p.m. telling me 18 hours has passed." What have you done with them ?" Having met most of the people at my table earlier in the day, I didn't need to go about the introductions. I got to listen. Go stand in a crowd of people. Look around you. They look like ordinary, regular folks. So do the military. If it weren't for the uniforms, you would just think they were teachers, plumbers, cooks, or insurance salesmen. They are in fact, your neighbors, friends and perhaps your loved ones. The difference is, when they go to work they are protecting your life, your rights, your children and they are putting their lives on the line for it all. But what about the families left behind. Wives, husbands, girl / boy friends, mothers and fathers are all back here counting the 2400 hours that pass by ever so ...

... ’ s care, we are never prepared for the things in life that we know God has control of, and with only exciting thoughts for the holiday ahead, we started out in Dad ’ s old Studebaker for the house in the country where they lived. The trip was a good three hours drive from the city, and it was the house my Dad had grown up in. My grandfather had been the editor of the town newspaper as well as a school teacher. Grandma had been busy raising a large family, and although most of her family were now scattered in various directions across the states, on this special Thanksgiving everyone was together. The upstairs bedrooms were for the adults and girls, while some of the guys slept in sleeping bags in the living room by the fireplace; while others were housed with family who lived nearby. Early morning risers would add wood and stir the embers to see that the fire was going strong. ...

... Luckily, they both didn't want to quit at the same time !) I have the utmost respect for Kim. It takes a special person to stick with a goal as long as she has. I attended college for three years when I got out of high school, but I stopped when I wasn't sure what I wanted to do with my life. Many times I have looked back and wished that I had stuck with it and went on to be a high school teacher. But if for no other reason, I wish I had finished something that I had started. I know what it feels like to walk out of that last final exam of the semester, breathe in the fresh air just outside the doors of the university, and feel like the weight of the world has been lifted off your shoulders for at least a little while. I can't even begin to imagine what it felt like for Kim after so many years. I love ...