Encouraging Words of Truth

"Be content with such things as you have, since the Lord has ordered all things for your good. Take up your own daily cross; it is the burden best suited for your shoulder, and will prove most effective to make you perfect in every good word and work to the glory of God." ~ from Charles Spurgeon's Morning & Evening

A Crumbling Culture...In Need of Him

So far this week ~ I have broken up two fights ~ seen three more, disciplined more children than I can count on my fingers and toes, been in contact with a raging parent ~ had a note from one more, been threatened to be punched by a student, picked up several extremely inappropriate notes, seen a student flip teachers off, then run away and beat on school property, and watched a child wail all the way down the hall all the way onto the buses. I have also daily had students try to reason with and coax me to believe that it's okay to hit someone back when they hit you & to say ugly things back when they say ugly things to you.

A colleague of mine exclaimed to me today, "I've been tellin' em for years now ~ they need to get some ministers, priests, n' pastors in this place. I donna care if they are Catholic, Protestant, Baptist, Methodist...they need to get some of that holy water or anointing oil in here to sprinkle on these children, in these halls, in these classrooms. Then, they need to get a big ole' plane and dump some all on the school and all over the whole city. I'm a tellin' you ~ they've gotta do something!"

I don't really think holy water is what our school or community needs ~ they something much more effective and live changing. They need the reality of the gospel & they need it to change the way they live. They need to begin disciplining their children consistently ~ to "Train up a child in the way he should go, so that when he is old he will not depart from it" Proverbs 22:6.

My exposure to the reality of sin, generational sin and consequences of sin in the past fourteen weeks has been massive ~ but it is just a small glimpse into our crumbling culture desperately in need of a Savior. I am daily reminded of my sin nature & grateful to the Lord for the truth of the gospel, for its life altering ~ sin exposing and removing effects.

More of Rita...

So, I have told many of you this story already...It absolutely cracks me up. Its where I live daily with work. She is so funny... ~ this is just part of the story...if you want to know how it ends ~ call me I'll tell you the rest :)

Some background: These two boys were fighting at school. They got sent to Rita ~ the administrator. They got all puffed up & said "Weeeellll ~ Everybody was fightin' "( Cause you know if you said everybody was fightin' ~ you're not the only one in trouble) and they had their shoulders all puffed up....

A Teacher Hat ;)

We decided to go to the local Halloween outfitters after our date to see if we could find a teacher hat for me. I desperately needed a visual for my kiddos to know that when I am working with small groups, I am busy and cannot be interrupted. This hat has magical powers that make me invisible to everyone but the students at my round table. Since its so amazing, we thought we'd give you a sneak peak. :)

Rita's Stories

Gedunks!

A few of our friends requested this family recipe from us ~ so I thought I would post it :) They are not at all healthy! Enjoy!

Gedunks
1 (14 oz) bag carmels (I've looked for fat free with no luck ~ let me know if you find them!)
2/3 C. evaporated milk ( I use fat free)
1 (18.5) package German chocolate cake mix
3/4 C. butter
1 C. chopped nuts (optional ~ we leave them out!)
1 (6 oz) package semi-sweet chocolate morsels

Combine carmels and 1/2 C. milk in top of double boiler. Cook stirring constantly until completely melted. Remove double boiler from heat; combine cake mix and remaining 1/3 C evaporated milk and butter, mixing with electric mixer until dough holds together; stir in nuts (if desired). Press cake into greased 13 by 9 by 2 inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 6 minutes.

Sprinkle chocolate morsels over crust. Pour caramel mix over chocolate morsels. Crumble remaining cake mix over top. Bake 15 to 18 minutes. Cool. Chill 30 minutes. Yield: 5 dozen.

Classroom Pictures

Here are a few pictures. I have rearranged things since school started, so I will take pictures Monday & upload them then :)

The curtains that the Mommas made. :)

The loft that Tim made :)

The front of the classroomish (that really no one made) :)

Check back for better and more recent pictures soon!