School Days

It is hard to believe that Summer Vacation will be coming to an end so soon. Each of my grandchildren have a different out look on this event. Each are finding that they have one thing in common: they all want to be able to read and be with their friends.

I think about my days in Belize, when I had the opportunity to teach four beautiful K'ekchi-Mayan girls to read. It was a gift from God to spend time with them. I got to learn their personalities and some things about their culture as well.

After about six months, I realized that a bit of Texas had rubbed off on them too. Every morning, we started with prayer and singing. Then I would get them to jump up and down with me so we could get our silliness out before we began.

We would do our ABC's using scripture verses for each letter. Repetition was our friend in learning. Sometimes, we would sing it and sometimes we would march around the room. Then I would have a snack of "sweet tortillas"(pancakes) and Kool-aid.

Afterwards, we would write our alphabet, phonetics and we have geography. We would look at the map of Belize and talk about the different cultures of the country. Then lunch time which last from 11:30 until 2:00p.m. At that time, they took a small nap and spent time with their parents.

In the afternoon, I would read to them from books about missionaries. animals and our friends "Dick and Jane". They would draw pictures of how they saw what I read to them. We also did basic math.

During rainy season, I took note that they would not come because they would get wet. So needless to say, I purchased some umbrellas for them and I would walk to their homes to get them every morning. On the way to school, we would quack like ducks and sing. We giggled and splashed a lot too.

I began calling them "Honey", "Dear Heart", "Lambie" and "Lovie". I became so proud of them for their eagerness to learn.

When school came to an end because they were moving back into their village, I felt so sad because they had taken my heart in those two years we had together. One day, their grandfather came to me and told me that his granddaughters had made him proud in their village because they could recited their alphabet using the word of God. He had a question for me too!

That question was:"What is a "Lambie" and a "Lovie"?" When I explained to him that they were names of love, he began to cry.

I asked him what was wrong. He replied with a smile,"My granddaughters have called me those names"

Today, one of the girls is a teacher in one of the district schools. She won scholarships to attend high school and the teaching college. She has been recognized by her district for her teaching ability.

She told a friend that she remembers how she learned to read in our class room. The main thing she remembered was that she was loved and encouraged that she could do anything!

God gave me an opportunity to get to know these wonderful girls and show them the love of Christ. God gave me the blessing of knowing that my time there bore lasting fruit. Fruit that not only grows in Belize;but in the heart of this Texas granny

Summer Past 1969

This hot weather has reminded me of the summer before my freshman year of high school.

I was thirteen and my family drove from Houston to Waco to visit family. We were visiting with my father's twin sister's family.
Just between these two families there were 13 children. This large group of cousins were known for finding ways to entertain ourselves no matter when we were.

It so happened we were sent to the backyard simply because we made too much noise and slammed the doors too often.
I am not quite sure whose idea it was to start digging a hole: but we all took turns with the shovel. After a decent size hole was dug and we had not reached China( to our great disappointment). One of my cousins suggested that we fill the hole with water.

We pulled out the water hose and began to fill it up. After many discussions, we decided that the hole was only big enough for one person at a time unless you were really short and skinny. To add a hint of adventure, we decided that we should put a wooden plank across it and try to knock each other into the hole. So the game began and for hours we enjoyed ourselves: getting muddy and wet, cooling off from the heat.

All went well until a younger cousin (who had been napping) came out of the house, seeing what we had created began hollering:"My turn!,My Turn!! Shortly after his screams of delight, our mothers appeared on the back porch! My aunt yelling in German what she was going to do to us and my mother yelling at us about the danger we placed ourselves in. Then we got in trouble for how dirty we were. After we cleaned up, washed our dirty clothes and hung them on the clothes line: we were sent to the back steps where we had to sit until supper.

As we sat there, each one of us decided it was worth it and if the opportunity arose again, we'd dig the hole a little wider next time so it could hold two planks instead of one. Our motto was dream big until your mother shuts you down!

Changes

This seems to be a season of change. Even if the change is a time of moving forward and should be happy: there is a hint of bittersweet as well.

I have never done exceptionally well with change. As a child it usually brought a feeling of loneliness or a feeling of out of place. As a teenager, I dreaded it because it usually meant that my comfort zone would be invaded or perhaps all together destroyed. I never could quite trust that change would bring something better. All I knew was that it was different: sometimes it was different good and other times it proved to be what I dreaded.

Now as an adult, I do not fear change as much, simply because I am quite certain who holds my past, present and future. I am more than certain that no matter what comes, God will be there with me. As a child, He was with me in the loneliness and as a teenager, He was there in the awkwardness of me trying to fit in and finding my way in life.

Every feeling that I ever had and still have, God is there covering it with His wisdom and love.

Spring has Sprung!

What a blessing Spring is! I enjoy this area we live in so much. It is coming alive: what was once barren and dry is becoming green and filled with spots of color from the native wild flowers.

From time to time, we see young calves in the fields. They seem to enjoy the warmth of the sun and the care their mother's give to them

There has been several young yearling deer around, they are getting use to being on their own. Birds such as Sparrows building nest and even Quail coming up to the house for the seed and bread crumbs I throw out.

Mother Rabbits with their young leaving their warrens for the green grass and warm sunshine. Willie even saw a mother nursing her babies at the end of the day.

There seems to be a promise fulfilled and a renewing of life with this season. I rejoice with the Hope that was given to us all and the Renewed Life that is our gift from God.

Blessings

The year 2009 is already full of promise. God will be adding to our extended Tribe through a wonderful blessing of a new child due sometime this summer.

This child even before they are born already has the hearts of each of us, We rejoice with the expectant parents for the promise of new life and all that it holds not only for their lives; but for the promise it brings to all who have the blessing of knowing the family.

A child brings hope to everyone whether you are part of the immediate family or the extended family of aunts,uncles,cousins and those who God has brought through church life or friendships. There is just something about knowing that this little one will take their place in a long ancient chain that has been bound together through prayer,love and of course, genetics.


It is a comfort to see our children, nieces and nephews take their place as parents: watching them teach and direct their own little ones with great love and care. Whenever, I see them all together, I feel hopeful and certain that God's hand is at work I am thankful for everyone of them for God has given them each specific talents and gifts that totally unique to be used in their life's calling. Their parents are God's tools to mold and shape them into individuals and yet a part of a Tribe who needs each of them and would not be all that it should be without them.

I give thanks and praise to our Father,Who has given us such great treasures in those who are here and those who are yet to make their appearance. I am thankful that from the very beginning God knew them and embraced them as His own. I rejoice that He allows us the blessing of watching them grow!