Daddy would be so proud!

For those of you who know me, you know my father was a minister, my brother is a minister and my son is attending the seminary. While church has been a part of my life as long as I can remember, I was well into my teenage years before I realized that the church is just a building and the people who made up the church was the true church. Today, I attended the ordination service of my nephew, Wendell Huddleston, as he became a deacon at the church where I grew up. As I looked around the room at the people attending the service, I realized that these people were the ones that I watched and looked up to when I was growing up. Mrs. Williamson and Vance sat behind me and oohhed and ahhed over my grandchildren. The Lindley family, Mrs. Teague, the Glasgows and, my family. Of the 40 people there today, 25 of those were my immediate family members. What a strong bond in the Lord! As my brother, Dr. Stephen L. Dempsey, gave the "charge" sermon to my nephew, his wife, Bonny, and their daughter, Erica, I couldn't help but let my mind wander and think about how proud my father, Wendell's grandfather, would be of him. Wendell was so emotional, humble and sweet...that is Wendell. He will serve the Lord by serving Him through his deaconship at Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church. It was a blessed day and I am so thankful God allowed me to be a part of it. Just as our elders did before us, Wendell is on his way being that role model for all the little boys attending that church now.

The Only Constant in Life is Change...

After devoting the morning to the Inauguration activities/ceremony/parade, my students were administered their winter dibels test to see if they met a benchmark of 68 WPM (words per minute). We've been working really hard knowing this test went from a fall benchmark of 44 WPM to a winter score of 68 wpm then jumps to 90 wpm in the spring. I truly feel that preparation is the key to success...no matter what the test. In the fall, 6 of my students were not even close to the fall BM of 44 wpm so the winter BM of 68 wpm seemed, somewhat, out of reach for those students. While I am not an advocate for "No Child Left Behind" and, quite honestly, consider that phrase a nightmare, I decided to envelope that phrase with everything in me. While those 6 students might not benchmark according to what the "state" says a BM is, I was bound and determined that their score was going up. Extra work with the reading coach, extra reading passages for practice and sending home extra passages, getting my classroom library in order for access to reading when the librarian needed "shelving time" and just plain, old fashioned hard work and praise. Well, while I did not deliver the inaugural speech today or swear in a President, I did receive the dibels report for my class and every single student improved their dibles score, some by 200%! I don't know if it was the nostalgia surrounding the new President or what, but today was a good day that was beget from a feeling of success that began because we did not give up. Change doesn't mean you've forgotten what got you here in the first place. It just means you're going about things in a different way. Sometimes, that's a good thing. Thank you, Lord for this day and all the successes felt by so many of your children today. You are truly a Loving God.

What Teachers Can Never Do

I didn't really think about what teachers can't do until I was reading over some things that had been written about what teacher's do. Teachers can't go home with their students to oversee their learning based on hours of preparation and planning. Teachers can't go back to their students' day of birth and teach them from day one. Teachers can't go to ballgames with their students to make sure the character traits, taught and modeled, are being practiced away from school. Teachers can't enjoy an entire summer off because, in the back of their mind, they are planning their classroom for a new crop and that takes precedence over enjoying a vacation. And, last but not least, teachers can't blame anyone else when the end results of the year result in retention or less than desired outcomes pertaining to the learning and performance of the students. So, the next time you begin to blame a teacher and are looking for excuses as to "why" your child is not performing on grade level, please, by all means, look in the mirror first. You don't like tardy/unexcused absence letters but elementary students can't drive themselves to school. You don't like bad grades or extra homework but it is OK to stay out late to shop, play ball or go to a movie. Have you cleaned your mirror lately?

"Let's Get Our Toes Did, MiMi"

When my 25 year old daughter asked her 2 year old daughter "what do you want to get MiMi for her birthday?", I'm sure she did not expect to hear her response. "I want to get my toes did with MiMi" was Ella's repsonse. So, not to upset the youngest female in the house, my daughter, Ella, a friend's child, Allison, and my grandson, Will, took off for the nail salon. Will, bored beyond a normal man's boredom at the age of 4, sat and watched and made comments while Brynn, Ella, Allison and I sat with our soothing feet in the warm water. It was the first for Allison and so needed by me. I was glad Ella suggested my present. Allison chose hot pink for her toes. Ella chose light pink with hot pink dots. Brynn chose the french and mine are winter burgundy. It was a good "girls day out" and I already am looking forward to the next one! Good idea, Ella!

One moment everything is just as you imagined
Life is better than you ever dreamed
The next second it all changes, and,
It was never as it truly seemed.

The very breath that gives us life
From the instant we breathe it in
Must also leave in order for the new
To end to begin again.

From the moment we take that first breath of life
We are sinners, born to die.
For we are but a vapor here
Awaiting the bye and bye.

We choose not how we enter this life
We choose not how we will go.
This is only known by our Creator
Who proved His love ever so.

So hold a hand, hug a neck,
Give a smile, a wink, or a kiss...
For the warmth of these will see you through
When your loved ones you do miss.

So hold a hand, hug a neck,
Give a smile, a wink, or a kiss...
For the warmth of these will see them through
When you are no longer in their midst.

June, July & August?

When I started on my journey toward a career in Education in 1988, a popular slogan on lots of teacher "things" was: "3 Good Reasons To Be A Teacher: June, July, & August!" I thought that was cute and, after 17 years of teaching, I completely understand it. I also completely understand how important it is to focus on our time in the classroom instead of our "next" day(s) off. The time off is well needed and well deserved (by most). One thing never fails the night before returning to the classroom after time off...I get a nervous stomach. Butterflies. They do exist. Another thing I've realized is that, no matter what, students put their teachers on pedestals whether we want to be there or not. I just hope when I fall, they don't mind catching me! We go back to work tomorrow after a long Christmas break. I'm nervous. I'm excited. I'm a little scared. Honestly...I can't wait to see my class and hear all about their wonderful Christmas break. God Bless You All...John 3:16!

Resolutions

Well, we can all make resolutions but, honestly, I can't say I know anyone who actually has kept and was the better for making a "New Year's Resolution." I think we all try, for the most part, to do better whether we make a resolution or not. This past year has been one of enlightening for me. I've learned that, no matter how hard we try, we are never going to please everybody in every situation and somebody, usually ones we love the most, get their feelings hurt. Forgiveness. The reason Christ died on the cross. If we can't forgive and be forgiven, his suffering was for nothing. The most wonderful thing about forgiveness is that we can forgive others...even when they have not asked us to. We can love others whether they want to be loved or not! We can befriend the friendless by praying for them every day whether they want to be prayed for or not! We are not promised tomorrow, much less the next second. If every mad, angry, upset, hurt, resentful, jealous person started letting go of these feelings tomorrow and started showing to others the opposite...wow! What a world of difference we would all make in someone else's life by forgetting ourselves first. Happy New Year to you all! God Bless us everyone. And, remember, Phil. 4:13!