Be Still And Know That I Am God

Life is so full and busy, even if you're six-years-old. There are days that many of us find ourselves going non-stop until finally our head hits the pillow. This afternoon, we did something different. Something we should do much more frequently. We set aside our regular routine and spent intentional time with God. Each child sat in a sunny spot in the schoolyard and sought God. We talked about taking the time to pray to God, to read His Word...or look at the pictures, to observe the beauty of creation and to allow God's love to fill us. What a beautiful sight; 23 children seeking their heavenly Father and offering their love. As the warm wind blew and leaves fluttered all about, the children watched the clouds drifting by and lifted up their praises. We talked for a bit afterward about where they found God. Some said in the clouds, others in their Bible and still others felt Him in their hearts. I can think of no better way to spend a glorious autumn afternoon than lifting praises to our loving Father with these 23 beautiful children.

I had not intended to take pictures because this was not meant to be a photo op. However, the mother in me wanted to share these sweet moments with each of you parents. As I zoomed in to snap the first pictures, I noticed that I, for the most part, was not interrupting the children's time with God. It was pretty easy for them to ignore me....I guess there's a first for everything ; )  Thank you for sending a Bible with your child and I hope you were able to find God in today's sunshine and warm breezes as well.

Grandparents Day! What a beautiful afternoon. I just LOVED meeting your parents. For many of your parents, I could recognize the same twinkly eyes that grace your own face and are reflected in the face of your child. For others it was the same broad smile that has so evidently been passed on in the generations. Still others, mannerisms were nearly identical for all three generations. I was just overwhelmed with God's faithfulness to all generations. We packed nearly 100 people in our classroom and the place was just busting with pride, both from your child and your parents. Sooooo much love in one room. Truly, I was touched and honored to be a part of this experience. After spending time in the classroom, we moved to the gym for our program. The children were placed on the stage while every chair on the floor of the gym was filled with an eager grandparent. Teachers were in the front row on the floor to offer cues and coaxing for the children. As we sang "Oh, How I Love Jesus", the grandparents were invited to join with the children in singing. I think Rod put it best by describing our position in the front row, sandwiched between the children and their grandparents, as experiencing that "thin place" where the normal barriers of the here and now, and the then and there just dissolve away, if only for a moment. I speak for each of the teachers when I say we each felt Spirit-chills in that moment. Surely, the presence of the Lord was in this place! It was honestly a day I will not soon forget. My first grandparents day and it will surely be one of the many highlights of this year :)

Matthew 25: 35 "I was hungry and you gave me food, thirsty and you gave me drink." Look at our shopping cart (can you even find it in this picture?) It is full! Thank you to each of you who have already given so generously to those in our community who have less than we. Every morning when another bag arrives, the children are so excited to help unload the bag and exclaim how full the cart is already. We have until Wednesday to fill our cart with blessings for others. Please see the previous blog post for the specific needs from the Community Action House. On Wednesday, the 17th in the afternoon, we will unload our shopping cart into the Community Action House truck.Thank you for your generosity and modeling a generous heart for your child.

In math we are reviewing and extending our understanding of addition and subtraction. This week our iPads were loaded with new apps which make the drill and practice of addition and subtraction skills really come to life. On Thursday morning, each table group worked together to become an "expert" on one new app. Once they felt confident in their understanding of the app, we regrouped the children so each child taught his or her app to children who had not practiced with that particular app yet. I was thrilled with the patience, cooperation and teaching ability exhibited by your children! Above, you see Luke leading his group through the app he was teaching. I'm going to have to watch it or I may just work my way our of a job!

Our week ended as our special story reader, Cooper's Mom Lindsay, read a book about pumpkins. She and Cooper passed out little gourds after our reading. A few boys discovered quickly that gourds make nice Bey Blades when the real deal is waiting out in your locker ; )  Thank you, Lindsay and Cooper!

A few important dates: 
Wednesday, October 17-Scarecrow Day. Please dress your child like a scarecrow. This can be as simple as jeans and a comfy shirt or as extensive as hay in the pocket and a straw hat. Please be creative and have fun putting together a scarecrow outfit for your child. We will have all of your typical subjects for learning, with a scarecrow twist.

October 17-Report cards will go home. Please take a peek in the backpack for a special envelope before tossing the backpack aside for the long weekend.

October 18 & 19-No school. Staff with participate in professional development training opportunities.

October 22 & 23-No school. Parent/teacher conferences. Please watch for an email from the district for instructions to sign up for a time slot. I'm looking forward to meeting and talking with you about your child. 

October 29-Picture retakes.

It Only Takes a SPARK...

What a marvelous joy to work and learn in a Christian school. We talk every day about the love and  promises God extends to us. We, in return, strive every day to demonstrate and share this love with others. The SPARK program, organized by our very own Sara Stahl (thank you, Sara), is offering our children the opportunity to participate in sharing Christ's love with those in need in our broader community. This month our class is taking part in reaching out to our community by supporting the Community Action House. In our classroom sits an empty shopping cart. If you are willing and able, would you please help your child collect items that are currently most needed at the Community Action House? We will talk in more depth about what the Community Action House offers to those in need and how each child can make a real difference. We will also look at passage found in Matthew 25 "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink...". My goal is for your child to understand that he or she can reach out to those in need and offer a helping hand. This is a very real way for each child to share the love of Christ.

The Community Action House has provided us with the following items they need the most:

Food Items                                               Personal Care Items
Spaghetti Sauce                                          Laundry Soap
Rice                                                           Dish Soap
Canned Fruit                                              Multi-purpose Cleaner
Sugar                                                         Shampoo & Conditioner
Flour                                                          Toilet Paper
Canned Meats                                            Feminine Products
Dried Pinto Beans                                       Tooth Brushes & Tooth Paste
Bottles of Juice                                           Diapers (sizes 4, 5 & 6)
Boxed Dinner                                             Baby Wipes
Cereal/Oatmeal
Ramen Noodles
Canned Vegetables

October 17th in the afternoon, our children will greet the Community Action House truck and help load all of the items we have counted, sorted and collected for those in need. Our class is comprised of 24 families, including mine. If you are willing and able to donate 10 items, we would be able to offer 240 items to those in our own community. Could we do more? Thank you in advance for helping your child share in the joy of spreading the love of Christ. I'll keep you posted on our collection. We have until the 17th of October to collect these items.

Grandparents/friend Day
This Wednesday, the 10th, we will be able to share a special time in school with our grandparents/friends. We will spend some time in the classroom participating in fun activities. Afterward, we've prepared a special program in the gym. I'll post some great pictures next week. If you would like to arrange for your child go home on Wednesday afternoon after school with his or her grandparent, please send me a note or an email with the name of the adult so we can get your child back home to you with no confusion. Thank you! (I'm so looking forward to this day!)

Scarecrow Day
On Wednesday, October 17th, we will have Scarecrow Day in first grade. We have fun reading and math activities planned for your child. To add a little extra fun, would you please help your child dress as a scarecrow? That might mean dressing him or her in a button-up shirt, jeans, a fun hat, overalls, etc. You really can't miss. Anything that you think would suit a scarecrow. We'll have a lot of active learning planned for the 17th. Great pictures to come!

Parent/Teacher Conferences
I'm busy collecting all sorts of fantastic work samples your child is completing. I'm eager to share them with you during our conference time. Our conferences dates are October 22-23 from 3:00-9:00. You will soon be receiving an email inviting you to save your time slot.

Pumpkin Day
On Wednesday, October 31st, we will have Pumpkin Day in first grade. It's amazing how much curriculum and content you can squeeze out of a pumpkin. More details will follow :)