Eradicate hate! Hate has no place in our hearts. Just love each other!
Anti-Asian words Must come out of ignorance. Don’t “they” know we’re ONE?
We’re all God’s children… Created in His image. Authentically His!
Let your voice be heard. Speak with authenticity: Speak loudly with LOVE!
What can each of us do to help eradicate hate? What can we do to allow everyone to enjoy authentic freedom? What can we do to demonstrate our oneness? Embrace Authenticity!
As a teacher of elementary children for nearly a quarter of a century and the mom of two very curious children, I can tell you that one of the most annoying questions is “Why?”
I remember the day I finally asked my father, “Why not?” when he told me NO. I was about 20 years old! Can you imagine? Being raised in a family where when Dad said, “No,” that was final? No questions asked. Just obey?
My kids were not like that. It was a different era. They asked, “Why?” before they knew how to say, “Chocolate!”
I think a measure of a child’s intelligence may be how many times s/he asks “Why?” The explorations, poking, questioning, prodding, relentless inquisitive nature of some children and adults can be downright annoying, though.
The path may not be a straight one… And it may be hard to determine where it leads, but curiosity will keep you (and them) moving forward. There is a huge NEED to know what’s beyond the bend!
As parents and teachers we sometimes want to shield our children from the unknown. There may be danger out there. I had a tendency to be protective. I know that’s where my dad was coming from when he said, “No!”
But squelching curiosity because of fear of the unknown is a dangerous path. It can lead to many missed opportunities and lost happiness.
Instead of being annoyed by the “Why?” and the “Why not?” we need to teach ourselves and our children the importance of always questioning.
Accepting “No” for an answer without questioning can lead to stagnation.
Instead of squelching curiosity, let’s turn our questioning into research with a purpose.
Curious people don’t just look Curious people see Curious people don’t just see Curious people question Curious people don’t just question Curious people probe
With a thirst for answers, Curious people are relentless. They keep asking until They find answers that satisfy.
Curiosity changes our perceptions. It changes our way of seeing things. It helps us gain the wisdom That less curious people Spend a life-time chasing.
Francoise Sagan is credited with that quote. Who was he? Are you curious? I was.
“Françoise Sagan (born Françoise Delphine Quoirez; 21 June 1935 – 24 September 2004) was a French playwright, novelist, and screenwriter. Sagan was known for works with strong romantic themes involving wealthy and disillusioned bourgeois characters. Her best-known novel was her first – Bonjour Tristesse (1954) – which was written when she was a teenager.
Want to know more? Put her name in your Google search engine. We are so blessed to have an encyclopedia at our fingertips. Folks with insatiable appetites for answers can ask the who, what, why, when, and how questions and Siri or Alexa or Wikipedia are right there. What a gift these are to the curious.
Imagine what Einstein might have done with today’s technology!!!
EMBRACE CURIOSITY! Let your “Why?” be followed by active listening, thoughtful reading, and the explorations, poking, questioning, prodding, trying again, inquisitive nature that those children and adults exhibited who were downright annoying. Go ahead! Be annoying!
At this stage in my life, I don’t need to buy anything else (except maybe food to sustain Bob & me and a plane ticket or two to travel to see our kids when it’s safe to do so) … but I need to get rid of things instead.
How about you? If you were given this prompt, “Hold on to your ____,” how would you fill in the blank? Ann Kaplow tickled my creative funny bone with her post today:
Hold on to earth’s hope For a better, safer world. Be kind to our planet – Don’t let this virus stay unfurled.
What do your think we should hold on to?
I’m gonna hold on to Bob. I’m feeling so blessed that he is feeling so much better. Did I tell you that the afternoon my sis died was the day he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure?
I’m gonna hold on to our wonderful doctor who stayed long after her “shift” was over – and ordered blood work, x-rays, and an EKG, and stayed til the results came in. Then she walked us up the stairs to the front door to see how Bob did with climbing stairs. Then called the next morning to check on him and offer encouragement and an appointment this week for an echocardiogram.
Yes, I’m gonna hold on to that wonderful doctor!!
And this guy:
We have had so many friends and family members praying for us. God is good. All the time. He put a song of praise in my heart. God hears and answers prayer!
Life is looking up. We’re holding on! {{{Hugs}}} to you. You hold on, too. Love ya, JanBeek
What does S.O.S. mean to you? It’s an urgent message for help. But yesterday, a Facebook friend said, “It means Same ole Shit!”
Oh my! I had not heard that before! She was referring to a message I posted On Facebook about the U.S. Postal Service. She is convinced it’s all legit – not “shit” at all!
The post received 66 responses within a few hours And it deteriorated to the point where I Called a “Truce” and wished I had not started it. But, hey, ya gotta stand up for what you believe, right?
And we have a responsibility to fact check. Yes, some of the removed boxes were being replaced. The guy in charge of our postal service now, DeJoy, Has spread his “S.O.S.” and intelligent people believe him.
Other equally intelligent people weighed in on the conversation. “I worked for the P.O. and I know these claims are false.” “The sorting machines being removed are not being replaced.” “This has been going on routinely for decades. Why blame Trump?”
I don’t care who is to blame, I just care about our U.S.P.S. And I want to speak up to defend our right to vote by mail. I need all the boxes protected and all the sorting machines left. I need to know our election in November is not being compromised.
So, I came out of my box of comfort and said, “Stop!” I came out and expressed my outrage at what’s happening. Enough other people have expressed their concern that DeJoy Announced he will stop this nonsense until after November elections.
Jeremiah 29:11
“I have good plans for you, not plans to hurt you. I will give you hope and a good future.”
We need to TRUST God’s Word and expect the best. We need to pray to God for His wisdom And for our courage to step up to the plate When His perfect time comes.
But, before we grab the bat And swing at the falsehoods, We need to ask the SUPREME COACH To guide us, teach us, and give us TRUTH.
We need to persevere in the face of the S.O.S. People throw at us – and don’t be deterred. We need to listen to His voice and grasp As clearly as we can His purposes for our stand.
STAND UP FOR WHAT’S RIGHT! Silence is no longer a viable option!! I love you, even if you think I’m wrong. Let’s exchange ideas with respect.
Some GOOD people will disagree with me. May my optimism about a brighter future be contagious. Let’s draw on the Word and promises of God. Stand up and carry on with perseverance!
Hebrews 12:1
“Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
When Bob and I had the privilege of working with a young man from Pakistan who needed help learning to read and write English and eventually pass his GED (I think that stands for Graduation Equivalent Diploma), one of the hardest things to teach Zahid was three little words: “I don’t know.”
My adult children will tell you that their mom had the same problem. When they were little and would ask me a question, I was sure that a good mom always had an answer… and it was not supposed to be “I don’t know.”
It took them years to catch on to the fact that Mom was a good faker, and they should not swallow hook, line and sinker everything she told them!
Be Discerning
It was not so difficult for my grandchildren to discern my {{{BS}}} from the truth, however. See that middle kid up there, the one with the all-knowing smirk? He caught on right away to Grammy’s elaborate answers! Full of sarcasm and wonderful wit, he had the best comebacks – and taught me my come-uppance!
What? You’re wondering what took me so long? Did I really live to be a grandmother before I learned, “Intelligence isn’t knowing everything, it’s the ability to challenge everything you know?” Ask Nicky!
“Be discerning” means we have to question the validity of everything we see and hear! Even if it comes from what we THINK is a “reliable” source. Challenge it!! Especially in this COVID-19 climate that has become so politicized.
Be Positive, But…
It’s one thing to be positive, but it’s another thing to be gullible!
Yesterday I heard one of the news reporters telling us that there are people out there recommending that those tested positive with Coronavirus should take a healthy dose of bleach … Clorox … that it would kill the virus. Ya, well, it’ll kill YOU, too!
Yes, we want to believe that when all this is over (and of course that’ll be by April 1st when we can all go back to work, right?) … we want to believe that the “new normal” will be hunky dory. Games will sell out (NOT!). It may be 2022 before we are even allowed to congregate in stadiums again!
Restaurants will have a two-hour wait. Heck, that’s true of Food Bank lines in big cities already!
Every kid will be glad to be back in school. Of course, and I have a bridge to sell you!
Be Hopeful
While we are keeping an open mind, being discerning and positive, avoiding the hype and maintaining a level head in all this, it is essential that we keep HOPE alive.
Believe that good will come of all this when the dust settles. Be a part of the solution by staying at home if you can, and by wearing a mask when you go out into a public place. And most important of all, keep your faith alive!
God so loved the world – that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him – should not perish, but have everlasting life! Keep that faith alive. Indeed, God is in charge… and He loves you and me!
Spread Your Joy and Kindness
There may be those out there who will read the first part of that first meme on this blog, “Consider evidence that contradicts your beliefs and admit that you may be wrong…” and will challenge what you say. Just as wise-beyond-his-years-Nicky challenged my implausible answers to his questions, listen to their doubts.
Listen to the folks who have a different point of view. Respect their right to believe as they do. Examine the validity of what you think is true. And if you are convinced you’re right, go ahead and stick to your guns. But, do so with kindness and respect.
Maintain your joy… and spread your kindness in this puzzling, troubled world. Honey works better than vinegar every time!!
Music increases Intelligence, I am sure; Especially strings!
Science bears it out! Or is it that violins Attract the wise ones?
Does music enhance natural intelligence?Just look at these bright youngsters!
Today at our Madison Valley Woman’s Club, there were about 75 women present to enjoy a variety of homemade soups for lunch while being entertained by Katie Coyle’s violin students.
These seven students were delightful!
Teacher, Katie, said she was not a trained teacher, but no one else in our little town of less than 1,000 residents was teaching violin. So, when Katie (who to played the fiddle when she was a youngster) was asked, she stepped up to the plate. There is no way you would agree with her when she says, “I don’t know how to teach violin.”
The students giggled when told they should play kneeling.They squealed with joy when told to play lying down!
Katie obviously knows how to teach violin in a way that brings the students back each week clambering for more.
Smart to begin with; smarter still with music lessons!Bright eyes, open minds, and ready smiles!
Our MVWC donates money annually to Katie’s Music and Art Academy. Our donation made it possible for 3 families to attend Fiddlers’ Camp last summer. Next summer Katie hopes 6 families can attend.
We have 150 members!
Our “Collect” or “pledge” that we resign together each month at the start of our meeting tells you a little about our mission:
We put into action our better impulses!
Today I was one of about 8 ladies who provided the crock pots of soup for the lunch. Each month a different volunteer committee provides the meal and decorates the tables with seasonal themes.
This wasn’t the one I made, but it was my choice for lunch. It was yummy!There were about 8 choices of soup plus cornbread and yummy desserts. The desserts were gone by the time the serving committee got to that part of the meal. Oh well… I didn’t need the calories!Happy November, my friends.
Do you play an instrument? Is it your conviction that music enhances intelligence? I may be a little prejudiced in that regard!
I hope you can access this gorgeous music. I found it by Googling it on YouTube.
Just listening to beautiful violin music makes me feel smarter! How about you?
My cousin, Cliff, who had surgery yesterday to remove his esophagus (due to cancer) loves sending me jokes about my instrument of choice: the accordion. I ask you to pray today for Cliff’s recovery and return to strength and humor. I think of him as I listen to this beautiful music.
One of the jokes Cliff sent me was a picture of St. Peter welcoming someone to Heaven saying, “Here is your harp.” And Satan welcoming someone to Hell saying, “Here’s your accordion.”
Thanks, Cliff!! In spite of your sarcastic humor, I love you!! (Maybe it’s because of your humor??) Even in your strapped down, hooked up, post surgery posture, I can see that devilish smirk and the twinkle in your eyes!
Please pray for Cliff!
Listen to music. It’ll make you smarter. And bee sure your kids get music lessons!
Bee well! Always Bee Grateful for your health!! See ya tomorrow, my friends.
Christian, Loreal and Tiffany, Adrian And Nicholas (and is that Tanya and Kevin?)… ah, students from way back in the ’80s … or was it the ’70s?
As a teacher, my students (about a quarter century of them) live in my heart.
Some are FB friends who still stay in touch.
But whether they write to me or not, they are a part of me.
Every time they see an accordion, they’ll think of me.
Some will remember the word “Eye-vix-L-cidm” whenever they see Roman numerals= IVXLCDM. They will lay them out and remember:
I = 1
V = 5
X = 10
L = 50
C = 100
D = 500
M = 1000
Yes, 1, 5, 1, 5, 1, 5, 1
Add one zero
Add two zeros
Add three zeros
Helps to know this when reading old copyright dates or the production dates of old movies or the construction dates of ancient buildings!
Others will think of me when their math skills were not up to par with their reading and writing skills and they got 7×8 mixed up with 6×7. They’ll recite:
“If 7×8 makes you wait, 5678, lay them straight!” 56= 7×8!
Others will remember how often I said, “The question is not – Are you smart? – The question is – How are you smart?”
(Thanks Madeleine Hunter for that!)
Ah yes, on throw-back Thursday I remember the Stefans (actually he was a one-of-a-kind – I can’t pluralize him!), the Kevins and Lorei (oh, she’s unique, too), the Hillary and Heidi, the Bucky and the Johnnys… I’m grateful for each one.
What teacher or student or classmate do you remember?
What stands out about him or her?
Share!
