Loving One Another

Posts tagged ‘teaching’

40 Old Fashioned Skills


This list says these skills are “old fashioned,”
but I say some skills NEVER go out of style.
It’s always timely to be kind, for instance.

gold colored chain necklace with watch pendant

Photo by Lukas Hartmann on Pexels.com

If you want to be an example of “love”
in a world where peace, joy, and kindness
sometimes seem like rare commodities,
I think we should not only teach these skills
to our children, but practice them ourselves regularly.

Some of them are “Duh, of course!”
Others are “Hmmm… Do I do that?”

Do I even know how to check the tire pressure?
Am I conscientious about asking questions
to get to know people better?
Do I give people the benefit of the doubt
all the time?

This list is from “frugalfun4boys.com”
But, it applies to all people… to adults as well.
Which of them resonate with you?

40 Old-Fashioned Skills

Cheers!
Have a great Friday night.
We’re headed to the neighbors.
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See ya tomorrow.

Category:

children, Family, friendship, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Love, work

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The Trinity


The Trinity – My Motivation

 

Looking around for motivation I see

A glorious cross looking back at me.

Its stem and crossbars represent

The trifold Diety – the trinity.

This unique symbol of my faith

Was a gift from a student dear to my heart.

He created it as a thank you to me last year —

That was nearly 50 years since we had our start.

He was my kindergarten student

When I began teaching in 1961;

And I was so enamored with him

That in 1965 I used his name for my son.

.

Now, some 50+ years later,

He and his wife came to visit us here

In Montana where we’ve retired.

His thank you cross keeps him here – ever near.

Do you have folks from your past

Who remain ever near in your heart?

If so, have you reached out to them lately?

Do it now! It’s never too late to start. .

Have a good night… And a wonderful weekend.

Tell me about someone who has remained near to your heart for as long as you can remember!

See ya tomorrow.

Category:

blessings, children, friendship, Love, Memories, Poetry, Sharing

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You’re Responsible


You’re Responsible

Healing with Art is a Facebook page I follow. Often, like today, they post something so noteworthy that I cannot help but copy and share it. Here is my inspiration for today.

If I were still teaching, I would create a place in my classroom with a mirror and signs using this idea. And I would add “Contentment” under “Behavior.”

You're Responsible - Healing with Art-FB

Don’t you love it?
What word would you add to the list?

IMG_8238 2

See ya tomorrow!

Category:

children, Gratitude, happiness, learning, Love, self-acceptance, Sharing, truth

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Adopt a Daughter


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In 1961 I graduated from college

With a K-8 teaching credential

I had been student teaching at

A school near my university

And I was blessed to

Get a 1st grade teaching job there.

 

My room mother was Florence,

A dear lady with a darling daughter, Lorei.

Florence kept in touch

Through the years, even though

In 1962 I left that darling class

To marry my darling Bob
(It was a fairytale wedding)

And moved with him to Germany.

Lorei’s parents both died

While she was still quite young –

Not out of college yet,

So we connected again – delighted to do so –

And we became her Mom&DadBee.

Ah yes, daughters are indeed

Such a blessing

And we are blessed now

To have three!

Lorei (in CA)

Laina (in Maryland)

And our DeDeBee (in Switerland)

Are you blessed like me??

I hope so!

If not, look around – there’s a daughter who needs you out there!!

Count and share your blessings everyday!

 

BTW, I think I need to adopt Bob’s ski buddy as my #4 daughter

My Daughter #4, Nancy ❤
See ya tomorrow

Category:

blessings, children, Family, friendship, Giving, Gratitude, happiness, Love, Sharing

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They’re All Carrots


They’re All Carrots

orange carrots on table

Photo by mali maeder on Pexels.com

In My Devotional Today

Rick Hamlin likened our act of praising God to the act of munching on a handful of carrots.

Rick said he ate carrots as a kid not because some adult said they were good for his eyes or his health, but simply because he liked them.

“Whoever said the things that are good for us
have to be hard or come as a result of great struggle
or simply taste yucky?” Rick Hamlin asked.
“Think of… the carrot, not the stick,
about how people are motivated by rewards
rather than threats or punishment…
Praise, thankfulness, enthusiasm,
kindness – they are all carrots, not sticks.”

Carrots in the Classroom

When I was in my last two years of teaching, before I retired (from public education, but not from working) in 1999, I had a group of second graders that I had taken on from first grade.

Our classroom “Discipline Plan” was a set of rules with rewards. They were as sweet as honey! Our classroom theme was a garden. Bees (with the students’ names on them) flew above, in, and around the bulletin board garden. In the soil were listed rules such as “Bee Courteous,” –  “Bee Honest” – and  “Bee Helpful.” A favorite one was “Lettuce Carrot for One Another.”

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Photo by Magda Ehlers on Pexels.com

If a student was caught BEEing good, exhibiting one of the characteristics mentioned in the rules of conduct, their bee would “fly” into my apron pocket – the pocket with a heart on it. A heart would be drawn on their bee’s body. At the end of the day, the bee flew back into the paper garden, and the thoughtful child added a paper seed to their garden plot on the bulletin board. At the end of the week, all bees that had hearts on them would have their seeds traded for a plant – a vegetable or fruit or flower to “grow” in their plot. (I wore a different colored apron each day of the week – inspired by Patricia Mckissack‘s book, “Ma Dear’s Aprons.” It’s one of my favorite children’s books.)

Ma Dear's Aprons

Ma Dear’s Aprons

by Patricia C. McKissack and Floyd Cooper

 

Just that little act of recognition – taking the bee down, tucking it into the heart pocket, and saying, “Thank You for BEEing ________,” – encouraged more students to do likewise.

Carrots in Our Daily Walk

If we “carrot” for one another on a daily basis, we will find ourselves munching on praise, thankfulness, enthusiasm, and kindness. Our gardens of compassion will grow, and we’ll bee happier people. Guaranteed!

We need to carry lots of “carrots” – and eliminate the “sticks”  – on our daily walk. Thank and praise God for the acts of kindness and compassion shown to us each day. Bee caught BEEing good!!

 In today’s devotional in Guideposts,
Rick Hamlin went on to say,
“God likes us to praise Him because it’s good for us.
It feels good.
The words are sweet in our mouths,
nourishing, crunchy, and satisfying. Irresistible.
Like munching on a handful of carrots.”

vegetables market basket carrots

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com


Praise God! And thank Him for His wonderful blessings.

Then go out and pay it forward.
Remember you are blessed to be a blessing.
It’s all a bunch of carrots!
Meant to be shared…

Munch on love!

heart of love
See ya tomorrow!

Category:

blessings, books, children, friendship, happiness, Love, Serving One Another

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Throw-Back Thursday


CF 2nd graders- 1999

Throw-Back Thursday

When you think back to days

Long gone, in their haze

Do you think of all the ways

Your life impacted others somehow?

.

Do you look into the faces

And see the hopeful traces

Of love and learning in the spaces

Between the distant then and now?

.

Some of those sweet smiles

Transcend the time and miles-

They “friend” their teacher while

She clicks the happy “Allow.”

.

Today I reach out in love

With Facebook’s help and God above

Smiling down like a cooing dove

Singing “I’ll love you forever!” (That’s my vow)

.

God bless all my former students –

What a privilege it was to walk with you

Through learning and growing –

And live to this age knowing

You remember me, too.

.

Just love one another… and let that lesson live on the longest…

What teachers do you remember fondly?

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See you tomorrow!

Category:

blessings, friendship, Gratitude, learning, Love, Poetry

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You Deserve It!


You Deserve It!
Go for it!!
You’re #1!!!

Welcome back to the A-Z series
devoted to ideas for
Adding Meaning
and
Finding Greater Purpose
in Life

Today’s letter is “T”

I could have chosen

  • tenderness
  • trust
  • truth

or any one of several words that represent the important qualities we need to exhibit and value in our lives in order to add meaning and fulfill our purpose more fully,
but I didn’t choose one of those.

It’s not a word that centers on “You Deserve it!”
It is not “You’re #!”
It is about being “right-minded.”

Today, Mother’s Day, I have chosen a word in honor of my dear mother-in-law, Laura Belle Beekman. It was her favorite word. She once wrote an essay on the topic for “The Daughter of the American Revolution.” The word is an old-fashioned one:

TEMPERANCE

It means constraint or discretion,
moderation or prudence,
self-control or sacrifice,
self-deprivation,

tee-totaling!

 

My husband, Bob, said his grandmother was a faithful member of the Christian  Temperance Union. So, no wonder his mom identified so much with the word! But, as you see above, the word has many meanings above that of non-alcohol consumption.

Temperance in Parenting

At yesterday’s birthday party, our sweet little Victoria had a melt-down. If you read my post yesterday, titled Happy Birthday x2, you met Victoria. I told you she was a little girl of many moods. One of them is depicted here in this video. Her mom stood nearby, wisely watching, but not responding to this temper-tantrum!

Meantime, inside the house two moms are busy teaching their 2 year olds to eat properly. Another toddler (Oh my! That’s my great-grandson, the birthday boy!) is independently making a mess, throwing as much food on the floor as he puts in his mouth! It was a busy day, my friends. You can get a minute’s glimpse of it – and our patio & dining room here:

 

Living with Temperance

The concordance tells us that temperance is a virtue – “a cardinal virtue” synonymous with faith, hope, and charity! It is to “be good.” It is to “do no evil.” It is to “keep the right path, and walk the right path.” Follow the straight and narrow. Fight the good fight.

road street sign way

Photo by Gratisography on Pexels.com

Teaching Children Temperance

How do we teach our children Temperance? There is not just ONE WAY, of course. But, on this Mother’s Day, it is good to remind ourselves that there are some “cardinal virtues” worth teaching … and the ONLY way our children will learn them from us is by example!

We must be the ones who “walk the talk.” We must be willing to stand by and watch the temper tantrums – and not give in! We must be the examples of following the straight and narrow! Our children will most likely not do as we say for a life-time, but they may do as we do. And we want that “doing” to be PRUDENT, right?

family of four walking at the street

Photo by Emma Bauso on Pexels.com

 

Leading The Way

Take children by the hand – by the heart – and lead them on the virtuous, good, and moral way.

Add meaning to your life as you make meaning in the lives of others. Add meaning to the lives of your children, grand-children, great-grandchildren, neighbors, friends. Demonstrate every day the faith, hope, and charity you hope to see in this world. That is our PURPOSE in life!!

Only by example can we make the world a better place.

Go out and JUST DO IT!

Happy Mother’s Day

See you tomorrow!

Category:

children, learning, life, Life's Challenges, Living in Harmony, Love, truth

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