Back to School

God Bless All Teachers!

I have a lot of children that I consider mine - not just my grandchildren, but nieces and nephews and children of friends.  Here is a run down of the first week of school.

Nephew, year two - Teacher is mean and he hates school
Nephew, year seven (First year teen) - Girls, girls, girls
Niece, first year - Loves teacher but hates school and isn't going back - doesn't want to take naps (maybe she only sleeps well at home and I can't argue with that)
Granddaughter, first year - Hates teacher she is mean and makes me do what she tells me to and I have to sit at the table and do my work
Granddaughter, second year - Loves the teacher, loves school, loves friends (one out of 6 ain't bad)
Granddaughter, home schooled - Oh well!
Grandson, home schooled (pre-teen) - I'm not ready!

Well, there you have it!  It is a good thing that children are flexible. 

Going to school is a big adjustment for little ones.  Not only do they encounter teachers and friends with different personalities, backgrounds and cultures, they are expected to change their daily routines to fit the pattern of school.  Taking instruction from a stranger is a big change in a little ones life, but if they don't learn to take instruction from others, as adults they will run into one roadblock after another.

It is hard to teach a child that already thinks they know everything, but when you encounter the child that is ea
eager to learn and enjoys the process you have hit pay dirt.  Teachers have the job of encouraging a child to want to learn.  Theirs is the most important job in a child's education.  To be able to instill this desire is a great gift to be spread throughout the classroom. 

There are so many people struggling to survive in today's world simply because they were never instilled with the wonders of learning. 

Thank you teachers and God Bless each and everyone of you.  Until next time . . .

Happy reading!
Belle

Friends

My friends are all different personalities and display various characteristics that have drawn me to them again and again.
Some are fun loving and always happy, some are solemn and serious, some are busy and stressed, and some are laid back and easy going. I have some friends who are out to change the world. I have some friends who are thoroughly enjoying the world as it is. I have peace making friends who don't like the pot stirred, but aren't happy with the way things are but they just want to let the pot simmer. I have friends who love to keep stirring the pot and adding ingredients just to see what will happen - I call these stink stirrers because their are just some ingredients that don't mix and a stink usually follows these friends. Then there are friends who are too busy to even know what is going on unless it involves their current tasks or disaster. All of these friends make up my life! I love them all! They provide me with a variety of views that keep my mind in the right place and encourage me to view the world through other's eyes.

I was reviewing my email list this morning to determine who would enjoy an email I had received. As I came to a name I would review their personality in my mind to determine whether to forward on go on to the next name. Some were judged as suitable or not based on the content of the emails I received from them. As I sat contemplating the list, I realized that maybe I should do it different. Maybe they would enjoy something out of their ordinary. Don't we all like a change of pace as long as it doesn't offend? Who was I to judge what my friends would enjoy? There are so many facets to each and every one of us! Then I started thinking about how my friends view me. Some have told me their thoughts; others are just there, I really don't know how they "see me."

There have been many adjectives attached to me in my 58 years. What others see in me is not what I see in myself! Here are some of the words friends have used to describe me and my connotations of those words. Remember I am referring to friends, not enemies - they have other words to describe me.

Wise - I have lived a long time and learned to live by my rules and values not someone else's (I can spout off advice all day, but you have to learn your way, not mine). Tight Wad - again, what I value is not what someone else values for me. Prude - I am open minded, but refuse to give up my morals and integrity. Compassionate - I care about people, but don't like to be taken advantage of under any circumstances. Plain spoken - if I don't tell you what I think and how I feel, who will (nobody knows me better than I do)? Mean - I am very straightforward in relating what is acceptable and what is not, but if you want to push my buttons, go ahead - but remember I will fight back. Family oriented - my family is very important to me - God gave me children to instruct in his way and to become responsible adults. Don't judge, you haven't reached your end and neither have they - we are all still on the journey of life. Christian - the most important part of my being. I am far from a perfect human being, but God isn't through with me yet. I have been on some hard roads and haven't finished travelling yet, but I find if I follow rather than lead, the trip is much easier.

Now, now friends, how would you describe me? Would you be surprised if I wrote about you? What would I say? Is your life presented in a way that displays your real feelings and your true being? I love you all and you give me so much! If you get an email that doesn't sound like me, remember I am constantly expanding, learning and finding my way.

Keep reading!

Belle