Sunday: Psalm 126: 1-2

One day as I was getting into my car in the Meijer parking lot, I glanced up and saw this man:

his face lifted towards the heavens aglow with the glory of God,

His eyes shining, pure delight,

his lips parted in laughter,

unadulterated ecstasy,

filled with the joy of the Lord.

Psalm 126: 1-2

² Then was our mouth filled with laughter...

 

² Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them.

³ The Lord hath done great things for Daniel and Aleta; whereof we are glad.

 



1000 Gifts: #441-473 Fairytale Castles in the Classroom

       I love reading and telling fairytales.

A modern American Castle on my drive home from school.

       It is nearing the end ofthe school year and the children have been feeling restless, but everytime I bring out a fairytale, they become quiet and I can see and feel them entering into the magic of the story.

A knight in pink and shining armour.

         So we read fairytales and dress up as knights. We decorate crowns with jewels and become princesses and princes. The door of our classroom becomes the entrance into an ancient castle.
        Baskets and baskets of fairytale books line the wall and the children and the teacher never tire of looking at the pictures and reading and hearing the stories.


A Princess Knight



        We make castles out of ceareal boxes. We color and cut out fairytale character.

We retell stories and make up our own.

We write fairytales and publish them as books.

We display our work in the castle where Rapunzel's hair dangles out the side of the tower.

We write fairytale Math stories.

We compare interesting versions of our favorite tales and graph their

similarities and differences on a Venn Diagram.

And we thank God that he inspired the Grimm Brothers to record many of these tales.



My Gifts:

441. The shady, green, wooded road.

442. The castle in the forest.

443. Having seen the house where the Grimm Brothers grew up in Steinau, Germany.

444. Memories of exploring the castle in Steinau.

445. Having followed a small portion of the Deutsche Märchen Straße.

446. My collection of fairytale books.

447. Being able to share my fairytales with children.

448. Listening to the children tell an act out their own stories with their castles and fairytale characters.

449. Pam, the friendly clerk when I check out at Kroger’s.

450. Mezzetta stuffed olives on sale.

451. Scent of Purple Irises.

452. A lawn mower that starts on the first pull.

453. Watching the body rejuvenate itself as a wound heals and skin grows back.

454. Discovering a nice new Doggy Wash place closer to home.

455. Washing the dog with my husband.

456. A partial day of resting and reading.

457. The strawberry smoothie my husband made to rescue the strawberries I had forgotten about in the fridge.

458. One of my favorite drinking waters on sale.

459. Students staying on green!

460. Students’ parents being supportive.

461. The grace (power beyond my own ability) of God at work within me.

462. Wisdom that can only come from God.

463. The Home (SOS).

464. Apostle Mario Villela.

465. Pastor Regina Villela.

466. Josh walking in his father’s/Father’s footsteps.

467. Fresh cilantro in guacamole.

468. A Sunday afternoon nap.

469. Operating the computer for church services.

470. The book: Relentless by John Bevere and the growth that is happening inside of me as I read it.

471. Hearing testimonies of faith.

472. Immediate email response in the middle of the night about which airport to book.

473. Inexpensive airplane tickets at the closest airports.

474.   . . .

Sunday: Job 37:5, 21 and 14

Job 37:5, 21 and 14

To me these clouds appear as the glorious face of God bending low to commune with man.

⁵ God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.

²¹ And now men see not the bright light which is in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them.

¹⁴ Hearken unto this, O Aleta: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God.



A Tribute To My Mother

Written in honor of my mother

who gave me life,  

loves me unconditionally

and inspires me to grow old gracefully.

             My dad had started a business called Schrock Small Engine, Sales and Service. He sold and repaired lawnmowers, tillers, chainsaws… After he was diagnosed with cancer my mom worked alongside him and by herself on the days when he was not able to help. One day, knowing the extent of the illness, he asked her, “When I’m gone, will you continue the business?”

            “Oh, I couldn’t,” was her quick reply.

            Mom told me that he looked her in the eye and quietly remarked, “You can if you want to.”

            That comment changed the course of history. When my dad passed out of this life and into Heaven, I was four and a half years old. It was 1968 and my mom became a widowed mother of three preschool aged children, the sole owner of a business and a mechanic in her own right.

The shop was located less than six steps outside the side door of our house. Mom sang us awake and fed us breakfast and was out in the shop by eight o’clock every morning five days a week. She locked the doors for an hour at noon while she cooked and we ate dinner. At five the doors closed for the night and we had supper, Mom often returned to the shop in the evening to finish the repairs. (While we were young an Old Order Mennonite girl lived with us and helped take care of us children and do housework.)

This is the atypical Old Order Mennonite Mother I grew up with. Making her way in a man’s business.  A feminine touch in a greasy world.

Partially reblogged from: http://www.circleletters.blogspot.com/2012/02/i-was-born-loved.html