She's Got a Mind of Her Own

My brain went missing a few weeks ago. I've been a little worried, but fortunately she just sent me an email informing me she is taking a lengthy vacation in the tropics. I guess my blogging will be light until she returns!

Some Exciting News!

Just wanted to let you all in on something pretty rad! Fashion designer Christopher Kane recently created a cutting edge clothing line... 

...and I was his inspiration!  

Today Made Me Smile

First thing this morning little Freddy walked up to me with little pieces of aluminum foil wrapped in his hair.  When I asked him what in the world was on his head he replied,  "It's an ancesory, Miss Jackson. That means it makes my hair look good."

A bit later one Virginia opened our morning with prayer:

"Dear Lord,
Please help us to have a good week and to have a fun summer. And if anyone is getting a cat or dog this summer, please help them to think of a cute name."

Mid-morning my students worked diligently on group projects, one of which was a creative skit.  The students performing the skit made their own sets and props.  Two of the boys wore delicate angel wings crafted from white copy paper.  The boys forgot they were wearing wings long after they had performed the skit, so I enjoyed watching their small white wings shiver and flap whenever they moved to and fro the rest of the day.  At one point, little Josh was on his hands and knees picking trash off the floor when I noticed cues for another actor in his skit written on his left wing:

Vicky slaps Pablo
Then she goes to the mall

Who knew angel wings were so useful? :)

Sometimes it's Nice to Take a Day Trip

The harder I try to keep my eyes open, the rawer they feel. There's a buzzing sensation in my lymph nodes, and they ache. Oh how they ache. My head feels too big for my neck. Like a bowling ball on a toothpick. I wish I could rest my heavy bowling ball head on my cluttered desk for a few minutes.

I'm staring out the window now, watching the moody clouds pass by quickly. Too quickly. I wish they'd just stop and hover for awhile, enjoying the raucous shouts of kids hanging from the jungle gym on our playground. I think they might like basking in Mr. Sun's warm rays and drinking in the musky scent of the earth they drenched last night. But they blow by, content to head eastward, unaware of all they're missing. Maybe their ignorance is bliss.

I think I will travel eastward with the clouds today. I'll ride away on the silvery cloud in the upper left pane of my window. She looks light and carefree. Perhaps she will whisk me off to the Sierra Nevada Mountains and I can watch her water the purple asters and the Giant Sequoia trees. Perched on my silvery chariot, I will throw pebbles into Lake Tahoe and watch the ripples surge outwards and lick the sandy shores. When shadows darken the mountaintops and the sun begins to set, my silvery cloud will swallow the dusky light and transform into a golden schooner. It will sail over the fiery orb dripping below the horizon, off into the night song of the star-spangled sky. As my schooner glides through a sea of stars, I will listen to the galaxies sing their harmonies, and I will roll over onto my back to watch them compose their celestial symphony. And then, I will drift off to sleep.

The next morning I will wake up in my bed, and I will smile as I look forward to my day, when I will listen to the gleeful shouts of children on the playground as the sun shines through the window, and the breeze carries the smell of moist earth through my cracked door.

May 29, 2009

Dear Diary,

Today I chipped my tooth on a polish dog.

Love,

Sarah

There's Something About a Good Man

I just watched the movie 3:10 to Yuma for the first time. There's nothing quite like getting swept up in the misfortunes of a loyal, soft-spoken rancher, who avenges the crimes of a pack of mangy outlaws, to remind you that there's something about a good man.

A good man stirs up something in my spirit.

He is willing to work hard for little pay, and refuses to wallow in his humiliating circumstances.

He chooses integrity over monetary gain, and would rather be remembered for his strength of conviction, than his power and affluence.

A good man's love for his family is selfless, and often leads him to stare death in the face, without blinking.

He models for his boys how to sweat hard, get dirty, and feel good about a day's work.

He makes a pair of wranglers look mighty fine.

He will postpone a long day's work to help a hurting stranger.He has a resolute determination to do what's right, even when his decision leads him down a road wrought with sorrow and hardship.

He embodies justice, but shows his enemies mercy.

When I see a good man, he evokes in me a fierce respect for my strong father and a deep love for my selfless mother. The good man makes me want to seek truth and hold fast to compassion. He makes me want to develop strength of character in my children, be a loyal wife to my husband, and always choose integrity over the easy route. He inspires me to be patient when I'm besieged by responsibilities, and to remain calm when tragedy strikes. He makes me want to be innovative, frugal, and content with little. A good man makes me want to skin and gut my own dinner. He stirs in me a longing to see mercy trump justice, and grace transform wicked hearts. He motivates me to work for my keep, pray for my daily bread, and be generous with what I have.

But in the end, the good man doesn't actually help me to do any of these things. And I guess, in the end, his heroic antics get him shot, his son still has a bad cough, his wife still has to put food on the table, and his kids have to learn to be a man without their father. Perhaps, if he happens to do a favor for a wealthy banker before he dies, his wife won't have to wear shabby dresses anymore, and his sons might learn how to read. Who knows, the bad guy's heart might even soften when he sees the tenacious drive of the good man to be good in the face of death. And maybe, just maybe, the bad guy goes to his grave feeling sorry for the lives and families he's destroyed. But he still dies eventually. Just like everyone else the good man knows.

Because there's something about a good man that just isn't enough.

"For who knows what is good for a man in life, during the few and meaningless days he passes through like a shadow? Who can tell him what will happen under the sun after he is gone?" Ecclesiastes 6:12

"You have made known to me the path of life;
you will fill me with joy in your presence,
with eternal pleasures at your right hand." Psalm 16:11"For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Romans 3:23

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!" 2 Corinthians 5:17

Six Signs You're Not Getting Enough Sleep

1. You ask the car wash guy for an unscented air freshener.
2. You eat chocolate at 45 minute intervals throughout the day to keep your energy level stable.
3. You call your students "dude" because you can't remember their names.
4. You confidently explain to someone that the word "opaque" means "see through".
5. You forget you're teaching a science lesson in the middle of the lesson.

My On-Again, Off-Again Relationship With the Energizer Bunny

I'm pretty sure that last Wednesday the Energizer Bunny visited all of my students in their sleep and and gave their wind-up knobs a few extra twists.

Oh, didn't you know? All kids under the age of 14 have a tiny wind-up knob on the back of their necks. The knobs begin to disappear shortly after the kids hit high school, although boys typically keep their wind-up knobs a little longer than girls. Before high school though, the Energizer Bunny visits the kids nightly, winding their knobs so that they wake up with a plentiful energy store. Sometimes it's a pretty sweet deal; energetic kids are typically so much more eager to learn than adults. One of the downsides however, is that about mid-May the Energizer Bunny becomes ancy waiting for summer to arrive. And as we all know, anciness usually makes Energizer bunnies get a little wind-happy.

Enter: last Thursday.

All day Thursday my kids would have been plastered to the walls, hanging from the ceiling, and walking on their hands if I didn't have control over a little thing we call recess. I spent the bulk of Thursday morning wracking my brain for any trick I could use to keep my 18 little friends well-behaved. It turns out singing, juggling, miming, tap dancing, and a balance beam act are NOT effective energy-reducers.

I'm thinking of treating the Energizer Bunny to a lengthy, all-expense paid vacation to Bora Bora.

Finally, after cutting short a rather chaotic trip to the library, I had my students write sentences. While they were writing sentences I had to dash off to a meeting, leaving an aide to watch the kids. When I returned from my meeting after school, I found this:

And my favorite:

Hmmm, maybe that Energizer Bunny isn't so exasperating after all...

Life's Simple Pleasures

This morning I saw one of my students gesturing excitedly to her friend. “I just can’t wait for Friday, Erica!” I heard her exclaim. Smiling, I thought about all of the exciting things that are going to happen on Friday. Students from all grades get to skip the first part of class to go to a school-sponsored Mother’s Day breakfast with their moms, Friday afternoon is devoted to playing lots of games, and Saturday is just around the corner!

“Why are you so excited, Vicky?” I interjected, looking forward to hearing her enthuse about the day’s events. “Because, Miss Jackson. You promised us you’d wear your new Nike high tops on Friday!”

Have I mentioned lately that I love my job?

A Few Reasons I Love My Life

I wake up to exciting, explosive adventures...

...My family still decorates Easter eggs...

...This guy is moving down here in a few months...

...Little brother #2 just ran a sub-40 second 300 meter hurdles in sub 60 degree weather...

...and I get to benefit from the health-enhancing properties of the kumquats my roommate gathers at twilight.

"Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion, But... Don't Even Think About Expressing an Opinion That Opposes Mine"

Perez Hilton, an outspoken gay activist and recent Miss USA judge, is in a tizzy over Miss California's response to his controversial question during the recent Miss USA pageant.

Here's his controversial question and Miss California's answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8XMvviFbkf0

Clearly angered by Miss California's refusal to replace her counterculture convictions with political correctness, Perez uses his blog, "Everybody's Entitled to Their Own Opinion, But..." to defame her response to his question as, "the worst answer in pageant history." His reason?

"She lost, not because she doesn't believe in gay marriage. Miss California lost because she's a dumb @#!$% If I was Miss California with half a brain I would have said, 'Hmm, Perez, that's a very good question. That's a very hot topic in our country right now and I think that that is a question that each state should decide for themselves.'"

Good point, Perez. People who have at least half a brain wouldn't even think about maintaining integrity by sticking to their convictions under loads of pressure on national television. Especially knowing full well that it could cost them a Miss USA title and make them subject to public mockery and ridicule. No, people with at least half a brain would definitely cave to the majority and say what they think their antagonistic gay judge wants them to say. True intelligence is spineless. And thoughtless.

Hilton continued his nonsensical rant by villainizing Miss California for daring to be politically incorrect. "She gave an awful, awful answer that alienated so many people. And Miss California, Miss USA, she doesn't alienate. She unites. She inspires."

Let me get this straight, Perez. You would have Miss California spout a half-hearted, politically correct answer in order to alienate everyone who opposes gay marriage? Because regardless of Miss California's answer, she will alienate somebody. That's what happens when you ask somebody an extremely controversial question on national television. It's the nature of "hot topics". Maybe hot topics just aren't your thing after all, Mr. Hilton.

And what about all of the pro-marriage, pro-family Americans who were inspired by Miss California's decision to use her influence to promote family values? What about the people who were inspired to think more about the political, social, and spiritual ramifications of gay marriage as a result of Miss California's response? And what about all of the young girls who were inspired by Miss California's example of a strong woman with a backbone, who refuses to cave under fire? I think what you mean, Mr. Hilton, is that Miss California didn't inspire people to join your agenda. And since the whole point of Miss USA is to promote the gay agenda, I totally understand your frustration.

Perez concludes his blog with one last dose of verbal vomit, "If Miss California had won, I would have gone up on stage, snatched that tiarra off her head, and run out the door."

Good call Perez. That would have been a heroic step toward uniting and inspiring. It wouldn't have been at all divisive. I think your message would have been quite clear.

A Reflection of the Real Thing

On Saturday morning when my mom and I cruised across the Columbia River from Portland into Vancouver, I had the sensation one must get when putting glasses on for the first time, after months of struggling to discern blurry outlines.  As I soaked up the beauty of the silvery river, lined with budding trees and offset by snow-capped mountains, I felt like I had stepped from a world of hazy figures and blurry outlines, into a world of high visual pixilation.  This high definition world was bursting with light and color, and proclaiming God's glory with greater detail and precision than I'm accustomed to.  The vibrant colors pulsated with life, and every bit of creation seemed more real to me than ever before.  It was as if I had been transported from the smog-covered Shadowlands, into the wild mountains of the HeartLand, and every cell in my body was crying out, "I was made for this!!!!"

If C.S. Lewis is right, then we will experience something infinitely greater when we get to heaven.  I like to think when we pass through those pearly gates, it will feel like we've just been given a pair of celestial glasses, with pixelation that'll put Sony to shame!  Everything will seem more real, as if all these years we've been living in a dream, enjoying a reflection of the real thing.  Until then, enjoy this reflection of the real thing, Pacific Northwestern style.  I hope it makes you yearn for heaven.  :)

The trees rolled out a red carpet of blossoms, welcoming Spring to our neighborhood. If you look closely, you can see where Spring traipsed across the petals, transforming the dead ground into earth laden with decadent flowers. 

This is the view from my driveway.  Notice the lack of smog on the horizon.  Believe it or not, t's actually difficult to deeply inhale this air.  I'm so used to chewing my air.

Have I ever mentioned that it's a secret dream of mine to live in a tree covered in blossoms?  I'm thinking about moving into this tree.  

I wonder if each blossom is different, like snowflakes.  

Spring just recently waved her wand at this little guy.  

I went on a walk and enjoyed watching the clouds shift from one mood to another.  Even the most mediocre horizons here take my breath away.

A diamond in the rough.

The daffodils are Spring's finest form of efflorescence!  

"So whatever it takes, I will be one who lives in the fresh newness of life of those who are alive from the dead."  Philippians 3:11