We Are Thankful!

Our Tribe

"Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good." Psalm 107:1

Crafts, outdoor games, hayride, songs, food....this tribe had an action packed celebration that rivaled the three-day long feast of the original Thanksgiving. The Pilgrims and Indians could not have partied harder than we did.

My favorite part of the day, however, occurred in the ten minutes before the line of Pilgrims, Indians, and turkeys marched into the gym.for the feast. Almost one hundred excited, costumed children had somehow managed to get in their proper position in two orderly lines. (That alone was a miracle.)The only problem: we weren't due in the gym for another ten minutes. So we reviewed our songs and verse, and afterwards the kids all sat "Indian style" in the hallway. Then they raised their hands to tell why they were thankful.

 I randomly called on children from Pre-K, kindergarten, TK, and T1, and each child gave a sincere, well-thought out answer. No one gave a silly answer. No one interrupted.

"I'm thankful for my family.
"I'm thankful for food."
"I'm thankful for the Bible."
"I'm thankful for my friends."
"I'm thankful that God keeps me safe."
"I'm thankful for the Bible."
"I'm thankful for the Ten Commandments."
"I'm thankful that I can praise God."

Yes! I thought. They really get it!

Amid all the excitement, all the chaos, we had those ten minutes of serenity when even the littlest students proved that they understand what it means to be thankful.

And that's what makes this teacher's heart burst with gratitude.

First things first...delivering our Operation Christmas Child boxes.

Field Trip to the Food Bank

Unlike the thousands of local children who receive meals in backpacks from the Food Bank, our students have probably never had to go hungry. Their pantries and refrigerators are no doubt stocked with nutritious food. And if the supply in the fridge dwindles, Mom or Dad will go to the store to get more. And if Mom and Dad need money to buy the groceries, well, they just take money out of the bank.

And maybe these students have never thought about how hard their parents have to work to put money in the bank. And probably they've never considered what happens to children whose parents can't provide for them.

So after our trip to the Food Bank, the class discussed topics such as economics (and how do you even get a job in the first place?) We discussed how God expects us to help those in need. The kids had lots of questions, but hopefully this was the beginning of a broader understanding of their local community and a deeper appreciation for what they have.

Canned Goods Olympics

We're all winners when we do our best, play by the rules, and display good sportsmanship.

"Let us run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us..." Hebrews 12:1 NIV

The Early Childhood students passed the Olympic Torch.

Let the games begin!

To be a winner, it takes perseverance...

Teamwork.....

Ingenuity...

And a good attitude...

Who's faster than a speeding bullet...

More powerful than a locomotive...

Able to leap tall hurdles in a single bound?

Superkids!

Before delivering food to the local Food Bank, the Early Childhood had a little fun with the cans they brought. The Canned Goods Olympics was an opportunity for the students to practice qualities such as perseverance, good sportsmanship, and playing by the rules. They all got a good physical workout in the process.

Perseverance....endurance...not giving up....we talk about that often in class. It's an important in sports, but also in academics and in life. The author of the book of Hebrews used the analogy of a race to remind us not to give up when life gets tough.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endure such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12:1-3

Just as a good mental attitude is essential to physical performance, a strong, healthy body influences academic performance.

Friday afternoon, Occupational Therapist Cheryl Rudd came to our classroom to demonstrate some exercises that will help strengthen core muscles, improve motor skills, improve focus and visual tracking skills, and help students distinguish left from right. The students are getting stronger and smarter every day.