Wonder

I found this sign at a department store the other day when I when I did a million things to avoid pre-date jitters (I also swam a lot of laps in the pool that night, practiced my new aqua aerobics moves in the water waking lane, and decided it was a good time to buy a kerosene lamp from an antique store). I think this sign might become a new mantra in my life.

Tonight a friend said beautiful stained glass is made up of a lot of broken pieces--like people in a community. Nobody's perfect but God can create wonderful beauty out of brokenness.

Earlier today a student asked if we could have popsicles after our walk to the park. My sense of wonder was sparked...I thought about the inner workings of a child's brain and pondered if there might be a popsicle factory under the floor of our classroom...or if it was sneakily still summertime.

I also met a woman today who asked me at the apartment mailboxes whether or not I had a cat.

Our conversation went like this:

Betty (her first question upon seeing me): Do you have a cat? 

Me: No, I don't.

Betty: Do you like cats? 

Me: No, I don't really like cats that much.

Betty: I just visited my brother and he has lots of cats!

Thank God for Betty's brother who can provide her with the opportunity to enjoy cats! I wonder what makes people like cats. I also wonder if Betty is lonely. And I wonder if that was really Jesus visiting me. 

Menagerie

There's a family of parrots that lives below me ...with a couple of dogs. Sometimes the dogs talk to the parrots. 

Either that or they try to eat them. 

Once I talked to the parrots. It was difficult to decipher their response through the floor; I think they congratulated me on the move...and mentioned that really quiet humans live with them too. 

Thank you, Jesus.

Poetry

My crutches are gone. My boot is off. Orthotics cradle my toes. 

I moved again. I even pay rent. Thank you, God, for St. Joe. 

My sister got married. I have a godson.

These two truths aren't related.

My students learn. Time off I earn. Creativity makes me elated!

Thank you God for this little blog that you inspired a year ago. Please give me the grace...let's get it bumpin again!

Sedentary Lifestyle

Crutches: the economical choice. Crutches cost a $25 copayment versus a gym membership of $29.95 per month. Plus there's no $100 start up fee!

What a deal!

I taught my kids consonants from a chair yesterday, and had them hold up their books to show me their work.

The back row was tricky to see. So I had those kids come up so I could check their progress. One of the boys did an excellent job with handwriting, but his letters were written upside down on the wrong page. I commended him for his penmanship, and then told him the mistake. 

He promptly passed out.

First grade boys have passed out in jest in the past. But I've never seen this level of comedic timing and dead pan performance.

Two seconds after I told him to rewrite the letters, he was on the floor with his tongue out. No giggling, no checking to see what his classmates would say. And he laid there for a solid 30 seconds.

I couldn't help laughing. Of course this prompted other first grade boys to repeat the act. But none were as hilarious as the first.

Back to your seats.

Later, I soothed myself (and kept peace in the classroom) with a church song. A child, rapt with his work, subconsciously interjected his own soundtrack.

"I heard the voice of Jesus say… Everything is awesome!"

Amen.

Walmart Run (Scoot)

There's nothing like riding an EZ-Shopper all over walmart and stalling out in the candy aisle.

And racing my handicapped friend who's a pro and doesn't accidentally run into the exit doorway. (Racing is actually impossible in these things...they go like two miles an hour and stop at inconvenient places like next to the peanut m&ms when you aren't even allowed to exercise).

Amen.

Boot jokes

 A middle-aged man with a gray-streaked beard, longish scraggly hair which covered half of his balding head, tinted glasses, and tattoos smattered on his right arm leaned over my pew at church this morning as he went up I receive communion.

"Your shoes don't match," he said, and chuckled to himself as he ambled past me.

 

You don't say!

 

I love it when people laugh at their own jokes, especially when they're funny.

...

I'm at the beach with my family for the annual bike race. 

"Let's bury your boot," suggested my sister... You know like you'd bury a kid in a sandy hole.

...

On Friday I bribed my students with games... "If you're really good, we'll play a listening game..."

"And if we're really, really good, can we pump it up?" asked a little girl as she gazed longingly at the red air button on my boot...

Amen

Joke

Why did the chicken cross the road?

To go to the other side?

No... To go to your house!

Knock. knock.

Who's there?

The chicken!