God' song is playing softly
Those who love are in tune
Givers sing the melody
Peacemakers keep the rhythm
A loud cacophony is blaring
War and hate shriek sharp notes
Greed misses every beat
Apathy hums with tone deafness
Yet the song of life continues
Undeterred by the racket
Some give their lives for others
The music will not stop
And one day the beautiful
symphony of God's love
will be the only song left
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sunday, August 7, 2011
"Yet's do a puh-zzul."
Her voice
Her way of talking
Carried me back in time
to Kaley
age 2 or 3:
"Yook! I found a piyyoh, Mommy!"
I tried to keep my voice normal, "Okay, but I have to go pretty soon, so only one puzzle."
"Who wih watch me den?"
My eyes watered as I compared this beautiful child to my own beautiful child. Who would watch her? The frazzled shelter childcare workers? Her own tired, broken mother? What trauma had she been through to land her in such a place?
Kaley so safe and secure with her Daddy ..."Yets eat a man-goh, Daddy! I yike man-goh!"
Did this little girl have good memories with her Daddy? Did he hurt her instead? Did he hurt her Mommy?
"Well, I can stay a little longer - let's do that puzzle!" I smiled at her and loved her...and prayed for her happiness and future.
Her voice
Her way of talking
Carried me back in time
to Kaley
age 2 or 3:
"Yook! I found a piyyoh, Mommy!"
I tried to keep my voice normal, "Okay, but I have to go pretty soon, so only one puzzle."
"Who wih watch me den?"
My eyes watered as I compared this beautiful child to my own beautiful child. Who would watch her? The frazzled shelter childcare workers? Her own tired, broken mother? What trauma had she been through to land her in such a place?
Kaley so safe and secure with her Daddy ..."Yets eat a man-goh, Daddy! I yike man-goh!"
Did this little girl have good memories with her Daddy? Did he hurt her instead? Did he hurt her Mommy?
"Well, I can stay a little longer - let's do that puzzle!" I smiled at her and loved her...and prayed for her happiness and future.
Monday, July 25, 2011
A Letter That Means Everything
Today I met with a former student of mine.
She gave me an anthology and a letter.
The letter made me feel so good.
In her second paragraph, she wrote,
If my writing does show any of those qualities, I want to thank you for it. Your writing class really taught me a lot and got me started on my "writing career." I learned so much from your enthusiasm for beautiful words and meaningful stories. Plus, you were the most fun teacher I've ever had.
Wow.
Just wow.
She gave me an anthology and a letter.
The letter made me feel so good.
In her second paragraph, she wrote,
If my writing does show any of those qualities, I want to thank you for it. Your writing class really taught me a lot and got me started on my "writing career." I learned so much from your enthusiasm for beautiful words and meaningful stories. Plus, you were the most fun teacher I've ever had.
Wow.
Just wow.
Sunday, July 24, 2011
My Man
My man hates Walmart.
My man is a creator, not a consumer.
My man just invented the craziest contraption.
I love my man.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sudan
"Do you want to know me? Do you want to know me?"
Sweet children singing in sweet voices
on an internet that brings there here.
I do want to know them
But not really
Because they live there
and it is much darker than here
There is so dark I might drown in it
there the violence is unimaginable
the fear is too much
the evil is a dark fog that hangs over the continent
I want to help
But I don't know how
I am supposed to forgive and not hate
the leader who initiates so much suffering
But it is hard.
I am supposed to love the children
without choking on despair
But it is hard.
Sweet children singing in sweet voices
on an internet that brings there here.
I do want to know them
But not really
Because they live there
and it is much darker than here
There is so dark I might drown in it
there the violence is unimaginable
the fear is too much
the evil is a dark fog that hangs over the continent
I want to help
But I don't know how
I am supposed to forgive and not hate
the leader who initiates so much suffering
But it is hard.
I am supposed to love the children
without choking on despair
But it is hard.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
The Geckos
The gecko ate a cricket.
It twisted and chewed and chomped at the insect that was almost as large as it was.
The insect was half in and half out of it's mouth and then I just couldn't watch anymore.
Meanwhile, another gecko sat regally on our tree, puffing it's red neck out and in.
It twisted and chewed and chomped at the insect that was almost as large as it was.
The insect was half in and half out of it's mouth and then I just couldn't watch anymore.
Meanwhile, another gecko sat regally on our tree, puffing it's red neck out and in.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
Mama Dove
She sat on the branch
Foreman of the construction of her nest
Her mate brought back twigs and stuff
He climbed on her back to reach the nest.
She sat on her nest
and sat
and sat
and sat.
Her baby birds hatched
They grew
She fluffed and walked about on the branch
They fluffed and walked about, too.
Today
The babies were gone
But she was there
Sitting
I don't know why
Maybe she just got used to it there.
Foreman of the construction of her nest
Her mate brought back twigs and stuff
He climbed on her back to reach the nest.
She sat on her nest
and sat
and sat
and sat.
Her baby birds hatched
They grew
She fluffed and walked about on the branch
They fluffed and walked about, too.
Today
The babies were gone
But she was there
Sitting
I don't know why
Maybe she just got used to it there.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Trey
Broken body
Broken heart
Gentle, crooked smile
An expression that said, "I know...it's all kind of crazy, isn't it?"
I am sorry you felt hopeless.
I am sorry your family has lost you.
I hope you are at peace now.
Broken heart
Gentle, crooked smile
An expression that said, "I know...it's all kind of crazy, isn't it?"
I am sorry you felt hopeless.
I am sorry your family has lost you.
I hope you are at peace now.
Saturday, July 2, 2011
Standing On The Shoulders of Katie Wood Ray
I am learning so much from this teacher/author. I have four of her books and I am currently rereading two of them. Last night I was lying in bed, thinking about the ups and downs (and I mean DOWNS), of my first year of teaching, and I wished that she had been my mentor teacher. But I wonder if I was ready, at that point, to learn from her...I think I would have been! Those poor kids that we force-fed TAAS to, constantly giving them writing prompts and evaluating them in such a non-helpful way...
But what if...? What if Katie Wood Ray didn't like me? What if she thought I was a crappy, hopeless teacher?
Naaaahhh....I think she sees the best in everyone.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Hell
"All my forefathers have passed away into darkness without knowing anything of what was to befall them; how is it that your forefathers knowing all these things, did not send word to my forefathers sooner?" African chief to Missionary David Livingstone
This quote was attached to a letter from an old friend of ours who is going to Africa as a missionary...along with some other quotes about hell...and I am struck with a sinking feeling that he is on a quest to save as many people as he can from the fiery darkness that they would otherwise be headed to if he didn't tell them the "Good News"...
What good news? That they might get to go to heaven but their parents, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and all who came before them and didn't hear the "good news" will be in darkness forever? Like Rob Bell said, how is that good news? How is that a good God?
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Busted!
Last night Kovi lied.
I told him I needed to put Swimmer's Ear drops in his ears.
"No!" he protested.
"Did Kaley do them already?"
"Yes."
(I know...you are thinking...why would I put him in the position? Nevertheless...)
I walked out of the room...
"Where are you going??? What are you doing???" By his behavior, I knew the truth already. I confirmed with Kaley that she had not used the drops on him.
We had been planning to go to the park. I let him know we would not be going to the park after all.
Among his many teary protests:
"I'm just a little kid! I didn't know better!"
I told him I needed to put Swimmer's Ear drops in his ears.
"No!" he protested.
"Did Kaley do them already?"
"Yes."
(I know...you are thinking...why would I put him in the position? Nevertheless...)
I walked out of the room...
"Where are you going??? What are you doing???" By his behavior, I knew the truth already. I confirmed with Kaley that she had not used the drops on him.
We had been planning to go to the park. I let him know we would not be going to the park after all.
Among his many teary protests:
"I'm just a little kid! I didn't know better!"
Thoughts on Teaching Writing Effectively
1. Writing teachers need to be writers.
2. Good readers make good writers - students need to be surrounded by "wondrous words"
3. Kids who do the hard work of inquiry themselves will learn much more than kids who are "spoon-fed" curriculum.
4. My students need to view themselves as writers.
5. As in other crafts, it is valuable to learn from mentors. Our mentors will be published authors.
6. My students will only become better writers if they spend a significant amount of time writing.
2. Good readers make good writers - students need to be surrounded by "wondrous words"
3. Kids who do the hard work of inquiry themselves will learn much more than kids who are "spoon-fed" curriculum.
4. My students need to view themselves as writers.
5. As in other crafts, it is valuable to learn from mentors. Our mentors will be published authors.
6. My students will only become better writers if they spend a significant amount of time writing.
Tailbone of Doom
Went to the doctor because my tailbone has been hurting for months now, whenever I sit too long. Xrays show...nothing. Inspection shows...nothing. I hate it when you don't get any result. My tailbone just hurts. It's a mystery. Could be ligaments or something... I wish I had never gone and waisted the money. Now I just have to take anti-inflammatories and sit on a ridiculous pillow and hope it goes away.
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Connie
I miss my sister.
She looks like me, laughs like me, makes funny facial expressions like me.
She doesn't dress like me, but that's because she is way cooler than me.
She lives across a big ocean.
I wish I could fly to see her without spending a thousand dollars.
Or two thousand.
It was good to talk to her today on Skype.
Let's get Skype.
She looks like me, laughs like me, makes funny facial expressions like me.
She doesn't dress like me, but that's because she is way cooler than me.
She lives across a big ocean.
I wish I could fly to see her without spending a thousand dollars.
Or two thousand.
It was good to talk to her today on Skype.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
My Mischievous Son
he does it to be silly
he loves the reaction
he ought to be punished
but how do you punish
an elf with a delighted grin on his face?
No Adjectives or Adverbs
Mark Twain: "When you catch an adjective, kill it. No, I don't mean utterly, but kill most of them -- then the rest will be valuable. They weaken when they are close together. They give strength when they are wide apart. An adjective habit, or a wordy, diffuse, flowery habit, once fastened upon a person, is as hard to get rid of as any other vice."
I will try to write a paragraph minus most of the modifiers.
The gardener trudged across the field. He stooped down and tipped his pitcher, pouring water on a plant. He moved on to the next plant, pouring a cup or two of water on it. The man continued in this manner, occasionally refilling his pitcher from a larger cistern, never losing a drop. The sun beat down. Sweat dripped down his cheeks. The plants drank and clung to life.
I will try to write a paragraph minus most of the modifiers.
The gardener trudged across the field. He stooped down and tipped his pitcher, pouring water on a plant. He moved on to the next plant, pouring a cup or two of water on it. The man continued in this manner, occasionally refilling his pitcher from a larger cistern, never losing a drop. The sun beat down. Sweat dripped down his cheeks. The plants drank and clung to life.
Peaches
I just ate a peach. It was so perfect that I decided not to make peach cobbler after all. We shall simple feast on fresh, juicy peaches tonight. This is also the healthier choice...and the easier one.
Random Conversations in Austin
Mom took the kids to Wazoo's and a movie, so I am enjoying some free time. As I run errands, I find myself in various conversations with strangers - always initiated by ME, of course. I definitely took after my mother in extroversion!
I met a young farmer at a local market and we talked about growing trees, flooded cantaloupe fields, gumbo-clay soil, and my one watermelon which was partly eaten by bugs but still delicious.
I bought some cantaloupes and peaches. The guy's friend asked if I wanted to buy a watermelon, but I told him I was out of cash.
So the farmer dude handed me the melon and said, "Aw, just take the damn watermelon. That's how we roll here. I like to see people eat healthy."
Then, at Central Market, as I was buying flours to make a peach cobbler with my bag of peaches (millions of peaches...), I struck up a conversation with a lady who was also buying flours, to make a blueberry cobbler. I pointed out the whole wheat pastry flour, which is healthier but has a white flour consistency, and she bought some.
I met a young farmer at a local market and we talked about growing trees, flooded cantaloupe fields, gumbo-clay soil, and my one watermelon which was partly eaten by bugs but still delicious.
I bought some cantaloupes and peaches. The guy's friend asked if I wanted to buy a watermelon, but I told him I was out of cash.
So the farmer dude handed me the melon and said, "Aw, just take the damn watermelon. That's how we roll here. I like to see people eat healthy."
Then, at Central Market, as I was buying flours to make a peach cobbler with my bag of peaches (millions of peaches...), I struck up a conversation with a lady who was also buying flours, to make a blueberry cobbler. I pointed out the whole wheat pastry flour, which is healthier but has a white flour consistency, and she bought some.
Writing Teachers Should Be Writers
Why don’t I write more? Laziness? Lack of confidence? A nagging sense that I really don’t have anything important to say?
I am going to be a writing teacher…I am expanding my knowledge base, my ideas on how to do that well…I am excited. But to teach writing effectively, I must…
write.
So here I go with my own blog to grow as a writer, a teacher, and maybe as a person. I hope this won’t be a three blog on the blog page and then quit blog.
I am going to be a writing teacher…I am expanding my knowledge base, my ideas on how to do that well…I am excited. But to teach writing effectively, I must…
write.
So here I go with my own blog to grow as a writer, a teacher, and maybe as a person. I hope this won’t be a three blog on the blog page and then quit blog.
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