Saying Goodbye

saying goodbye

Saying goodbye is part of life.  Nothing in life stays as it is.Some goodbyes are temporary while others are more serious and permanent. There is more than a hint of loss with a goodbye. This week we say goodbye to someone who has profoundly touched our lives. Mrs Linda Anderson. She is our grade 4 teacher and this year we are privileged to have her as Samuel's teacher.

We all feel deeply sad to be saying this goodbye. She is an exceptional teacher with insight, empathy and kindness beyond measure. She is wise in her dealings with children. when James was in grade 4 we also had her as his teacher. At the end of the year, she wrote each child a little, personal note. At the end of his school career at Sweet Valley, she wrote him another little note. Full of confirming, godly words. Of all the teachers in grade 7, James chose to give a gift to Mrs A ( as she has become known in our home).

We are blessed with a bunch of excellent teachers at our school but Mrs A we salute you as exceptional. We are" gonna miss you something arwful" BUT know that God is at work in all things and he will bring this bunch of kids through with their new teacher.

Thank you for your kindness and love; for all the chats and laughs and for your heart of deep compassion for people.

God bless you as you journey on with him towards eternity.

A blessing for a teacher

Each year I like to write a personal little note to our sons teachers.

This year is no different. I was inspired to write something general to ALL who teacher. The reality is that , if you are a parent, you are a teacher too. Regardless of where or how your children are schooled, we are, at some or other level a teacher of sorts. So, I write this note to ALL who teach.

It is especailly though for our teachers at our school and for those beyond its gates who ahve touched the lives of our children this year. 

This is the first of the last for us as a family. Our eldest son is ending off his year at Sweet Valley Primary. He has been there, growing, flourishing, learning for the past 7 years. We have been enormously blessed as a family by his experience at this school. More than that, as I sit to write , I realise that these teachers who have been a big part of James' life over the past 7 years, have been exceptional  in so many ways.

As I write to each person and as I reflect, I realise once again what a profound work of art a teaching job is. It is the opportunity to shift and change a life. It is the work of inspiring a child with something bigger than himself. These teachers have each, in their own way, done for our eldest son, what I could not do alone. For some it is also the opportunity to reflect a rich and real trust in Jesus through their work and we are especially grateful for this too.

These teachers have fanned into life that which is within. As we enjoyed the arts and cultural prize giving last night, I was so encouraged by the children and their learning and growing.

Behind each child stands a teacher.

 Each teacher is a treasure to us.

They are without a doubt, precious to us. 

They have been the other voice that encourages and helps, that teaches and trains, that directs. It has not all been perfect, of course but it has been good. Rich , deep and good!!

So, I end off with a public, blog post, blessing for each teacher at our school and especially those who have touched our lives as a family and inspired all our children to greater things..... but especially as we end off grade 7 -- for our James.

Indeed, not just at our school but for those who taught James as he traveled to Bulgaria and showed him another part of life and all its richness.

Thanks you from the very fullness of our hearts.

May God bless you with health, strength , patience and trust in him. May your life overflow with abundant joy. May God continue to bless you with grace for ALL children and may you each continue to work in his world knowing that what you do counts.  There is a very big picture at work as you labour with one child.

Thank you!!

The First of the last!

On Friday evening we celebrated our Sweet Valley School Grade 7 farewell. It began with a group of some of James' friends and our friends who came around to our home for a pre-dinner chat and drink.

It was a smart occasion for these young men!!

 A walk down memory lane!! this is a group of grade 3 children when the present grade 7's were in grade 3!!

 Look  at this darling picture. !!!

 Grade 5 oral. Making biltong. Feels like it was yesterday!!

 A life time friend and may God continue to grow these two darling lads into men after his own heart!!!

I love that each has a hint of their personality in the choice of clothing.

The theme was ... The Carnival!!

What a spledid spread from the decore to the food. 

It was all a delight.

The grade 7 children introduced each other in groups. Each child was introduced and non was left out. I love this part very much. 

There was a section where the kids could perform song items, musical items, dance and there was even a flame twister. 

It was all very special indeed.

As I reflect personally on this phase of our son, James' journey through childhood, I find myself faced with a real mixture of thoughts and emotions.

On the one front, he is more than ready to leave primary school and head on to things more teen suitable on the physical, emotional and intelectual front. And so we celebrate with him this passing of time. This right of passage so to speak.

It is a time of year full of hope and promise and exctitment. 

And yet, at the very same time, there is a whole lot of sadness and I guess healthy loss.

We have spent the past 7 years at a great school where very rich experiences have been built inot our son. He has had the privaledge of enjoying excellent and extrodinary teachers who have helped to shape and grow James in the young man we have befor us. There have been opportunities to travel, explore gifts and talents, build lovely friendships and  enjoy responsibililty on many levels. 

And so we celebrate grade 7 with joy , hope and sadness.

May God continue to bless and grow this young man into the future as he journeys on to another school.

We are mindful of the speed at which these years at school fly by and so I renew my decision to enjoy them with our 3 sons who remain!!

 

The New teacher

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The new year has dawned and school has begun for some of us already but for those who live in the coastal areas of South Africa, we all start school tomorrow. I dont know how your school does the whole , ' new teacher thing" but at our school we find out who our child's teacher is, via the school web site and only on the day before school starts. That all happened at 9 o'clock this morning and the frenzy of who else is in the same class as your kid has all just died down.

For some of us we are thrilled because we know the teacher already and we like what we know and we have friends for our child in the class but for others it seems not to be such a great picture. Perhaps the teacher is not the one we like or get along with and perhaps our child has no real, good friend in site. The year might stretch ahead, seemingly bleak and long.

We feel so out of control at these times. We feel so sad for our children, quite sure of the way things will turn out and quite certain that the year will turn out bleak and difficult. I have stood in this place before. I think there are many reasons why we feels so strongly about the 'righ't teacher and some good friends for the year. The teacher has a profound influence on a child's life and the things they do and say may echo into a persons life forever. Being a lone at school during class time is not great and while your friends get to build good friendships IN class, you seem to be out and alone.

I like to see these times as opportunities despite the challenges.  I hope that my child , without a friend might see this as a new chance to make some new friends. Being in a new group of children can be tough and a real struggle. These times can be a place for real personal growth in the struggle to fit in. I dont for one moment think this is easy . I am challenged of my response to these difficult struggles my child might have. I hope that I might reflect my faith in what God is doing in the here and now and in so doing help my child grow for himself a real and lasting , truly strong trust in Jesus.

I am challenged by these issues in our own family and as we stand on the cusp of this new school year, I am reminded of the things we believe as Christians.   Mainly, God is sovereign and in control of all things and in ALL things he is at work for our good and his glory. He loves us and is working out his redemptive purposes in our lives and in and through our children. So when we are faced with a seemingly difficult road ahead we need to be reminded that these truths hold fast and that we must stand up under them. God is working out his plan in our child's life for his/her good and God's glory. The opportunity here is to reflect that back to the child and so that they too have the chance to grow in faith and hope and trust as they step up under God's plan and purpose. We have a chance to reflect scripture to our children and live it out in our hopes and dreams for the year, even when they seem not to be what we planned or think are good.

My prayer for myself and others is that this year might be a year of deepening trust and faith as we press on to the goal which is ours in Christ Jesus.

A Letter to a teacher.

Dear Teacher

Thank you for taking the time to listen to me

And for making the effort to care for the child

Thank you for listening and trying to reach out to him,

Thank you for really paying attention

The child!

My child!

You see he is so precious to us.

From the great joy and the promise of a life that first over whelmed

To the very first time he moved within my womb.

I loved him.

The child

in your classroom might just be a child to you.

Someone to teach and help and occasionally scold, perhaps even yell at.

But, you see, that child, is my child.

He is precious to us!

He was wanted and loved from the first

And when he arrived he brought great joy

And change and hope and fun

And much, much more.

With him came the passing of time

His life became a new measure

The yards stick of my life.

His life represents all that longing

The hope we had for life

For our lives, together.

The child in your class might shift, and move

He might giggle and jump

He probably does all this and more.

His work might be untidy

Despite trying his best

He just cant seem to get it right.

Perhaps he

He talks a lot, too much; cries and is afraid;

And the measure used for children now days

Glows all so brightly

“He should be able to do this by now”

Sometimes he gets lost and

Often feels afraid

He forgets his book or bag

And wears the wrong top

All this might make him really, really anxious

Because he does not like being in trouble,

He really does not do it on purpose.

He is still a child after all

He is a little of this and a lot of that

He might sometimes meet the goal and yet sometimes not.

Being pulled and pushed and molded by life

Molded at school

By you……

The teacher,

his teacher.

You see, I know when he is sad

 I can read when he is happy

You might not know this

He likes you, you see, he really does.

He might not say so, but I know.

The boy who might look funny to you,

Perhaps he is messy, noisy, distracted, and slow

Or fast, just a little to fast.

Perhaps he is not that bright and slow to understand

He might be sharp as a sward and know more than you do

The child could grate on all your nerves

He might even smell

You could write a list of all the thoughts you have about who he is

What he does and what he might accomplish.

You praise and reward

You encourage and with one word build up

Or break down.

The child!

That child…..

That child is my child

The child I love with all my heart.

So, I want to say thank you for loving him

Because you see he is precious to us

The Garden of kindness

Today I drove past the local school. Outside on the fence I saw lots and lots of beautifully drawn and colorfully painted flowers, fastened in a hap hazard way to the fence.  Next to these read the sign " the Garden of Kindness". as it flapped in the wind children walked to and fro for it was the end of the day.

That sign had a profound and meaningful effect on me. I literally felt it's words as if loving arms engulfed me in them.This lovely experience also lifted this local school in my sight. Where once before stood a school now I saw a school that cared about feelings. A beautiful thing that. I also realised with sadness that our school could grow in this area. I pray and hope and want to be a part of growing our very own garden of kindness.  What a beautiful thought!

10 years of The Life Cycle of the Silkworm

10 years ago we moved into our house. James was about 2 and Thomas was a tiny,newborn baby. Someone gave us silkworms. I was new to the neighbourhood and did not know where to find a mulberry tree to feed these tiny wrigglers. We searched and searched and in the end I sat down on the lawn in our very big garden and prayed. I did not want James to be sad when they all dies of starvation.

I had not really paid very, very keen attention the the kinds of plants and trees in the garden. As I sat there and prayed and looked around there I noticed that the one strange , weeping, miniature looking tree was getting leaves and indeed it was a mulberry tree. Our very own in our garden. I was thrilled. This dear tree has grown over the years and has brought us much joy with all the fruit it bears as well as the great learning experiences we have had these passed 10 years with these silkworms.

Each year I put the eggs away somewhere safe with a tiny label on the box that reads "silkworms". The eggs are all but forgotten through the winter but when the new leaves start sprouting I always seem to remember the eggs. This year Adele reminded me and there the tiny catterpillars had begun to hatch. They were a little early for our tree and so she kindly worm sat them for us until they could come home.

We have had some great times chatting about these odd little caterpillars. We have tried to discover which are male and which female ; which is the head and which the tail ; do the stripey ones spin the yellow cocoons? and much more. James recently studied in more depth the life cycle at school and so it was fun to put time to this process.

Thanks be to God for his fun and creative genius.

Grade 3 celebrate spring 2001 -Thomas' year

Here are the beautiful flowers that the grade 3 children took to the Old Age Home last week. Today, at school, the parents were treated to the little show. Well done to all the children.

A Fab School Outing

The Grade 3 classes at Sweet Valley Primary School visited an old age home in the area today. We boxes and boxes full of pretty spring posies. The children were all dressed up in colourful clothing and had created giant, hand held drawings of spring bugs and flowers to use as props in their little performance.

The men and women in the home were all seated and waiting when we arrived. Row after row of aged, grey haired people sat facing the little make shift stage. In the background a giant wooden cross stood tall on the wall.

And off they all went. What a delightful show it was including specially chosen and thoughtful songs that would hold appeal for these old folk. It was grand and colourful and fun with lots of smiles and even some chocolates to go around. Well done sweet grade 3 children and well done teachers and music department.

The Sausage Machine

I have not written for quite some time now. Life gets a little hectic with 4 boys at times. This week is the last of the first term and we can take a step back and breath a bit. This week has also been Parent/Teacher interview week. With term one under our belts I set off to meet the teacher of 3 of our children.

Lets start with Samuel in grade one. He has had a tough term. Although he can do all the work and is more than capable in the class , he is a little boy who lacks self- confidence. Having walked the road we have with Sam , both Doug am I are not at all surprised at how he is managing with life in grade one. What is a surprise though, is the care and kindness; wisdom and insight his teacher has shown towards him. To put it mildly I was totally blown away by her perception and her analysis and her solution. She is a gem and we are grateful to God for providing Samuel with her.

Thomas' teacher is a fairly new teacher with great ideas and a fresh look at teaching. Her positive attitude towards Tom and her interest in him was very impressive indeed. I was also very impressed with her willingness and desire to know about ADD . She was interested and helpful and keen. Another good experience.

And for the finale, I visited James' teacher today. James has our first experience of a male teacher and I was a little daunted by the prospect of chatting to him. BUT .... what a great experience. This is a teacher who is on the ball. He was insightful and caring and full of good ideas and character analysis. I was really very impressed indeed. He was easy to chat to about our concerns and all in all it was a grand and very encouraging experience....

I end with this.....

A growing sadness had begun to develop and take root in me. I had begun to feel as if this sausage machine of education was ... well ... just that - a giant sausage machine. A nasty machine that was simply not able to recognize and nurture the child as an individual with his or her gifts and talents. And in part it is that but this week I had my faith renewed in the individuals we call teachers who work and care for our children each day. I was reminded that teaching children well is indeed a calling and we have many who are called and who are doing a fine job. This blog is written to salute you and to say thank you. I am grateful to our heavenly father for each of you who are partners with us in helping our children to be who God has made them to be. I know that it is not an easy job and nor are you perfect but I am so encouraged that you do see the individual and you do see their gifts and talents and weaknesses. You see them for who they are and you work for their good. The sausage machine has a few kinks in it....

Congratulations is appropriate

This has been a year for congratulations. We have come to the end of this year 2010 ans it has, in many ways, been a year well done. South Africa has seen the World Cup Football come and go and it was a joyful time for our whole country. A great time of fun and noise and laughter and of course, football.

Here in our own home we have great cause for congratulations. I have to say at this point, because I am a Christian , it is not really right to boast and this is true. But you see, we have no family live near - by ; no granny who asks - how did they fair. How was the exam? How did they do? I have good friends who love these boys. For that I am so grateful.

Grade 2 is done and dusted for Thomas. He is our very, very clever ( can I say gifted), ADD boy. He has done very well at school this year and has pressed on despite his struggles and triumphs. He received the BEN KETTLE AWARD for enrichment. Now there is a thing. We were thrilled. Thomas loves enrichment. He lives for it and eats for it. He is obviously stimulated by it and we are grateful.

Grade 4 is over for James. He has been consistent in working hard and doing well. He is diligent and clever and uses that which he has been given. We are very proud of him . He has really done well in his exams and despite the stress they caused his marks reflect the effort he put in.

Both Thomas and James have had exceptional teachers ( who shall remain nameless) . I am so grateful to God for them both. Loving and caring and good at their jobs. Actually , outstanding at their jobs. I salute you two women. Thank you for giving your lives for these kids. You are very special and treasured in our hearts.

So, I guess that is the boast over. I am sorry if I offend you by this post. Please forgive the I I I in it all. My ongoing prayer is that our great God will use these two very different and very talented children for His glory and His alone.

Amen!

Back to school.

Today is the first day of the fourth term of school. It is the 4th of October 2010. A point in time. A day to enjoy and to remember. It has been a day full of all sorts of excitement. I use this word ' excitement' in the extreme and cynical sense. It has been a day worth forgetting except for this..... It has been a day where I have sensed the work of the evil one on many fronts. Active and alive. But then God.....

God gives us this .......
The dinner time conversation. I sit down with the boys to Woolf down the dinner set before us ( by me of course), and we begin to chat about heaven and well, hell too. I am reading them the story of David and Goliath in the childrens bible. It is a great story to tell and a great story for young, exciting minds. One thing leads to another and we get to talk about hell and Gods grace. Of course the two are linked in my thinking and so they flow one from the other. Hell - a place of God's right judgment and a place devoid of his grace. We all contemplate our call from him and all decide, unanimously, that Hell is a place we do not want to go. In fact, Samuel said, I want to keep trusting Jesus. He has grasped the very real and glorious alternative. To spend eternity with Jesus and to do so in the new earth is where we aim to be. A glorious end to an awful day.

Where has all the fun gone?

I have been pondering for a while now the course of modern , privileged childhood. As I think about the plethora of decisions facing me as a parent and as I try and plot the course of our childrens' lives, I am left with this question. Where has all the fun gone??? You see, while the boys were in preschool they had piles and piles of fun. But I have discovered that very early on in the more formal school lives the fun gets serious pretty quickly. This has happened not only in the classroom ( where one would expect it) but also on the sports field. Oh yes of course some sports still aim at having fun while the child learns the basics. I think of tennis and cricket and the like but there are some sports that get very serious very early on. So I find myself arguing with ... well myself. On the one hand this serious and focused attention on being the best and winning is good and part of life. The best kids get picked for the teams and have a great deal of fun exercising both body and talent. But another part of me wonders if we are pushing kids too early and too fast? One of my boys has buckled under the pressure of having to perform and I think it is extremely sad for him to give up when he has talent. Increasingly I find parents going outside of school to find a suitable sport where kids have fun as they learn and where the pressure to be the best and win at all costs is taken off. Increasingly I have conversations with parents who feel as I do; a little disappointed.

If I am honest I long for sport at primary school level to be a bit of both. Yes sure have the teams who compete and win but then also have space for the rest , who just want to have some fun.