Day 14: Tooth Fairy Money

     Yesterday my students were able to experience what it would be like to be completely blind so today I wanted them to experience what it would be like to have partial vision.  I had the children hold up a piece of wax paper.  With wax paper you can seen differences between light and dark colors, as well as where windows are for example.  They could see if there are patches of light coming into a room.  Then the children held up a piece of wax paper with a hole punch out of it.  This vision represents tunnel vision.  They enjoyed looking around the room and at each other.  Later I blindfolded the children and they tried writing their names.  I found it interesting that almost all of the children wanted to correct their mistakes and were uncomfortable with them when they took their blindfolds off.

     We learned some tips from Joni Eareckson Tada on "How To Be a Friend to Someone With a Visual Impairment."  The kids all thought it was funny when I yelled, "You don't need to yell at someone with a visual impairment!"  I told them how funny we all are when we try to speak loudly to anyone with an impairment, no matter what it is.

     In terms of powerful people, I loved introducing them to Stevie Wonder.  What an incredible musician he is.  In his tribute to Michael Jackson he talked about how great God is and always is.

     We also talked about Helen Keller.  I showed them a clip from "The Miracle Worker" and Helen was throwing tantrums because she was so frustrated.  The kid's eyes got huge when I explained about how she learned to communicate by Anne Sullivan signing into the palm of her hand.  They were amazed by the incredible lives that both Stevie and Helen have lived.

     AND just when I think the money will start slowing down, they bring in bags full of money.  It may drive them crazy to not know the total number of wheelchairs, but it sure makes it more fun!!  They will be very surprised at the end!  One of my kids, Andrew, has had a personal goal of raising enough money by himself for one wheelchair and he met that goal yesterday.  I am so proud of him and love the look he has on his face for reaching the goal.  And today, I smile every time I think about Claire.

She was terrified to loose her first tooth, but bravely handled it.  Today she lost her second tooth.  She wasn't afraid anymore and looked up at me during "Circle Time" and said, "I know what I am going to do with the tooth fairy money.  I am going to give it for the wheelchair!"  Claire didn't say it out of obligation, but with great excitement in her eyes!

     The kids were excited when I told them we are going to lead chapel next month.  They already had wonderful ideas on how to communicate the butterfly effect to three year-olds.

Day 13: The Trust Walk

     This week we are learning about "How to Be a Friend to Someone With a Visual Impairment."  We started off our morning with a trust walk.  I had eight children grab a partner.  One of the children in each pair would be blindfolded and the other one would be the helper or guide.  I am always amazed by how confidently the children that are blindfolded walk down the hall, completely secure in knowing their friend is going to watch out for them.  I am also amazed at how well the children watch out for each other.  When we arrived at the classroom, I had the children switch roles and go out for a trust walk again.  I then took a group of six out.

     During our "Circle Time" we talked about the trust walk.  I asked them which role they enjoyed the most.  It was pretty much split down the middle.  The amazing thing is that almost all of the children that said they enjoyed being blind the most stated that they liked how kind their partner was to them.  They like being taken care of.  When I asked the kids that liked being the guide the most, they all shared that they like taking care of someone and being kind to them.  I am continually amazed at their level of compassion.

     More money and butterflies came in for our fundraiser.  The butterflies are now down both sides of the hallway.  They have reached 10 wheelchairs.  I will wait to reveal any more until we have our celebration in April.  They will be so excited!!

The Cocoon

     There are so many great analogies that go along with butterflies, but this is one of my favorites.  I have had my share of struggles through life, but this story gave me a new perspective and I thought I would share it with you.  I don't have the author's name, but I am very appreciative.


 The Cocoon   
         
A man found a cocoon of a butterfly.

One day a small opening appeared, he sat and watched the butterfly for several hours as it struggled to force its body through that little hole. 

Then it seemed to stop making any progress. It appeared as if it had gotten as far as it could and it could go no farther. Then the man decided to help the butterfly, so he took a pair of scissors and snipped off the remaining bit of the cocoon.

The butterfly then emerged easily. 

But it had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. The man continued to watch the butterfly because he expected that, at any moment, the wings would enlarge and expand to be able to support the body, which would contract in time.

Neither happened! In fact, the butterfly spent the rest of its life crawling around with a swollen body and shriveled wings. 

It never was able to fly.

What the man in his kindness and haste did not understand was that the restricting cocoon and the struggle required for the butterfly to get through the tiny opening were God's way of forcing fluid from the body of the butterfly into its wings so that it would be ready for flight once it achieved its freedom from the cocoon.

Sometimes struggles are exactly what we need in our life. If God allowed us to go through our life without any obstacles, it would cripple us. We would not be as strong as what we could have been.

And we could never fly.

In your times of trial and tribulation, remember that we are praying for you, and in the end The Lord has a purpose for all of this. So one day you can fly with us...

TO HEAVEN

Day 12: Celebrating Easter

     Today we took a little rest from all of the wonderful fundraising to celebrate Easter.  We had an Easter egg hunt, played with some wonderful sparkly playdough, made an Easter bunny, and decorated sugar cookies.  

     Later we sat down for "Circle Time" and talked about what is really important about Easter.  It isn't the meal, the Easter eggs or baskets, the new Sunday clothes, or even gathering with friends.  It is about the sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.  He was ridiculed, spat on, and hung on a cross to take the punishment for our sins.  Three days later He rose from the grave and ascended into heaven.  Through

His death and resurrection and our acceptance of this precious gift, we have new life.

     Happy Easter, everyone!

                                                               

Day 11: Braille in Big Numbers!

     It has been quite an amazing day!  We started the day off with numerous baggies of money and butterflies coming into the room.  The kids were so excited as they shared how much money they had collected from the market days.  We excitedly did another "happy dance" and thanked God for another wheelchair.

     During our "Circle Time" I shared with the kids about blindness.  They had numerous questions as they thought about what it would be like to be blind.  I shared with them about a precious friend of mine that was born without eyes and how he gets to know people by feeling their faces.  They were all gracious enough to line up and let me feel their faces to see if I could figure out who they were.  I didn't do as well as last year (too many boys with short hair cuts :).  We started talking about Braille and I gave each of them a card with the Braille alphabet on it.  Then I showed them one book of the Bible in Braille which is quite impressive.  They loved closing their eyes and feeling the pages.  We talked about all of the places you can find Braille now, such as on signs, bandage boxes, and even some Starbucks cards. 

     This morning we listened to a clip from Joni Eareckson Tada.  She shared about how the wheelchairs are picked up and taken to correctional facilities and rebuilt.  My favorite story is hearing about the inmates working on the wheelchairs and hoping not to be released until they finish rebuilding them.  What a powerful story!

     We hung hundreds of butterflies down the hallway today.  I love hearing the younger kids as they look down the hallway and gasp at the number of butterflies on the walls.  I am excited because our director asked if my class would lead a chapel time and share with the younger children about what we are doing.  I can't wait to tell my kids tomorrow.  They will be so excited!

     Tonight I can't stop thinking about my sweet Jack.  He has worked so hard raising money for the wheelchairs and with such excitement and compassion.  He has raised over $500 so far and I know he has another large sum coming in.  Jack has worked hard by selling coffee, juice, and muffins, but he has also been diligent to share with people about "Wheels for the World." Jack has a wonderful circle of family and friends that are jumping in to support both Jack and this wonderful cause.  This is how the butterfly effect works.  A butterfly flaps its wings which move molecules.  Those molecules then bump into other molecules which bump into other molecules and the effect gets bigger and bigger.  I bumped into my students by telling them about people with disabilities and the kids that need wheelchairs.  They were touched and raised money and they shared with other people and they were touched and donated money and the effect continues on as more and more people get involved and effect change.  The effect and possibilities are endless!  In addition, there is a long line of people before me that started the butterfly effect.  It would almost be impossible to determine where the effect started. As Andy Andrews said in his book, The Butterfly Effect, "what we do matters."

     Right now we are halfway through our unit and the kids have raised enough money for 10 wheelchairs!!  I can hardly believe it!  The butterfly effect is growing by the minute and 10 precious children will be able to have the gift of mobility because of what 15 kids have done.

     

Day 10: WOW!

  Today was the second day of our "Wheels for the World" market.  The kids enthusiasm and excitement is stronger than ever!  It makes me laugh because a couple of the kids kept getting upset with their parents for giving change back to customers.  They told their parents to quit giving the wheelchair money away!!

    One of my students had spent a great deal of time writing and publishing a story to sell.  She was so proud to tell me that she had done it all by herself and I am proud of her momma for letting her do it by herself and cheering her on each step of the way.  I am always blessed by watching my students grow in their understanding of people, disabilities, compassion and sacrifice during this unit and this little girl has grown so much.  A few days ago her mom shared the following with me through e-mail....

     I was so happy that Arden sat in the wheelchair today!  She had been adamant that she would not ride in the wheelchair.  She was very uncomfortable with the idea.  She didn't seem to take issue with the wheelchair, but she told me; "I am NOT riding in it!  My legs work fine!"  This conversation went on for several weeks leading up to today.  Today she told me, "Oh, I was the line leader today and I rode in the wheelchair!"  I asked her, "Oh... how was that?"  "It was really fun!  Mrs. Boggess pushed me really fast!"  I told her I was proud of her for trying something different.  

     It is amazing to see how powerful a tool the wheelchair is.  It keeps down a powerful wall that many adults have.  Children are curious and have so many questions.  If we answer those questions and expose them to a variety of people and situations, they will stay compassionate rather than afraid.  I am proud of sweet Arden as she has been willing to learn and grow through this unit.

     After our market, we had a good friend of mine come visit.  Toni is an interpreter for our church.  She did a beautiful job of connecting with the children and helping them understand people with hearing impairments.  She started off by asking them what they knew about people who cannot hear.  She corrected some of their thinking and then helped them understand children with hearing impairments are much like them.  Toni taught them a variety of signs and told them a familiar children's story through sign.  The kids were very excited as they realized what the story was.  Toni signed a few familiar children's songs and then completed our time by joining in one of our "happy dances" for another wheelchair.  The kids have now raised over $1,000 which equates to over 6 wheelchairs!  God is so good!

Day 9: How the Ear Works

     I am a little behind on my posts because so much has happened in the last couple of days!  I am so excited for the kids, because they are excited!  The market has gone really well.  The kids sold a variety of muffins, cookies, cupcakes, Rice Krispie treats, goldfish and coffee.  They also sold pictures, notecards, pencils, magnets, used books, and bookmarks.  I have loved watching their personalities emerge through this.  We have a variety of marketers, entrepreneurs, and philanthropists in our class!

     In class today we watched a clip off of You-tube on how the ear works.  I didn't think they would be that interested, but they kept wanting to watch more.  Most of the boys were saying, "Cool!" and the girls were saying, "Oooo gross!'  They all wanted to watch more though and were amazed by how the ear captures sound and processes it.

     I don't know how many wheelchairs they have raised enough money for yet, but the money is pouring in!  I keep picturing a child with a huge smile on their face, because they will be able to go to school, or church, or be out with friends because they finally have a wheelchair.  I am so grateful for all of the hard work the kids have done!

Day 8: Another "Happy Dance"

     We are on Day 8 of our unit on "How to Be a Friend to Someone with a Disability" based on Joni Eareckson Tada's On a Roll For Jesus curriculum.  This week we are talking about hearing impairment.  Today I showed them four different hearing aids and how they have become smaller and less noticeable.  Most of the kids started talking about their grandparents and how they can't hear well and some wear hearing aids.  I shared some tips with them on how to communicate effectively with their grandparents and will be sending a handout home for them to share with their parents.  We also watched a few video clips about cochlear implants and how exciting it is when someone is able to hear for the first time.

     The kids have loved learning sign language.  I am always amazed by how quickly they can learn.  In just 3 days they have learned 60 different signs.

     One of the kids brought in $80 she had raised by selling cupcakes.  We were all able to do our second "happy dance"....two wheelchairs and counting :)

Day 7: God Can Use Our Abilities and Disabilities

     Today we talked about when Jesus healed a little boy that was deaf.  The little boy was overjoyed to be able to hear.  I asked the children if Jesus heals everyone that is deaf and they said yes.  We had a great discussion about how sometimes God heals people and sometimes God has another plan and doesn't heal the disability.  God can use our abilities and disabilities in powerful ways.  We talked about a variety of people and the tremendous ministries they have and often times, because their disability is a platform from which they can share.

     Some of the kids brought in money they had earned for the wheelchair today.  They love watching the flight of butterflies grow down the hallway as they put one up for every dollar earned.  They have all been working on their crafts and goodies for the sale on Thursday and Friday.  Their enthusiasm and joy in raising funds has been a blessing to watch.

Day 6: Our First Happy Dance :)

     It was great being back with my little buddies today!  As they came in they handed me bag after bag of cash and butterflies with huge smiles on their faces.  As I shared before, some of them sold baked goods, but others cleaned pools, emptied their piggy banks, sold retrieved golf balls, sold lemonade, did chores, entertained younger siblings, and shared with Grandma about children that need wheelchairs.  They were excited to see the butterflies stretching down the hallway from all of their fundraising efforts.

     Today we started our week on "How to Be a Friend to Someone With a Hearing Impairment."  We were able to spend time with our sweet friend Joni.  She shared with us about how wheelchairs are collected from hospitals and people's attics or wherever they may be stored.  The wheelchairs are then sent to correctional institutions to be refurbished before they are distributed around the world.  We were also able to watch some clips from Joni and Friends Kids' Corner.  Joni taught us about how to be respectful when we are curious about a disability.

     At the end of our "Circle Time" we were able to have our first "happy dance," because we have raised enough money for our first wheelchair!

Back To School Tomorrow...

     I wouldn't be honest if I didn't say I am a little disappointed spring break is over.  I have had so much fun with my grandchildren and my brother.  I have loved getting up when I want to, getting out of my PJ's when I want to, and especially going to bed as late as I want to.  It is always nice to have a little down time!

     Tonight I am excited that I will be heading back to school in a few hours though.  I have been looking through pictures my students have sent me over break and that brings joy to my soul!  They have been working hard crafting, cooking, and selling to raise money for the wheelchairs.  They will be so excited when they bring in their ziplock bags of money tomorrow morning and I will be excited for them.  More than that, I am excited for the children that will be able to get around soon because of their sacrifices.

     Yesterday I was able to step back in time for an hour.  A friend's niece came over to talk about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  My friend knew that I had some things to share with her about Dr. King and the impact he made on my dad, and then me.  I shared with her the changes that have occurred starting with my great-great grandfather who served in the Civil War down to my grandchildren whose first president is black.  I wish more people could put political views aside and appreciate all that it means.  We have come a long way.

     When my dad met Dr. King many years ago, he affected the course of my dad's life to serve in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.  Then, dad helped set the course of my life as he became involved in the Americans with Disabilities Act and now I serve special needs families.  In terms of change,  my students and grandchildren can go to a park that accommodates children with all kinds of disabilities and you can barely see it, because it is so natural.  Once again, we have come a long way.

     I am so grateful for all of the people that have sacrificed along the way from Abraham Lincoln to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to Joni Eareckson Tada.  They sacrificed so that things might be different someday and thankfully they are.  Change can happen and each one of us can make a difference!

Highlights of Spring Break

     It has been a wonderful spring break so far.  I haven't accomplished anything on my chore list and maybe that is part of why it has been wonderful :)  On the other hand, I have been able to do so much of what is important to me.  

     I started off the week by going on a road trip with my daughter and granddaughter.  While my daughter was visiting friends, my granddaughter and I visited a very special aunt and uncle and for her, great-great aunt and great-great uncle.  They are both special to me and have been there for me throughout my life, especially when I lost my dad.  

     My uncle continues to inspire me.  He has had physical challenges all of his life, but it never stops him.  It is difficult and painful to walk, but he continues to work hard to provide for his family and never complains.  He continually adjusts his life to make it work.  I admire him and look up to him.

     I came back home to a visit with my brother, Mark.  He is another person in my life that I greatly admire.  All of us have challenges of one kind or another and if I had to say Mark had one at all it would be Mark's sense of time.  He has a slower pace than a lot of us, but it is also a gift that I have seen God powerfully use throughout his life.  Very few people in this world have more time, patience, and compassion than Mark does.  He has served the children living in children's homes by giving the time they needed to know they are important and valued.  He has served the mentally ill for over ten years by encouraging, coaching, educating, and training them to build lives and careers.  He has spent endless hours rebuilding computers to give to those he serves so they can have the tools they need to build lives and careers.  When it comes to the people he loves, Mark has endless hours to serve with a servant's heart and to listen to any trials you may be going through.  I know for me, Mark is like sitting on a deserted island and watching the waves slowly come in and out.  He has a very calming, loving spirit about him and if he was a person that hurried, he probably wouldn't have these qualities.

     On Wednesday, I met my students at the "Play for All" park in Round Rock, Texas.  As a teacher I had hoped to have some time to sit the kids down and point out all of the accommodations there are for children with special needs.  The beautiful thing is that I couldn't.  There were so many people there for spring break and the kids are off running and playing as they should be.  I love that they may not notice the accommodations because they are natural part of the park.  On Monday I will point out the accommodations through photographs.  I am sure they will come up with some different ones than I noticed.

     One of the highlights for the week has been the e-mails and texts I have received about the fundraising projects the kids are pursuing.  They are so excited about the cookies and cupcakes they have sold.  I know we have over  $200 now.  That is exciting!

Day 5: Amazing People

     The kids were so excited when a beautiful dog walked through the door of our classroom this morning.  Our special guest was a young woman that has had diabetes since she was a young child.  Three years ago she received a dog that is trained to alert her whenever her blood sugar is too low.  Apparently the dog will start whining and nudging her until she checks her blood sugar.  I asked her if the dog is always right and she shared that she has learned to never doubt her.

     Beth shared that service dogs are used for a variety of situations.  People that have diabetes, seizures, can't walk, or blind are using service dogs.  She shared that they are now training them to detect cancer with their incredible sense of smell.  Beth shared how she gained freedom by having her dog.  She knows that her dog will watch out for her and take care of her.

     After Beth left I told the kids that I wanted to introduce them to another amazing person.  I grabbed my guitar and started gently strumming the guitar while I talked to them.  I shared about a young man that was created with a love for music and had a great deal of talent, but he was born without arms.  He wanted to play the guitar, but how could he?  I am holding the guitar with one hand and strumming it with the other.  I asked them if they thought he was ever able to play.  The children said he would never be able to.  I shared he actually was able to, but how?  Finally, one of the kids faces lit up and she said he must have played it with his feet.  I set the guitar on the ground and tried to strum it with my toes.  I then played one of Tony Melendez's CD's for the kids and they were amazed.  I shared how talented Tony is and how he travels around the world playing beautiful music and telling people about Jesus.   The kids all started clapping for Tony and asked if they could meet him.  I wish I could have Tony visit, but we did enjoy his music!

     Later we watched some clips from Joni and Friends Kid's Corner.  The kids love them so much.  Today they were pleading to watch some more and said they would hurry to get their math and phonics lessons done so we would have time. We watched a clip called, "Invisible Disabilities."  In it a young lady shared about diabetes and how we need to be supportive of friends that have invisible disabilities.We also learned about not being afraid to get close to someone with a disability and to give eye contact.
     Next week the kids and I will be on spring break and they have plans to work on all kinds of projects.  We will have our "market" at school the week after break to raise money.  The kids were all excited to start working on their project and were even getting their siblings involved.  Now, Mrs. Boggess needs to get busy as well!

Day 4: Pictures and Lollipops

     One of my students proudly brought in a ziplock bag with cash and paper butterflies mixed together.  He was so excited to tell me about the money and how he had earned it.  I have to say the creative marketer has emerged in our classroom :)  He colored pictures and sold them for a dollar and for their purchase, he gave them a lollipop for free!  I love the way kids think!

     I started off "Circle Time" by reading from On a Roll for Jesus by Joni Eareckson Tada.  She has a quiz about myths regarding people with disabilities.  Some of the myths are that people with disabilities only like to be with other people with disabilities, you can catch a disability from another person and that a person in a wheelchair has to always be in a wheelchair.  I have to say the kids did very well on the quiz.  They probably did better than most adults.

     Later we watched a DVD from Joni's Kids Corner.  She has great lessons on a variety of disabilities.  You can visit Kid's Corner at http://www.joniandfriends.org/kids-corner.  

    We had a great time popping wheelies in the wheelchair as we went to lunch and to recess.  I told the children that tomorrow we will  meet two amazing guests and they can't wait to find out who they are....

Day 3: One of Those Amazing Days!

     I have been teaching for 18 years now, ten as a homeschooling mom and eight as a preschool teacher.  As a teacher you have some days that are AMAZING and then you have some days that well, aren't so amazing.  Almost always though, I ask myself on the way home, Did I make any sense today?  Was I able to make a difference in someone's life?  Were today's lessons meaningful?
     Well, today was special.  I came home to a wonderful e-mail...

I also wanted to let you know that on the way home from school, _____ said he needed to go home and do chores so he could earn money for a child's wheelchair.  He came home and cleaned the playroom (which is no easy task in my house), his room (under his bed and dressers), he cleaned up trash in our yard and did recycling.  He is very excited about this project! :)

     For the teacher part of me this is like getting a home run, not due to anything on my part, but I get to be in the stands watching the home runs God is hitting.  I just get to be there and that is exciting!  Don't you agree that a five year-old coming home from school acting this way has to be an act of God!
     As a momma, it can be hard to watch your child work so hard, but I can already picture my sweet boy's face tomorrow at Circle Time proudly handing me the money he earned and telling me how he did it.  It already brings a smile to my face :)  We already have 59 butterflies (one for every dollar raised) going down our hallway and tomorrow, my sweet boy will proudly be part of it.  That makes my whole year as a teacher!
     I had another highlight today that makes me smile.  I was sharing with the children, How to be a Friend to Someone with a Physical Disability from Joni Eareckson Tada's book, On a Roll for Jesus!
She gives very helpful suggestions on how to treat someone in a wheelchair with respect.  One of the suggestions is, Look past the wheelchair or whatever physical disability the person has.  It is okay to look at the individual.  Later in the morning I asked the children to recall the suggestions and one of my student's interpretation of that suggestion was, Don't stare at someone's boo-boo's!
     The student that made this comment has one of the biggest hearts in the world.  He is a good friend.  He is compassionate.  He is self-sacrificing.  He has remnants of childlike speech and looked up so innocently and said, Don't stare at someone's boo-boo's!  It may not be politically correct to say it this way, but I love the refreshing simplicity of a child's perspective.  An adult would need a long politically correct explanation, but a child just says what is on their mind.  I think I have the best job in the world (including the days I get sneezed on!)

Day 2: Mephishobeth, King David, and Painting With Our Teeth

     We started our morning off with some great worship songs and then went straight into our Bible lesson for the day.  We read a paraphrase of the story of Mephibosheth in 2 Samuel 4:4, 9:1-13.  It is a powerful story about how Mephibosheth was mistreated and denied his right to be king because of his disability.  People mistreated him which led to more people mistreating him, which led to even more people.  When King David realized what was happening he befriended Mephibosheth and gave him the land and respect that was rightfully his.  When King David extended kindness and invited him to eat at his table, people started to change.  More and more people started extending kindness to Mephiboseth.  This story led to a great conversation with the children about bullies and how they can  lead others to mistreat people.  The children realized that they can change how someone is treated by the example they set.  The children came up with great examples and applications and were moved by the story.

     We followed up with our memory verse for the week:  A new command I give you; Love one another.  As I have loved you so must you love one another. John 13:34

     After our morning "Circle Time" we had the opportunity to paint the way Joni does...with our teeth!  As the children came to the table, they commented on how easy this was going to be and they were very shocked when they found out otherwise.  After the children completed their paintings, I showed them two paintings Joni has done and all of their mouths dropped.  They were amazed by her talent!  We concluded our lessons for the day by reading:

• Don't Call Me Special...A First Look at Disabilities by Pat Thomas
• You've Got a Friend by Joni Eareckson Tada

     Tomorrow we will learn specific ways we can be a kind friend to someone with a physical disability.  I am so thankful for the "On a Roll for Jesus!" program Joni wrote.  It is such a great framework for this unit.

Blessings-

Deana

     

Day 1 - Meeting Joni

     Today was the first official day of our special needs unit.  The kids were able to meet Joni Eareckson Tada through a DVD this morning.  They were all captivated as they listened to her share her story about her diving accident at 17 that left her paralyzed.  They all felt down the bones in their necks as she explained what happened to her spinal cord.  Joni shared about how discouraged she was, but how christian friends encouraged her, prayed for her, and read God's word to her.  Even when you are five you can't help but feel a connection to Joni because she shares so openly from her heart and you know that her faith in God and passion to serve Him is real.

     Joni shared the story of The Good Samaritan.  The story is such a good example of how we often respond to those in need.  Joni also introduced the children to a teenager and a child that were blessed by the ministry of "Wheels for the World" and were given a wheelchair.

     The children were excited about meeting my teaching assistant, which is a child's wheelchair.  None of them were apprehensive at all and wanted to be the first one to ride in the wheelchair.  Usually the children take awhile to feel comfortable, but the children this year wanted to give the wheelchair a name and identity.  Due to the happy face patch on the back of the chair, they named it "Smiley."

     We read a variety of books today about physical disabilities and colored a couple of coloring pages that will go in a special memory book at the end of the unit.

     On the playground and in the hallway a number of children's heads turned when the tiny wheelchair went by.  They were instantly concerned about the child riding in it.  It gave us a great opportunity to share about what we are learning.

     It was exciting to have $55 come in to kick off our fund-raising efforts, but it was even more exciting to hear the children's questions.  They are so full of questions and even better, compassion.  I would love to share more, but I better get some sleep.  Thanks for reading....

Deana

Books we read today:

Someone Special Just Like You by Tricia Brown

We Are All Alike We are All Different by Cheltenham Elem. School Kindergartners

Bebe and Me by Sophie McDow

Some Kids Use Wheelchairs by Lola M. Schaefer

Some Kids Use Braces by Lola M. Schaefer

God Created Us With a Plan and a Purpose

     Monday we will officially start our month long journey, "How to Be a Friend to Someone with a Disability."  It is often hard to know where to start, but yesterday we laid the foundation by starting with God Himself.

     We kicked off our unit by talking about how wonderfully God created each of us!  God had a plan when He made us and God has a wonderful plan for our lives, both present and future.  We talked about the following verses, the truth about our creation and how God truly cares for us.  On Monday we will talk about how this is true for ALL of the people God has created.

• So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.  Genesis 1:26-28
• For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  Psalm 139:12-14
• And even the very hairs on your head are all numbered.  Matthew 10:29-31
• I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139: 13-15
• "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:1-12

     After sharing the verses (and discovering that we cannot count the number of hairs on our head) we talked about what it means that God created us, planned us, and has a purpose for our lives.  I often tell my five year-olds that we are like secret agents and God has a special mission for us.  We just have to figure out what God's mission is.

     Next we read one of my favorite children's books, I Like Me by Nancy Carlson.  It was one of my daughter's favorite books as well.  It is about a pig and the things the pig likes about herself.  And when the pig falls, she picks herself right back up.  At one point in the book the pig looks in a mirror and says, "Hi, Good Lookin'!"  I passed around a mirror and had the kids look in the mirror and say, "Hi, Good Lookin'!"  We all laughed and had a great time as we did it.  I am sure some of my parents already wonder what is going on in The Castle Class!  I can envision all of them looking in their mirrors at home.

     We concluded our time together sharing the "All About Me" posters we had made the day before.  After each child presented their poster we clapped and cheered and said, "God did a great job when he created ....!"

     There are lots of preparations to make and I would covet your prayers.  Please pray that I will be able to answer the kid's questions, be able to point them to the sovereignty of God, and be a worthy example of compassion.