Autism Awareness

 

April is Autism Awareness Month. During the month of April one of the things that happens is that Autism Speaks asks people to turn their porch lights blue in show of support.

Did you know ...

• Autism now affects 1 in 68 children and 1 in 42 boys
• Autism prevalence figures are growing
• Autism is one of the fastest-growing developmental disorders in the U.S.
• Autism costs a family $60,000 a year on average
• Boys are nearly five times more likely than girls to have autism
• There is no medical detection or cure for autism

National Institutes of Health Funds Allocation

• Total 2012 NIH budget: $30.86 billion
• Of this, only $169 million goes directly to autism research. This represents 0.55% of total NIH funding.

Learn the Signs of Autism so that you can better help children with the disorder. Did you know that girls are good at hiding or masking their Autism? The number of girls with Autism is on the rise.

To learn more about Autism visit https://www.autismspeaks.org/. They have lots of good information about Autism.  

Holy Communion

As a kid communion was a sacred service in the church. Lots of work went into the preparation of it. I grew up in the Presbyterian Church. I can remember Joan setting up the communion. We had little glass cups  with grape juice and real bread cut into cubs. Joan would take all those glass cups home and wash them by hand. Thank goodness we don't use the glass cups anymore. Sometime around he time that I joined the church that we got a new communion set that required getting plastic cups. I didn't start taking communion until I joined the church. It was a thing reserved only for those who were mature in their faith.

My mom's parents were Lutherans. They had real communion wine and little wafers. I hated that stuff. Go up front, get a glass cup, and wait for the Pastor to give out the elements. I would never really eat the wafers. I would stick them in my pocket and pretend to eat it when asked. That was until Grandma caught me. She made me eat it. Then I got a huge lesson about how important communion is.

My Aunt Virginia was Brethren. In her church they did the feet washing. In fact they made a whole weekend of the service. On Saturday they would gather to prepare the communion feast. Saturday Night they would gather to eat it. On Sunday they would have Communion which included washing each others feet.

As a kid we had communion on the first Sunday of each month. Then as I got older this changed. We went to every 3 months and then to every 2 months. Plus they included special events like homecoming, Easter, and so on. I personally don't believe that the more times you take communion that you are going to be a better Christian. I think the more times you take it then it loses it's meaning.

Once I participated in a service of communion where everyone went up front, took a piece of bread, and dipped it into the wine. I liked doing that. It brought the whole communion concept together.

I don't think it really matters how you take communion. It does matter if you have the right mind set for communion. That is to say that you take it with reverence and remembrance of what the elements represent.

The grape juice/wine represents the blood that Jesus shed on the cross for you and me. The bread represents Jesus body that was broken on the cross to concur death and save us from sin.

Remember this and take communion seriously.  

The True Meaning of Easter

I recently watched a program on TBN called Golgotha hosted by Joseph Prince. This story talks about the true meaning of Easter. It was very moving. The program focused on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. It focused on Mary and what she was thinking about Jesus death. It got me to thinking.

In Old Testament times people brought lambs to the temple to be sacrificed for forgiveness of their sins. Part of the service was for the person bringing the lamb to place their hands on it. This was to transfer their sins onto the lamb before it was sacrificed. This was like what God did. He sent his son Jesus to be the sacrificial lamb to take away the sins of the world.

When Jesus was on the cross he did it willingly. He showed those there that day that he was man and God. He wanted to prove to the world at that time that he was here for a higher purpose.

Jesus came to Earth to save us from sin. We in turn are to go share the news of Jesus love with all those that we meet. We need to be the light in the world.

Think about it. If God didn't exist would we even exist? If there would not have been death would we have lived forever?

Jesus came into this world for the purpose of concurring death. He did just that. He fought the battle over death and won.

Death became a factor when Adam and Eve committed the first sin. Before that death was not an issue. It was after that that God worked on a plan to save his people from sin and death. That was to send his son to the world to die for the sin of the world. Ultimately concurring death.

So on Easter we need to thank Jesus for his sacrifice on earth for us. He made the ultimate sacrifice for us. He deserves our praise and thanks.

Have It Your Way?

Burger King has the slogan Have It Your Way and that is fine for the fast food industry. However, in the education system that is not a good line of thinking to have. Let me explain why.

In the education system there are certain things that are expected of you not only by the County BOE, but also the State BOE. If you don't abide by these things or do what is expected of you then you could loose your job and as a teacher you could even have your license to teach pulled.

Also you never know when the State or the County will make a visit to your school. Often times they will make a random appearance in your building. Make sure you are doing what needs to be done. Make sure you are doing your best at all times. Be prepared at all times. You never know too when your Principles will come into your classroom unannounced either.

Don't micromanage things in the classroom. That can cause big time stress to happen. As a teacher if you micromanage everything then you are going to feel it. You will end up with burn out quick. Don't think that you have to have control of every aspect of the day. Be prepared for those times when things are totally out of your control and you have to change.

When I say out of your control I mean for example when there is a 2 hour delay or Early Dismissal and the schedule for the whole school is changed. Don't get upset when you have to change what your are doing in your classroom cause lunch is early or that you have to eat breakfast in your room. Take a deep breath and roll with it. Change happens and we have to be adult about it and deal.

I have also found that when you change the environment of your classroom mid stream (year) that you cause lots of problems. Be consistant all year long. For example if you are a Preschool Teacher start out the year peparing your children for Kindergarten. Find out from the Kindergarten Teachers some of the things they do such as disciple and begin the year out doing those things. Don't wait till school is almost out to start this stuff.

Another example is changing up the classroom. In preschool it is important to keep the room the same all year. Don't decide 6 weeks into school that because the children are out of control that your need to move the centers around. This is the time that you should really be changing your lessons and discipline strategy.

If you have an aide you need to treat them as an equal. Don't make list of things you feel they have to do each day to please you. Take a part in the classroom. If one of the jobs in the room is to vacuum the carpet each evening then you as the teacher need to take a turn. You as a teach can do some of the cleaning of the room. I know that a lot of teachers have paperwork that they need to get done, but you need to take a break from that and help out with other things in the room. You can stay late or come early to work on papers. You can even take things home to work on. It will not hurt you.

I worked with a teacher once that came early and stayed till 7pm most night. That was on top of coming in on the weekends to work in the room. I found that that teacher was very dedicated and wanted to make sure she taught her students everything they needed to know.

Also if you as the teacher treat your aide with disrespect then don't expect your aide to go out of their way to do what you ask of them. An example would be that you got an important message about something going on at school. You fail to tell your aide about it. It happens that you are absent the next day. Your class misses out cause no one knew they needed to be at a certain place at a certain time. Communication is key.

You have just got to take a step back and look at what is the best thing for the students and for the adults in the room. It will bring less stress and everyone will get along. Things will go so much better.

So as a teacher before you have to have it your way think long and hard about what would happen if you control everything and everyone at work. You just might find yourself out of a job and not able to teach ever again.

Worry Less, Pray More

I have found that over the years I tend to worry a lot. Mostly about things that I will never be able to change. Then a friend suggested that instead of worrying about it that I give it over to God and let him handle it. I would feel so much better for it. So that is what I did. Sure enough I felt much better.

Recently I have found myself praying often. I find that when I feel that things are out of control that I can go to God in prayer about what is going on. I can give it over to him and it is like a big weight has been lifted.

Some months back I saw the movie War Room. That has inspired me to begin writing prayers for every aspect of my life that I feel is out of control or that I just need a little help from God in. It has really helped me. I find that I am talking to God more often than I ever had in the past.

My Mom was a big believer in the power of prayer. She would pray all the time. That has started to happen to me. I pray all the time now. I find that when I do I can feel God taking control over whatever I have been praying for.

I also find that during the day I am praying for others. Sometimes it is people that I come in contact with during my day and other times it is people that God has layed on my heart to pray for. I have a strong belief in the power of prayer and what it can do for my life and for the lives of others.

So I encourage you to pray more. When you feel that you are at your weakest pray. That is God's way of telling you that he is up to something God in your life you just need to seek him about it. You may not get the answer to your prayer right away, but God will reveal it in his own time. Be patient. It will be worth the wait.

Life is too short

Life is too short to waste time. This is something that I have learned all too well in my life in the past year. Life is just too short. Last year at this time my Uncle Pat was dying of cancer. I look back and think that I should have spent more time with him, but I realize that I did what I needed to do for him because he would only let me do so much.

My Mom passed in July. I look back and think about all the things that I could have done for her, but realize again she would only let me do so much.

Life is too short to look back on life and realize that you should have done this or that for someone. Life is too short to regret one minute of your life. We should all be like the Goodman Family Song I Don't Regret a Mile. Howard Goodman wrote in that song that he did not regret life. He was glad in a way that he lived his life to the fullest for the Lord. That is the way that we should all be.

Don't beat yourself up about life. Live life to the fullest each and everyday. You never know when the Lord will call you home.

Adopted Mom

Sometimes in life there are people that come along when we need them and make us a part of their family. Back in July 2015 my Mom went to be with Jesus. It wasn't long after that that my cousin Shawna's Mom adopted me and my sister Mary. I know that God had a plan in this.

I am so thankful that Ginger has taken Mary and I in as her own children. Adopted child is wonderful. However, it is not the same as having my real mom around. I miss her everyday. I was not ready to let Mom go.

Ginger has been there to fill a void in my life. I have been going through the most hurtful pain in my life. I never expected to loose Mom when I did. I will admit that I was so mad at God for taking Mom away. I realize now that God had a bigger plan in all of this.

I am so thankful each and everyday that God knew who I needed at a time of great loss in my life. I have been adopted into a wonderful family. I feel so loved. I am blessed.

This reminds me of the fact that I have another adoption. God adopted me into his family. That is a wonderful thing. Being adopted by God means that in the end I will get to spend eternity with him. That is a great part of being adopted into the Family of God.

So thank you to all those that have adopted me. I feel so loved and blessed.