Missing You

These are the days I miss you almost more than I can bear.
Autumn days filled with swirling leaves
And cold winds
And smoke rising from chimneys.

Do you remember teaching me the poem about autumn?

Come little leaves said the wind one day....

Do you remember peeling apples from the front yard apple tree
Before the storm ripped it up, roots and all?
Do you remember always acting surprised when I came into
your bedroom every morning with your shawl behind my back?
You never let me know you were only pretending to be surprised every morning by this gesture of my love.

Do you remember how much I love you?
Do you remember the summers I stayed with you?
Do you remember teaching me to skip?
Do you remember --- me?

What must it be like in heaven?
Do you remember waking up one morning, believing you were there?
Do you remember being disappointed to find out you were here instead?
Will you be waiting for me there?
I miss you so.

I had a dream about you a long time ago
You were in the back yard with Daddy Clair.
He had been in heaven several years already.
Yet, he was there, welcoming you.
The dream was a wonderful gift for me. I believe it was from God Himself.
He wanted me to know you were well and happy.

I long to dream about you again.
I long to skip again.
I long to bring your shawl again.

I love you.

Mississippi Madness?

Last night my daughter phoned on her way home from another stressful day teaching kindergarten in Morehead, MS. Her question to me was, "Mom, why should I have to defend myself for not hitting my kids?"

K is in the Teach for America Program, which places college graduates in teaching positions in "at risk" schools across the country. These are either inner-city schools (as found in Harlem and Detroit), or very rural schools (as found in South Dakota, North Carolina and the Mississippi Delta). Her first choice was the Delta, and was very pleased to be assigned to teach kindergarten in a school which was 99% African-American.

As she researched the public school policy for Sunflower County, Mississippi, she found that the favored form of discipline was spanking. Alarmed, she immediately contacted her TFA supervisor in the Delta to voice her concerns and advise TFA that under no circumstances would she spank any of her students, nor would she condone that action by anyone else. Her supervisor assured her that there was no cause for alarm, and that physical punishment was the exception rather than the rule. K's students would only be paddled if she herself administered that punishment.

Sadly, this has proven NOT to be the case in her school. Her teaching assistant, her principal, her reading coach, and all her fellow teachers believe her view of spanking as ALWAYS WRONG and NEVER AN APPROPRIATE WAY TO TEACH ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR, as ridiculous. They believe that belittling, berating, and beating are the only methods to correct behavior problems - yes, even for her four- and five-year-old students.

Yesterday her distress was made worse by the knowledge that one of the students had come to school with the marks from the prongs of an extension cord on his legs. The result of a whipping delivered by one of his parents. The student's teacher phoned Mississippi's DHHR to report the incident. Their response to her was that she was simply wasting their time with this sort of report.

K believes these children, under these circumstances, will have little hope of breaking out of the cycle of violence without immense changes in the policies of the public school system. Of course, when parents themselves believe the definition of discipline is "spanking" or "beating," and that such discipline is perfectly acceptable, there are great changes needed within the homes as well.

In the book God's Politics, Jim Wallis speaks of changing the wind. Sadly, I believe there can be no improvement without this change in the winds of Mississippi; however I am at a loss as to how or where to begin.

My request for any who read this post and share my concern is that you would please pray about this situation, and offer your comments.

Strength in Forgiveness

It is my privilege to teach the Youth (6th - 12th grades) Sunday School Class at my church. Because our pastor draws his sermon topics from the Revised Common Lectionary, I try to choose topics for discussion from those scriptures as well.
I recently read a post concerning the question whether being angry at God is a sin. There are those who believe it is, and those who believe God understands our anger. This week's Lectionary includes passages from Job - one who dared to demand answers from God as a result of the tragedies that had destroyed his children, his property, and had brought a barrage of questions from his "friends" who had determined that Job must have committed horrendous sins to receive such punishment from God. Even his wife said, "Curse God and die!"
In light of what has transpired over the past week at schools in Colorado, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, I believe the topic of anger - regardless of to whom the anger is directed - is one we should roll up our sleeves and tackle.
In a suicide note left for his wife, Charles Carl Roberts IV, the man who shot the 10 young Amish girls in Nickel Mine, PA, stated:
"...the tragedy with Elise...changed my life forever...I am filled
with so much hate, hate toward myself, hate toward God and
unimaginable emptiness..."
Interviews with members of the Amish community have given me hope for our world while humbling me beyond words. Deep within my spirit I know they are living the love and forgiveness Jesus demonstrated during His life on earth. They are the Gospel brought to life. When asked if the community felt anger about what had happened, the response was (forgive my paraphrase), "God allowed this to happen. Many of us view it as a test of faith, knowing there is strength in forgiveness. We feel compassion for his (Mr. Roberts) wife and children, and feel a great sadness for him that he couldn't cope with life."
It has also been reported that the two oldest girls asked to be shot first, hoping their sacrifice would stop his rampage on the younger girls.
It's so true that hatred and vengeance and terrorism and violence will never be prevented simply because we promise retribution in kind. Only by changing the heart can we end such atrocities - only by showing our strength in forgiving.
The students in our class have always been willing to share their thoughts on many different subjects, and they never fail to knock my socks off with their insights. A few years ago we were discussing an animal abuse situation that occurred at a local high school and I made the comment that I didn't understand how anyone could do such a horrible thing. One of my students responded, "Everyone is capable of being mean. We just choose not to be because we know Jesus."
Being angry with God happens - Scripture is filled with examples. My faith tells me to take my anger with God to Him, talk earnestly with Him about it, then listen for His answer. He will answer and give us the strength we need to begin to forgive. That's when our hearts will begin to heal.

Welcome to Common Grounds - Good to the Last Drop

<>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <>< <><

"Do you have a high chair? I'm sure we can manage if we can use one of your high chairs."

"Before we go, could I trouble you for another glass of water? It's so hard to get water over there where we're staying."

"Do you all want to go to the picnic? Be here at 10:00 and you can have a ride. They told me they had room for our car seats."

"Here's a hamburger I had left on my plate. Give it to someone who hasn't had dinner yet. I'm sure it's OK."

"I'll be in your Sunday School Class next year."

"I'm Secretary of the Honor Society!"

"Can we help you with your children? We can take them to the nursery to play, so you can have a break."

"At this time I'd like Theodore to come up. He has asked to renew the vows of his baptism. He has made positive changes in his life and wants to reaffirm his faith and his desire to follow Jesus Christ."

"Is there a rest room here I could use?"

"There are Prayer Request Cards on the tables. If you have any joys or concerns, please write them on the cards, and someone will be around to pick them up so we can include them as we pray tonight."

"We're so glad you came and brought your children. Please come back again."

"I didn't get lunch today, but I knew it would be OK, cause I could come here tonight for dinner."

"Please pray that my family can get back together again."

"I really like that hat you're wearing."

"You are a unique and precious gem....and remember, God don't make no junk."

"Please pray for ______________. He's been clean and sober for two weeks."

"I think I might just come back next week. Can I bring somone else with me?"

"Thank you, Lord, for bringing us here together, to worship You."

Amen!