Joy to the World

Because if this doesn't bring a smile to your face, I just don't know what will. The following are 3 folk tale stories written by 1st graders. Try your hand at it, but if you can't figure them out, translations are to follow in italics. :) Enjoy. I know I sure did.

OneS upon time thar Was 3 fliing prinsun then they Bilt hoses 1 prinsuin Bilt her hose owt of Brix 2 priSis Bilt her hose OWt of Brix 3 prisis Bit her hose OWt of Shro GOne day a prises Came to the hose OWt of Soft Brix hose and Brocit and rand to the uther SoFt Brick hose and ran to the hose that was Shroger BricK She Codit BraKe She ran away the end

Once upon a time there were 3 flying princesses. They they built houses. One princess built her house out of bricks. The second princess built her house out of bricks. The thrid princess built her house out of straw. One day a princess came to the house out of soft brix house and broke it and ran to the other soft brinck house and ran to the house that was stronger brick. She couldn't brake it. She ran away. The End.

Once upon time 2 hapceer witha big bad bunny one hapceer bildid his house alt of cickin wesce a nuther hapcer bildid his house ot of games. Than The big bad bunny sade Little hapcer Leme in not of my ten Mystery Boxice Thin il nock your house don and he Did. the 2 little Pig Colt the bunny and thea had diner 4 sher. The End

Once upon a time 2 hampsters with a big, bad bunny. One hampster builded (built) his house out of chicken wings. Another hampster builded his house out of games. Then the big, bad bunny said "Little hampster let me in." "Not of my chin." Mystery Box. (Not sure about that one...he copied it from somewhere in the room!) Then I'll knock your house down and he did. The 2 little pigs caught the bunny and they had dinner for sure. The End

once upon a time there was one little pig and it lived wiht a chickin and it wasa houce alto of marshelloy and a big bod marshmellyloo one day the chickin told the pig he had to go bild his owne houce. Hewent to gobild his he bilt his houce alt of marshmellowe. he made the big houce that made a big monster. He ran doun the road and he ran into his mother's houce but he ran after the marshmelloy becqce he loved marshmelloys heate it he said it tastied like icecrem.

Once upont a time there was one little pig and it lived with a chicken and it was a house out of marshmallows and a big bad marshmallow. One day the chicken todl the pig he had to go build his own house. He went to go build his house out of marshmallows. He made the big house. That made a big monster. He ran down the road and he ran into his mother's house but he ran after the marshmallow because he loved marshmallows. He ate it. He said it tasted like ice cream.

Ah. The joy of children. :)

Are we asking the wrong questions?

Why did my fiance leave me to start dating someone else?
Why is it that I couldn't get pregnant and when I finally did, I miscarried?
Why did my father leave us and then find a new family to make happy?
Why did I have to lose my job now when I can't make ends meet?
Why did it have to be my little sister that was kidnapped?
Why was I just diagnosed with a disease that is going to steal years from my life?

All legitamite complaints, to be sure. All serious problems that anyone would be blessed to avoid. All tough questions that God must hear all the time, but I wonder...are we asking the wrong questions? Are we looking for the wrong answers?

I'm reminded of one of my life verses. I don't think I'd say it's my favorite verse, but it's certainly been a life verse for me, as I've gone back to it again and again as I learned how I want to live my life. It's given me courage to get through situations and grow instead of letting unfortunate things (which we usually have no control over whatsoever) take me down so low that I don't know who I am anymore. It's Phillipians 4:6-7.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

We can't strive for understanding. We'll never know exactly why "bad things happen to good people." We'll never know exactly why our parents walked out on us. We'll never know exactly why the babies had to die. We'll never know exactly why the things that don't work out for us come so easily to everyone else. But maybe that's because we're asking the wrong questions. Maybe those aren't the things we need to know. Maybe instead we have to ask for peace.

I know that this isn't my most intellectual blog. I know that there are times that I do much more explaining and go much more in depth about things. But I really think that, though it sounds difficult, or maybe even harsh, it's really just a basic lesson in life. Instead of asking for answers, instead of wasting your life away, waiting on an explanation, we should settle for peace. It sounds too simple to be true, but it is. If you ask for peace instead of understanding and needing to know, you'll wake up one day and realize that all of the "whys" of your life aren't running it. They'll still be there, probably without answers, but you'll somehow be strangely okay with it. And that makes all the difference.

If I could use my life experience to make you understand, I would. Instead, I'll just ask you. Did you ever think that maybe you aren't getting answers because you're asking the wrong questions?

Seeing the forest for the trees...or something like that

I've never really understood that saying, but I know it has something to do with tunnel vision. Not seeing the big picture. Only being able to go as far as you can see. Most of the time it's in those situations where something seems just horrible. No matter which way you look at it, it's no good. Until you've accumulated a little hindsight and can see how, even if it did truly suck for a time, it had to be like that in order for something else to come out of it. I don't know if that means that when you're a tree, you only think you're a tree, but really, you're part of a forest...because I don't see how being a tree would really be all that awful. But regardless of how it translates, I've been thinking a lot about it lately. It just seems to be a reoccuring theme the past few weeks.

Last week, a film crew from Emulsion Arts came in to tape my students for a new TV show to air on PBS. It's for a brand new show called Raggs, about a dog named Raggs and his friends and they learn about different things each episode (smell, jobs, etc). As part of the show, the dogs always have a music video where the footage behind the song is of real children exploring the theme (smelling various foods, dressing up, etc). And my children - and hopefully me! - will be on one, if not a few, different episodes as the background to the music videos. This is, undoubtedly, an amazing opportunity! The only reason that we were chosen, however, is because one of the children in my class has already been filmed for a few other episodes. His mother is regularly going to casting calls and getting work for commercials and it was through her direction that Emulsion Arts even chose us. How is this a blessing in disguise? Refer back to last spring's blog about being moved to kindergarten if you don't recall. I was so upset and against leaving 1st grade. Where, by the way, I would've never had this awesome and unique opportunity. But of course, I couldn't see it that way at the time. I was just mad and as far as I was concerned, nothing could ever be better than that.

The same theme came to me again this week as I was reading Job. You probably know the story, but just in case, as I like to do, here is my interpretation of Job, though much shorter. And, as no one on earth is possibly named Job these days and quite frankly I can't relate, let's change it to something that's we've all heard of. How about...Dennis. Yes. Here is the story of Dennis (Job) loosely according to Kristin (and also the Bible):

Ahem.

We find Dennis in Chapter 1, immediately having favor with God. It says that he is "blameless and upright" and although no one is perfect other than Christ our Lord himself, we can basically understand that Dennis is a man to be respected. Someone who is well known in the community as a leader. He had 2.5 children, a dog, a house with a white picket fence in the suburbs and a well-paying business job. It also says that he was the "greatest man among all the people of the East." Obviously, a man in position. The boss. And pretty much da'bomb.

So as God's calling attendance with the angels one day, He realizes that satan has come back to Him and He's like, "Um...hello. I banished you. Go back to Earth." But satan is bored and needs something to do so he challenges God with Dennis, saying "Of course Dennis loves you! You've given him a cushion and protected his family. Anyone would love you for keeping them safe in a bubble!" So God says, "Okay. You may not touch him. But otherwise, have at it. I know my children, Dennis included, and I know that he will not turn away from me. So have fun. And get out of here for real life." So the devil goes back to Earth to mess with the unaware Dennis.

A few days later, while minding his own business, checking his myspace, Dennis receives an email, notifying him that his dog has died. And someone else has come along and stolen the lawn mower and weed wacker and grill and all of the other things that help serve him in his house. As Dennis is finishing that email, he receives another one, letting him know that all of the food in his house has gone bad and there is nothing to eat. Nor can he can go get anything to replace it. The next email alerts him that his brothers and sisters have been kidnapped. The next, that his car has been hijacked and stolen. As he's finishing that, another "You've Got Mail" chimes in only to notify him that a strong wind has blown over his house and that not only did all four walls colapse in, but his children were inside and they, too, are all dead. With nothing left on this Earth, Dennis falls to his face and calls out to the Lord, "You give and take away. But my heart will choose to say, Lord, blessed be Your name." God smiles upon him from heaven, knowing that he has done no wrong.

Unsatisfied by Dennis' response of praise (rather than turning from the Lord), satan goes back up to God with another excuse, "Of course he hasn't turned on you! He is still safe and healthy! Take that away from him and once he is effected personally, surely he will turn his back on you." So the Lord says, "Fine. Although you took EVERYTHING from him for no good reason at all, he is in your hands. But you may not kill him. Now get away from me and stop acting like a big baby." And satan departs back to Earth.

A few days later, he goes after Dennis again, this time striking him with stage 4 cancer throughout his body. As Dennis is laying in pain, his wife says to him, "Are you still so faithful to God? Why don't you blame Him for what He has done to you and just give up trying to live so at least you won't have to suffer in pain!" Dennis laughs at the foolishness in his wife and says, "Shall we accept good from God and not trouble?" Sticking, still faithful, to His God.

Fast forward through a few chapters of Dennis talking to his friends. Sometimes getting their take on things, but typically ignoring their "advice" of complaint; always defending his Lord, knowing that He will surely be victorious in the end. Then the Lord comes to Dennis and has a conversation with him about all that has happened. He rewards him for being faithful and never turning his back on God. Not only that, but He blesses him with even more than he had ever had to begin with!

"You thought THAT was a good house? How about THIS one?!" as He snaps his fingers at a multi-million beach-front property. "You thought THAT was a nice car? BAM! You thought you had a cushion of wealth before? How about if I triple that! And you know what, Dennis, for being faithful through the hard times, for never turning your back on your faith when you lost your job and your possessions and your family, I'll even bring them back to you." And God brought back Dennis' family, with added children, even better than Dennis remembered them. On top of it all, God not only gave him all that he could wish for and more, but he allowed Dennis and his family to live a full life so that they could truly experience all of God's blessings. He lived to be 140 years old. He saw his children, his children's children, his children's children's children and his children's children's children's children grow up. And finally at the end of the book it says, "And so he died, old and full of years."

Again, I don't know what that has to do with a forest or trees. (Although if Job had owned any, they would've most certainly been burned to the ground along with everything else.) But I do know that it reminds us of our perspective. We can only see what's in front of us. But God knows it all. He knew that I would come to love kindergarten and that these opportunities would present themselves, but I had to lose my job in 1st grade and allow myself to be moved first. God knew that this wouldn't be the end of Job's world and that everything would be restored to him in the end, even more abundantly than when Job thought he was at his happiest. He just allowed for certain evils to take place first in order that the opportunity for other blessings could manifest.

And the God of the Bible is still God today. He knows what's happening in your life right now. Crappy or not, it may even be something that He's allowing so that in the end, you will praise Him for what He has done. And just like that saying, whether we understand it or not, He's still the creator of the forest and the trees. And He alone can see it all.