Day 12: What Kind of Character are You?

Brothers, on an ordinary day, revealing their character.

“Who despises the day of small things? Men will rejoice when they see the plumb line in the hand of Zerubbabel.”    ~Zech. 4:10 

     I’ve been in school for most of my life, as a student and as a teacher.  I’ve seen the Dick and Jane McGuffey Readers, the nightmare of ITA in the 60’s, whole-language, phonics, No Child Left Behind, Reading First and balanced literacy, and now Common Core with literacy blocks and differentiation.

      During the literacy blocks, our children are frequently asked to complete graphic organizers like this one.  (This is a link to This Reading Mama which is a wonderful resource for homeschoolers and teachers.  She offers free printables.)  The students need to list the character, recount the setting - which is where everything takes place, state the problem, and finally explain how the problem was resolved.
     I was working with a group of fifth graders this week discussing character.  Character is not simply writing the name of the person in the correct spot on the graphic organizer. The word character is also used to describe a persons traits, attributes and abilities. The famous character, Dumbledore in the Harry Potter Series said, “It is not our abilities that show what we truly are.  It is our choices.”  The character of a books’ character is revealed through their actions and words over time.
      My character and yours is revealed in the same way.  Our life and character are not usually defined by great heroics, but rather by the ordinary decisions we make as we go through our ordinary day.  Our smallest actions, our choices, our attitude, tell the story of our life.
     In John 10:25, Jesus answered the religious leaders of His day,  “I told you, but you don’t believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words.”  (The Message)
     Jesus said, what I say and what I do, reveal who I am.
     As we seek to clothe ourselves in the character of Christ, our daily actions, no matter how small, should serve to validate what our heart values.  Our actions may be baking cookies for fellowship after church, planning a children’s service, honoring our parents, or washing the dishes at the kitchen sink.  God can do a lot with a little and multiply our faithful actions for His kingdom.      
     And if our actions have been less than they ought, take comfort in this.

     Though no one can go back and make a brand new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.   ~Carl Bard

     What do our choices tell others about our character?
     This post is Day 12 in the 31 Day Series: Welcome to My Mess.  You can read the other posts here.
http://holimess.blogspot.com/2013/09/31-days-welcome-to-my-mess.html

Walkway Over The Hudson

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     We went again to the Walkway Over the Hudson.  It is so beautiful and peaceful to walk across this piece of history.

     Before it became the Walkway Over the Hudson, this 1.28 mile structure was the Poughkeepsie-Highland Railroad Bridge.  When trains began rumbling over the bridge in 1888, it was the longest bridge in the world.  The bridge was a main transportation hub that was crossed by 3,500 freight cars each day!  In 1974 the railroad bridge was crippled by a fire.

     Today the Walkway Over the Hudson is the narrowest State Park, as well as, the world's longest elevated pedestrian bridge.  It soars 212 feet above the Hudson River.

     Here you can see the Mid-Hudson Bridge which carries cars and trucks across the river.  It is a close neighbor just a little south of the Walkway.

     My handsome walking companions.  We walked from the Poughkeepsie side of the bridge to Highland and back.

     Pat pointing toward Highland.

     I love that you can see the shadow of the Railway girders reflected in the Hudson River in this picture.

     We were fortunate to see a freight train heading north on the Highland side of the river.

     Looking north.

     A photo opportunity waiting for me and the boys!

Graduation Countdown

     Our daughter, Patty, is about to graduate from High School.  It is such an exciting time of last minute assignments, prom dresses, finals, and ceremonies.  I wanted to make a simple graduation countdown to celebrate her accomplishment.

     Patty has attended BOCES for Culinary Arts for two years.  Her dream is to be a pastry chef.  You can read about our trip to Carlo's Bakery here.  We did not meet Buddy the Cakeboss, but we did see his sister, Mary.

     I purchased an oaktag calendar chart in Patty's favorite purple color.  I had cupcake and chef hat shapes in my school stash, but these can also be purchased at a parent/teacher supply store.  The graduation embellishments were on sale at Michaels for 40% off.  

      I numbered the calendar by the June dates.  I added a graduation hat to each day.   BOCES Graduation Night, Senior Prom, and the Graduation Ceremony received their own special embellishment.  I covered each day with a cupcake or a chef's hat, that Patty could remove and see the graduation cap behind. (Please ignore my freckly hand.)

      Here is the finished Graduation Countdown Calendar.

      Patty was pretty pleased with her surprise.   A Graduation Countdown Calendar is a fun and easy way to celebrate an important milestone.

God, George Washington, and Me

     When I was six years old my parents entered me in religious instruction classes.  The classes took place on Saturday morning, prime cartoon viewing time even then.  I remember the teacher standing at the front of the room telling us that we were going to learn about Jesus, who sits at God's  right hand and God the Father.

     There were two portraits conveniently placed above the blackboard behind her.  The portrait on the right was of Jesus blessing the children.  

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     While this is not the same picture from my childhood, it conveys the same warm feeling.  There were more children gathered around and touching Jesus.   Jesus was wearing a favorite bathrobe and slippers.   Jesus obviously liked children and they, Him.  He did not look like He minded their sticky fingers.  Jesus looked kind and caring.  In the picture I remember, Jesus even had a little pet lamb.  Jesus looked like the kind of adult a child would want to know.

     On the left side was what I thought was a picture of God.  It was a copy of a well known portrait of George Washington.

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     The picture of God was not friendly at all.  God looked very stern and unapproachable.  He had long white hair and a fierce hooked nose.  His clothes were long and dark.  God wore funny looking shoes, and from the expression on his face, they appeared to be pinching his toes.  He looked like the kind of man who might be a principal - someone who held people to rules and handed out punishments.  I was pretty sure that I would get in trouble with him.

     It was years before this case of mistaken identity was cleared up.  In fact, when I saw filmstrips with George Washington on them, I thought he had become President because of his resemblance to God.  George Washington may have been the Father of Our Country, but he was not God the Father.  

     My husband, Pat, will tell you that I do sometimes get in trouble with George Washington.  His picture is on the dollar bill.

     My son, Anthony, was so much smarter than me.  When he was six he told me, "Mommy.  I have God's face."  

     I must have looked a little skeptical.

     "Yes.  My Sunday School Teacher told me so."

So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him,
male and female he created them.  ~Genesis 1:26-27

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’  “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?   When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’   “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’  Matthew 25:34-40 

     Look gently into the faces of those around you.  We are not God, but we are His hands, His feet, and His Face to the people we meet everyday.
     When you pictured God as a child, what did He look like?

Linking to:  Think on These Things.

Erie Canal

     When I was a child one of my favorite songs in music class was The Erie Canal Song, Low Bridge, Everybody Down.  (If you would like to hear it click on the music notes on the link.)   My imagination was caught by having a mule named Sal.  So when we went to celebrate my son Brian's graduation we visited the nearby Erie Canal.

     The Erie Canal is a 363 mile waterway that links Albany, NY on the Hudson to Buffalo, NY at Lake Erie.  This created a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes.  It was constructed in the early 1800's.  It amazes me that men were able to dig such a waterway without the use of modern equipment.

          The light sparkling on the water was so beautiful.  It was a delightful ending to a wonderful day.

      For more fun pictures of "Water" visit Project 52 at Kent Weakley's blog.

Graduation

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. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.  Jeremiah 29:11-13

     Proud Mom Moment:  Last weekend our son Brian graduated from SUNY IT with a Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology.  We are so proud of all that he has accomplished.  It is such an exciting season of life for him.

Caine's Arcade

This is an amazing video about a little boys imagination, the power of play, perseverance and how a chance encounter made his dream come true. One summer nine year old Caine Monroy built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his Dad's auto parts store. Classrooms all over the country should view this video.

Caine's Arcade from Nirvan Mullick on Vimeo.