~ Opt for Water ~

Matt and I and friends have decided to opt for WATER rather than other drinks for 11 days in April leading up to Easter.

!(((Please consider participating with us and let me know if you do - so we can do it together)))!

We do this out of consideration for those around the world who do not even have the option of clean drinking water, as advocates for the thirsty and in solidarity with the poor. We will be donating funds that we would have otherwise spent on beverages to a clean water project:::

such as::

www.bloodwatermission.com - founded by Jars of Clay, began as a call to personalize the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa and realized a vital link between living with HIV/AIDS and the need for clean water

www.water.cc - Living Water International out of Denver, is an implementer of participatory, community-based water solutions in developing nations

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So, raise your glass of water and let's make a toast to changing the world or at least to not being ok with the way things are.

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(more organizations to come)

Limmericks by kids, for kids

We taught the kids about Limmericks again this year and asked them to make up their own, which means some of them came up with a first line or so and we teachers filled in the gaps. Some of them are great and some of them did not understand the assignment. :::: Enjoy! :::::


Their once was a boy named Ben
He knew how to count to ten
He was walking his dog
and tripped on a log
And cried over and over again.
~ Micah (7)


There once was a horse named Prince
and he got a really good rinse
he broke the neighbors' fence
the neighbors had to pay with cents
and that is the end of prince
~ Kamicha (8)


There once was a horse named Pearl
And she really liked to chase squirrels.
She got into trouble
And popped someone's bubble
And she had a very big swirl.
~ Michelle (8)


There once was a horse named Speed.
She ate too many weeds.
And she could not go fast.
~ Jentay (9)


**(my personal favorite)**
There once was a man named Bob
Who liked to eat corn on the cob
He lost his tooth
At the corn cob booth
And then began to sob.
~ Darion (8)


There once was a cat named Molly
Who played with and chewed up my dolly.
I got really mad and gave her away
And I got a new cat named Holly.
~ Kelsey (8)


There once was a person named Phil.
He loved to eat dill on a hill.
He swallowed a pill.
All the townsmen used their skills.
But at 8:53 they found he was free to eat.
Too bad for poor Phil.
~ Jefferey (10)


There once was a boy named Jack.
He went to a shop and gave me a sack.
Then he went home and got me a snack.
And went back to the shop.
"Hey cut me some slack."
Then Mack and Jack went back to the house.
~ Jared (10)


There once was a man named Rime.
He made a lot of crimes.
He broke into mountains
And broke into houses.
And one day he ran out of time.
~ Kensey (9)

-:-:- BRING IT -:-:-

Don't tell me what you hope for.  Tell me what you are doing to bring it.  Then you will know both patience and justice. 

 

~ Joan Chittister

amen and amen!

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Lord, I long to see your kingdom here on earth, bring you kingdom, may justice roll down the mountains and cover Denver.  Lord, rend the heavens.

thank you, Jesus!

I had meant to blog earlier about a situation at the childcare center where I work and I was going to title the post "Rip my heart out."

On Monday morning one of the most precious girls in our program, I'll call her Lauren, did not show up and we got a call from the housing program where her mom lives saying that her mother never came home the night before and they were MIA. I was so caught off guard and devastated. Little Lauren and her mother and little brother were recently homeless before they moved into an Open Door housing Program and I was fearing the worst, hence the title "Rip my heart out."

So I had been praying that God would give this mother the courage to do the right thing i.e. not pull her kid out of school in the middle of the semester and drag her through a life of homelessness. And yesterday to my delight as I was walking into the school to pick kids up, I heard her sweet little voice yelling, "Mr. Gary, Ms. Molly!!" and I turned around as she ran to me and I swept her into my arms! It was glorious! I had thought that I might never see her again and she is really the most "full of love" kid in our program... Her spirits seemed to be as high as usual and there were no signs of trauma or instability.

Thank you, God, for taking care of little Lauren, thank you for her faith and for her joy - may the joy of the Lord be her strength in this time of transition, amen.