More Gr8 Reads

*NERD ALERT!* One of the greatest things I LOVE about vacation is the number of quality books I get to catch up on amid the grading, Pinterest-surfing, running, visiting, and relaxing.

This Easter break has been no different. These are the two children's books I thoroughly enjoyed over my first two days of break:

1) The One and Only Ivan --> I sat down this afternoon after a nice brunch with my family with the intention of reading only a few pages of this book. As I turned the final page about two hours later, I realized just how captivating the story is. (Only after I had finished the book did I discover the novel is based on a true story.) It is uniquely told through the eyes of the "ape at exit 8" with a wonderful cast of characters, rounded out by two sweet elephants, a young girl who befriends the animals, and Bob the mutt. This book might seriously be my class's next read aloud - after we finish Wonder, that is.

Do yourself a favor and watch the book trailer on the website. And then, go ahead and get a copy - rent, borrow, buy... And then, set aside about 2 hours worth of time, sit back, and enjoy.

2) Hold Fast --> After the author Blue Balliett came to our school for a visit with the kiddos, I went to Barnes & Noble online and ordered this one, her latest book. It (like her other books) is set in Chicago, and it actually delves into the issue of homelessness (especially for families and children) while providing a most intriguing mystery. Blue Balliett always employs these great mathematical puzzlers and riddles that are solved by characters (and the reader) along the way. (I honestly think I liked this book more than Chasing Vermeer.) I'll be passing this book along to my co-workers and then our students too. It may provide a great segue into discussing the real problem of homelessness in our city, and maybe the students can start thinking of a part they may (one day...or now) be able to play.

Well, I do think I've exhausted the children's books I brought with me. Next up, I have How Children Succeed and The Good Pope: John XXIII and Vatican II - The Making of a Saint and the Re-Making of the Church. I also have about 15+ books to choose from on my Nook. But first, I think I'll need to do some scoring of student mystery book assessments and Social Studies assessment booklets...

        

And, of course, tomorrow being EASTER (!!!), I think I will honor the day of rest and celebrate Jesus' Resurrection with my family. Hope you have a blessed Easter too.

(By the way, this is an interesting post about Popes Francis and Benedict: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/theanchoress/2013/03/27/the-quiet-menace-fixating-on-francis-missing-the-point/)

Humbling Ourselves Before the Lord

"God wants us to humble ourselves, not to degrade us, but so that he can exalt us. To be humble is to recognize the truth that God is the source of our existence, our sustenance, and our dignity. This faithful recognition opens us to the revelation that God is a God of love..."

from The Magnificat Year of Faith Companion

In my (humble) opinion, I believe that being a teacher is one of the most humbling careers someone could have. Each day, we draw from our own experiences, faults, and failings so students may, in turn, learn from us and the things we have done. It is humbling, also, that students daily find many mistakes, from typos on an outline handout to lines in front of test answers that don't need ones to completely messing up the schedule.

But, as the reflection reminds us, God doesn't want to degrade us - nor does he want us to think less of ourselves. Humility is thinking of ourselves less so that we may think of God (and his creation) more.

It makes me think of this C.S. Lewis quote (that I end up sharing with just about everyone, especially in retreat or small faith-sharing group settings):

Now, let us turn our eyes toward the Father and to Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself to save us, as we prepare to enter this most Holy Triduum and Jesus' Resurrection at Easter...

Two...

Two more days. For kids and teachers alike, you might as well tell us we have 2 weeks - that's what it feels like.

And I (for the most part) like school.

But the kiddos need a break from each other. (And they probably need a break from all the testing and projects we've been having them do this week.)

What's going to be the trick for me? Well, today I am going to focus on the Tenebrae service I will be attending at Church tonight. I believe knowing I will spend an evening of meditation, contemplation, music, readings, darkness, and light (all woven together in a beautiful and simple celebration) will help me keep my center today.

And what about tomorrow? Well, tomorrow I am heading home...after school of course.

Here we go...

Three Trees for Easter

It was my mistake - I thought we had already read it this year.

As it turns out, The Three Trees is perfect for the Easter season. And it also happened to fit pretty nicely into our Writers' Workshop lesson for today. So...we called an audible, and we took time to read, predict, and let the message of the story sink in. (Once one student suggested the third tree was being cut into beams to make a cross, the predictions for the other trees' futures just poured out.)

If you are unfamiliar with the Tale of the Three Trees or if you would just enjoy reading it again, you can find an online version here. (Personally, I recommend the picture book version.)

Phew! Glad we got that book in before the break. To think about how someone crafted such an incredibly beautiful story as a testament to our faith is truly inspiring.

Read it and pass it on. And remember, God answers our prayers oftentimes in ways we did not expect.

Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday has been one of the most meaningful Masses of the year for me since I was younger. In trying to explain this to others, I am not always able to articulate my sentiments, but I try anyways...

For one thing, it is familiar to us - the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, the waving of palms, the Last Supper, and Jesus' death on the cross is one we've heard our whole lives. But it doesn't get old. In fact, it grows more beautiful and meaningful with each passing year, as a fuller realization of Jesus' unconditional, sacrificial love becomes more apparent.

In addition, it requires congregational participation. We are the ones crying out "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" I don't know about you, but that's pretty powerful. It reminds me of a retreat I went on in high school, where, after we participated in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, we physically nailed our sins to a large cross. Through this action, it was made clear that Jesus died to save us from all of our sins - those sins which nailed Jesus to the cross.

It is also true that we get palm branches, which I always try to fold into a cross -->

There are other reasons too why Palm Sunday is such a special day in our faith, but I am not going to go into those here. But it is a day which I look forward too with great anticipation because it means, ultimately, that Easter is less than one week away. And that is truly a cause for celebration...

When you got a good thing going on...

Don't let it end, right?

This is exactly why my Living the Eucharist Thursday night faith-sharing group has decided to keep meeting (on a less frequent basis) - and I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity. I was discussing with one of the other women before our meeting started about how we really did get a solid group of people together - everyone was so open, vulnerable, knowledgeable, and honest. Our meetings have been refreshing and hope-giving, a real highlight to my weeks of Lent. Tonight, I truly felt myself filled with gratitude for my group members.

And the idea of keeping our group going serves as a reminder that my Lenten promises and actions do not need to end as this season comes to a close. In fact, as my students were reminded at their retreat this morning, we should all look for ways to keep our Lenten promises going throughout the year to help us continue to grow closer to God.

God is good...all the time...

Amen.

Peace in the Busyness

I probably spent close to 2 hours in the car this evening en route to visit with a family with whom I was friends in Arizona. (It's a long story, but it'd been awhile since I'd seen them...and they had my Girl Scout cookies.)

It actually brought me back to the good old Arizona days, where it was just me, my car, the radio (sometimes), and my thoughts.

And it's amazing what thoughts some quiet alone time can bring.

With so much coming at us each day by the internet and society (and our jobs, friends, etc.), it is refreshing to take a step away and just breathe. Yes, traffic wasn't the best - I ran into a few rough spots. But I found myself not minding at all because, in the busyness, I found peace.

Tomorrow, my students have the opportunity to share in the silent, "desert-like" Lenten experience as they do a half-day retreat in the morning. I hope that they take this time seriously and prayerfully, understanding that the quiet is okay - in the quiet, God speaks to us.

Please keep them in your prayers!