Math scores down...really? wow, color me surprised.

All over the news today, anchors are talking about math grades for 4th and 8th graders are lower than they were in 1990.   So shocking is it, that the ticker tape on the bottom of the news programs are putting it right after breaking news.

And....we are surprised by this?  

When i went to school in the 70's and 80's, we had time off during the day, there always seemed to be one period where kids could talk to friends, read a book, catch up on homework.  Then there were the "easy A" classes, where you could just chill and enjoy (or write notes to pass to your friends between classes).  Gym was running around, playing games, yeah there were always the kids who hated physical ed, but for the most part, it was just a great way to work off the energy.   There was homework, often a ditto or two, some reading, but there was time after school to hang out with friends, walk on the beach (okay, not everyone had a beautiful glorious beach), and just chill.

I have four kids, so I have been watching the school system since about 1990 to the present.  

This is what I have seen -

No longer are there 7 periods, there are 4 very long blocks, where kids have to sit, pay attention, write notes and prepare for nightmare state testing.  Then, they come home and often have 2-4 hours worth of homework.  No, i am not kidding.  Apparently 90 minutes is not enough torture, they come home and have to do a lot of homework.  

Music went from singing and learning the difference of a flat and whole note, to choirs and competitions and district competitions.   One of my kids had surgery, so couldn't go to gym, and had to write a book report.  She couldn't sit and watch the class for the few weeks while she recovered, she had to write a book report to add to all the homework she missed before and after the surgery.  I remember when I broke my leg...i went to the library, read, did my work and the librarian taught me how to prepare new books for the shelves.

Now, instead of kids writing notes to each other and sharing in the halls, they are walking next to each other with their face in their phones, writing text talk, and playing games.  Kids don't go out and play and race around, they sit in front of the computer, tablet, phone, game station, and play violent games, becoming numb to the horrors of killing people (could that be the reason why the school shootings are becoming a common event?).

No fault to teachers, they do what they have to do to meet the requirements of the state, or risk being fired.   They no longer can be fun and creative and take a day off just to play with the kids...they have to focus on the standardized testing and their kids passing to make the school look great and get a banner outside proclaiming they are a passing school.

School has become a job for children.  Talk about abusing Child Labor Laws...kids often head to school at 7am, come home at 6.45 pm and still have homework to do. 

Because you can't just go to school, you have to do amazing extra curricular activities, or you won't get into a good college.  Having great grades is not enough, i saw a girl graduate top of her class, and not get any scholarships, because all she had was great grades, nothing else - no sports, church activities, volunteer, etc...just amazing grades.  Sorry, no scholarship for you!

Remember that Ziggy comic "STOP THE WORLD, I WANT TO GET OFF!"?  I feel like our kids are screaming that inside.  No more breaks and fun activities...just work until you drop, get up and start all over again. 

I am praying for our kids.  Praying that somewhere someone realizes we are forcing our babies to grow up before their time, and forcing schools to stop being fun and focuses on what the states demand.  I am praying for the parents, who are watching their kids fall apart in tears when they can't find a single ditto that they have to hand in or get an F which will force them to miss lunch and be forced to sit with the teacher and make up the ditto which will now only give them a B or C.    I am praying for the teachers, who went to college with dreams of touching children with the future and making a difference in the world and are instead broke and overworked, with classes bursting at the seams with so many students, not enough supplies, special needs kids not getting the help they need and spending money they barely have to buy supplies the school can't afford.

I love you.

Filled with...

Where is your heart today? Is it full of pain, because of events in your life? Stressed over your children, your marriage, your financial situation? Is it hurting, because someone hurt you? Is it heavy, because you just just worn down by your life? Your heart is in the very center of your being, and whatever it feels affects everything you do, everything you feel, everything. What you fill your heart with, it affects everything . If you fill your heart with hate, your body will be dragged down by the hate. If you fill your heart with sadness, you will feel sadness and misery all around you. You have to find a way to take the bad out of your heart, and fill it with the good. I find myself praying all time, praying for God to take the bad thoughts, the angry memories, the wicked temptations out of my heart and to replace them with His love, His forgiveness, His blessings. It isn't easy. So often, at times of weakness, those evil feelings slip in, and i have to fight to get them back out again. And i pray, and i pray. And i am thankful that He is a merciful God that doesn't judge me on my constant slips and sins, but He forgives me and gives me a chance to right myself back up. Pray, pray, pray and pray again. Lighten the load in your heart that is dragging you down right now. God loves you, i love you.

don't second guess

Self doubt sucks. It holds you down, it makes you a prisoner of yourself. Even worse, people around you can encourage it with one word. No matter how many times you tell yourself “I am good, I am worthy, I am a wonderful child of God,” self doubt creeps in and suddenly, all those wonderful words go out the window, leaving you uncomfortable, insecure and unsure. You work on building yourself up again…and it starts all over again….the vicious circle. 
So how do we stop it, how do we stop that self doubt from creating in and destroying all we work so hard to build up.
One verse: “The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
God’s breath is in us. His AIR runs through our veins. We are good, we are wonderful, we are fantastic, because we have His breath in us. I believe when a baby is born, brand spanking new, and they take that first gasping breath, it is Gods breath filling their tiny lungs..
And then, during a day of self doubt, I look in the mirror and say to me “I got God’s in me, I am GOOD.”

Fear

You are afraid, worried that if you ask, the answer will be no. You don't want to go, because you are afraid of the answer. You don't want to try, because you fear the results. Fear is holding you back from going through with something that could be very important. You are afraid of the answer, you are afraid of what will come of it, you are afraid of being alone. That is not the way to be. What ever it is, you are not alone, God is with you, your friends are there, i am right here. We will all stand by you. The answer is something we can all handle. Yeah, it can be scary, or it can be weight off your shoulders. But you know you have to go, you know you have to answer, you know you have to try. Don't be afraid, we are here with you. I love you.

Share with 20 friends.....right.....not.

I just received yet another" pass this on for good luck,of you don't, bad luck will follow you. Wouldn't it be nice if it was that easy? To ensure a good day, forward a message to seven people...okay- Happy Time! Well, we all know those letters don't work, God, prayer and a little help from our friends, however, can turn a bad day to a very good day. On those days, and we have all had them, when it starts off bad and steadily gets worse...stop, pray, pray again, and then call a friend. Don't wallow in your misery, have a friend you can call on for a supportive word, a quick laugh, to plan a quick break. Don't let the misery take over, let God and a little help from your friends prevent a bad day from turning into a horrible day. And if you see someone having a bad day ~ a card, a hug, a cup of tea goes a long way. I love you.

PhotoShopping Gods Work

Yesterday, while scrolling around on the computer, waiting for my next shift, i saw a headline "biggest photoshop fails" so i clicked to see what it was about. And my heart cracked.

The site was full of people trying to "improve" their body, and failing miserably. And i couldn't laugh, i just thought...jeepers, how sad. Girls thinning their waistline, men making their abs stand out, or giving themselves bigger muscles, girls enhancing this and removing that....no one was happy with their body.

No one was happy with their body. How sad is that?

Years ago, God gave me a message. I was teaching bible study for middle schoolers and i was stunned with the nasty comments and the cutting down they were doing for each other. So i prayed, and i prayed, asking for help on how to tell them that it was wrong, cutting people and teasing and hurting...was against HIS will.

And HE gave me a message, which i showed to my students the following sunday.

First, i drew a picture and if anyone has seen my drawings, you are currently laughing, because I can't draw to save my life.

And in class, i showed the kids my picture and told them i drew a self portrait, what did they think? And they laughed. They laughed out loud, pointing at my picture and just roaring. So then, i said "Okay, but what are you laughing at? This piece of paper? Or are you laughing at me, because i drew the picture?" They all agreed they were laughing at me and how bad an artist i am. "Okay," i said. "So when you are laughing and making fun of another person, are you laughing at them, or are you laughing at the artist, who drew that person?" They said nothing. "Because GOD drew each and every person on this earth. He designed them, just the way He wanted them to be, with their red hair, or freckles, or long legs, or strange voice, or their hunchback. HE drew them...and if you are laughing at them, picking on them, teasing them...you are making fun of GOD." The room was completely silent. "And how does that make you feel?" I finished. Several of them admitted they felt horrible. The following sunday, a few came up to me and told me they apologized to a classmate for their actions.

I wish that message could be shouted from the rooftops - GOD MADE YOU PERFECT!!

I know how hard it is, God didn't make me the stunning beauty i wanted to be. I was too heavy, too bland, freckles, straight boring hair...oh, and big feet. Now, at the ripe old age of 50, i see that physical beauty doesn't matter to those who love me. My true friends see me as a fun, pretty, loving person. My husband says i am beautiful (i know i look AMAZING when he doesn't have his contacts in). My children only see the love i have for them, and that makes me pretty in their eyes.

If i knew then what i know now...that those people in my life that mattered thought i was great, pretty and just fine. Those who weren't meant to be in my life saw what they wanted to see and found me lacking...and their opinion shouldn't have mattered so much to me.

To see kids photoshopping themselves to deformity, so sad. All i can do is pray that someone reminds them that God made them PERFECT in HIS eyes....and i ain't going to argue with God.   I love you.

I hear YOU

This morning, God was practically yelling at me during my prayer time. Apparently, some of my friends need prayer for strength. Strength to get through the battles they are now facing, some are short term, some are long term, but it is making for stressful nights and miserable days. God knows what you are going through and He wants you to know HE IS HERE. I found myself looking up the lovely story FOOTPRINTS, remember that? Where God carries the person during their time of need, during the tough and most stressful times....He is carrying you. He is holding you, hold your hand, holding your family in His strong arms. You are not alone. He is there. So am i. I love you.