2nd Grade Update (FUN WEEK, May 19-23)

Wow! FUN WEEK IS HERE!  Only 31/2  more days of school.  Where did the time go?  This week is a time for fun and review.  Each day has it’s own theme.  Today was JOKE AND RIDDLE DAY.  I found that we are a class FULL of clowns.  (Well, actually, I knew that all ready)(:   I will  put together a joke/riddle book from the jokes the class brought. We ended the day by making icecream sundaes.

TUES. - THINKING CAP DAY - We will be playing learning games from the school year.  This is a        a fun way to review.  The students may wear THINKING CAPS (any kind of hat will do). I will have freezer pops for everyone at recess.

WED. - FRIENDSHIP DAY/COOKIE PARTY -  We will be making FRIENDSHIP t-shirts today and then on Friday we will wear them for the last day of school.  If possible, I would like for each student to bring cookies to share (along with the recipe).  I will put these together and make a cookie recipe book.  We will also be packing up and taking everything home today.  Please send bags with your child, to hold all his/her things.

Thurs.- CHARACTER DRESS UP DAY- Today is the day we’ve been looking forward to.  Each child is to bring his/her favorite book and come dressed as a character from that book.  Every student will be giving a mini book report.  They need to tell an exciting part of the book without giving away the ending.  (They may even read a few pages of the book, if they want).  I will put together a summer reading list from these books.  We will also have a surprise, guest reader.   In the afternoon we will have popcorn and a movie.  I plan to show THE MIRACLE WORKER.  This is the story of Helen Keller.  We learned about her last week.

Fri.-  FRIENDSHIP FAREWELL DAY/AWARDS PROGRAM - Today I would like for everyone to wear his/her FRIENDSHIP t-shirt that we made on Wed.  These will look great at the awards program.  I will be bringing donuts and milk/juice for the class.  The awards program will begin around 9:30 and will be held in the GYM.  After the ceremony, you are free to leave with your child.  (Just come by the room to get his/her report card).  If you are not able to attend the ceremony, dismissal is at 11:30.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for sharing your children with me this year.  For most of you, it has been 2 years.  There has been much fun and learning.  As in any family, we have had good days and bad days, but the good have definitely outweighed the bad. 

I pray that I have been a Christian example before the children.  I want most for them to see Jesus in me. 

I hope you have a HAPPY and SAFE SUMMER.  In the words of that famous Winnie the Pooh friend, Tigger, TTFN, TAA TAA FOR NOW!

Mrs. Jones 

Note of Encouragement

The 23rd Psalm

Over the past few weeks the 2nd Grade has been learning the 23rd Psalm.  This Psalm is often read at funerals.  However, as I began explaining the Psalm to the children, I found it to be a Psalm for God’s people LIVING in this troubled world.  The 23rd Psalm is full of comfort and assurance for us in our daily lives.

Verse 1 says, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”.  Right away we have the assurance that God will provide for our needs. (Not neccessarily our WANTS, but our NEEDS).  Verses 2 and 3 tell us that God will also supply our spiritual needs.  He will guide us in the right way and will strengthen and restore us when we are weary. 

In verse 4, we see that as a child of God, we have no need to fear.  God is ever present, even in death. 

Verse 5 says that God provides protection for His children.  (A bodyguard so to speak).  Not only that, God sets our paths.  There are no surprises to God.  He prepares the way He wants us to go.  I mentioned before that God provides for our physical and spiritual needs and verse 5 says that He gives an abundance, a SUPERABUNDANCE, of spiritual blessings to His children. 

Finally, in verse 6, we are assured of God’s goodness and mercy throughout our lifetime.  But, the best is yet to come.  Because of God’s grace we can be confident that we will spend eternity in the presence of our Heavenly Father, in His house.  God’s mercy to us is NEVERENDING!

Again, this Psalm should be a blessing to us in the here and now, giving us assurance and confidence in God’s grace.  In death, we experience the fullfillment of His grace. 

Thank you, God, for the promise of your eternal goodness and mercy to your children.

TJones

Note of Encouragement (April 27)

“The Sap is Rising”!  We teachers seem to say those words about this time every year.  Spring is in the air and everyone knows that school is almost over.  The operative word being “almost”.  Teachers, as well as students, are very much aware that Summer Break is just around the corner.  (Around the corner, but not here yet). 

Issues of behavior, or should I say MISBEHAVIOR, are popping up everywhere.  Students are restless; so are teachers.  It would be so easy to just let things slide.  After all, school is almost over.  We are tired of correcting and the students are tired of being corrected.  It’s no big deal, right?  WRONG!  it is a very big deal!

We teachers are responsible to prepare students to become successful adults.  To be a successful adult, requires them to be obedient, not part of the time, but ALL of the time.  They must be obedient to authority figures, they must be obedient to the laws , and above all- obedient to GOD. 

Teachers are not alone in this responsibility.  Parents are responsible to teach obedience as well.  Do parents get tired?  Of course!   Correction is hard on the “corrector” as well as the “correctee”.  However, this does not change the responsibility. 

The Bible teaches us to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”.  (Proverbs 22:6)  God’s Word also tells the disasterous results of NOT teaching obedience.  Proverbs 29:15 says, “The rod and REPROOF give wisdom;  but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame”.

Parents and teachers need to encourage one another in this monumental task.  I recieved a card from a parent this week.  The written note was such a blessing to me.  It gave me the encouragement I needed for the rest of the day.  We need to remember to pray for one another that God will strengthen us so that we don’t grow weary and lax in teaching odedience. 

I want students to obey because it is the right thing to do; not just to avoid the consequences of disobedience.  Isn’t that what God expects of His children?  That we do right.

I must admit, that as of late, I had grown weary.  Thankfully, God gives us what we need, when we need it.  It may be encouraging words from a parent or help from a Christian friend.  A dear, Christian friend shared with me a devotion on Obedience.  It was such an encouragement!  It reminded me of my responsiblity to teach obedience and admonished ME to be obedient. 

I pray  God will to strengthen us as parents and teachers and help us to continue not only to teach obedience but to be examples OF obedience.

In Christ,

TJones

Memory Work (due Wed., May 21)

Psalm 23:1-6

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.  He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: He leadeth me beside the still waters.  He restoreth my soul:  He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.  Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.  Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:  thou annointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:  and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

Note of Encouragement (March 19)

Our class has just concluded it’s study of the solar system.  This unit is always met with much enthusiasm.  The children are eager to study the planets.  It’s like stepping into the great unknown.  They gain a basic understanding of the solar system, but more than that, they discover the awesome vastness of God’s heavenly creation.  They also develop a better understanding of God’s Greatness. 

With the help of two wonderful videos from the Moody Bible Institute, JOURNEY TO THE EDGE OF CREATION, the students were able to watch the universe open up before their eyes.  They watched in awe as they traveled to the farthest reaches of space.  One student was so enthralled by the beauty of it that she said she couldn’t even speak.  (That’s pretty amazing coming from a second grader).  After seeing the video, another student told me that the universe was more wonderful than he had thought it would be. 

I found myself caught up in their enthusiasm and was drawn to remember the Creator of this wonderous universe.  Psalm 19:1 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth His handiwork”.  God leaves no doubt in His word as to the origins of the universe.  Genesis 1:1 declares, “In the beginning GOD created the heaven and the earth”.  That verse alone leaves no room for doubt as to it’s origin.

One of the children mentioned the “Big Bang Theory”.  Was there a big bang?  Certainly not!  Psalm 33:6 tells us that “By the WORD of the Lord were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth”.  Verse 9 - “For He SPAKE, and it was done; He commanded and it stood fast”.  Again, no room for doubt.  I told the children how amazing it is  that God placed the universe in perfect order and He is holding it all in place.  Our God is truly great and mighty!

A final thought: We should be humbled to know that out of the vastness of the universe, God was pleased to  create a world for His greatest creation, Man.  Our home is wonderfully made by a MIGHTY GOD.  God is so great and we are so small.  He created our world with such loving care.  We were on His mind.  Imagine that!  Psalm 8:3-4 says, “When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou are mindful of him…”

We should be thankful and praise His name with every breath.  Psalm 8:9 “O Lord our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!”  To that I can only say, “AMEN!”

In Christ,

TJones

Note of Encouragement (March 2)

As we entered into the month of March, I was reminded of the saying, IN LIKE A LION, OUT LIKE A LAMB.  This drew my thoughts to the verse, I Peter 5:8, …”your adversary the devil, as a ROARING LION, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”  How discouraging!  What a powerful enemy Satan is!  How can we hope to defeat a lion?

Thankfully, as God’s Children, we have no need to fear.  I John 4:4 tells us “…greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world…”  Because heaven’s PERFECT LAMB, Jesus Christ, lives in the hearts of His people, we have no need to fear what Satan can do. 

This does not mean that Satan won’t try to defeat us and sometimes it may feel like he’s succeeding.  DON’T BE DISCOURAGED!  I Peter 5:10, offers encouragement to God’s people.  “…But the God of all grace who hath called us unto His eternal glory, by Jesus Christ, after that we have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.“

Spiritually speaking, the LAMB IS GREATER THAN THE LION! John 1:29 - “…behold the Lamb of God!”

Thank you, God, for Your overcoming power.  Job 36:5 - “Behold God is mighty…”

TJones

Note of Enclouragement (Feb. 4)

I John 4

February is thought of as the “month of love”.  It is a time set aside to tell those who are special to us that we love and care for them.  While it is a wonderful thing to tell others that we love them, TALK IS CHEAP!  Our mouths will let us say anything.  True love shows in our deeds, not our words.  (I John 3:1

 One of my biggest faults is that I am full of good intentions.  However, my intentions are meaningless without action.

Who should we love?  Mat. 22:37-39 tells us to …”love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment”.  The second one says we should …”love thy neighbor as thyself”.

Why should we love?  I John 4:19 says that we love God because He loved us first. I John 4:11 teaches us that we should love others because of God’s love to us.  “Love is of God; GOD IS LOVE!

How should we love?  Love is active! I John 3:18, “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth”.

I am thankful that God is not full of good intentions.  He acted on His love by sending His Son, Jesus, to be our substitute for sin.

I pray that God will help us to love Him more and to love others because of His love to us.  And that He will enable us to act on that love.  Even small acts of kindness can have a great effect on the lives of others.

 Lord, thank You for Your love.  Help me to be a blessing to someone today.

TJones

Note of Encouragement (Jan.9)

While I am not big on making New Years resolutions, I do have a desire to walk closer to God and be more pleasing to Him in this coming year.  I want to share with you my favorite Bible passage and how it helps me in my daily walk with God.

Psalm 139 is an encouragement to me each time I read it.  It begins “O Lord, Thou hast searched me, and known me.  Thou knowest my downsitting and mine uprising; Thou understandest my thought afar off….Thou art acquainted with all my ways… there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Lord, Thou knowest it altogether”.

This is a blessed assurance that we are NEVER ALONE.  This should encourage us as we go through each day.  It should also be a guard for us in our daily lives to strive to be more Christlike, knowing that He is ever present in our lives, hearts, and minds. 

Psalm 139:23-24 is my prayer for this year:  ”Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting”.

I encourage you to read the entire Psalm.  It is wonderous to realize that God loves and cares so much for His children. Who am I that God should love me so?  Verse 17 says, “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God!  How great is the sum of them”.

May God help us to live closer to Him and make us vessels of honor.

In Christ,

Mrs. Jones

Blogroll

Parents,

I encourage you to check out the sites under blogroll .  I have included Daily Bread, a daily devotional from RBC Ministries.  This is meant to serve as a spiritual uplifting. 

I have also listed John Rosemond.  He is a VERY COMMON SENSE family psychologist.  I think you will find his site and articles very helpful to you in your daily family life.

I hope these will be a blessing to you.

In Christ,

Mrs. Jones