Christian – Page 2

Hope for the Most Needy Kids

The Gainesville coach saw Hogan, grabbed him hard by the shoulders and said, “You’ll never know what your people did for these kids tonight. You’ll never, ever know.” (Source)

Take the time to read this entire article. You’ll thank me. 🙂

World on Fire

Learn more about World On Fire. Please also consider making a difference and teaching your students to be service-minded by being part of The Challenge.

This post has been rolling around in my head for a couple of weeks but I didn’t get around to sharing it prior to Thanksgiving Day. I read Babbo’s Being Grateful Makes You Full of Greatness today and realized it would be good practice for me to go ahead and share some of the things for which I’m grateful.

I’m obviously thankful for family, friends, good health, a job, a home, our Savior, and all the other big and much more important things in life. This post is an effort to move beyond all of that and help me consider the countless other blessings in my life.

I’m Thankful…

for free Wi-Fi in public places like the airport in Charlotte, NC.
that there are often Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups in the house.
when I can drive the speed limit the entire trip between home and work.
that we are no longer having to buy diapers!!!
for each person in my PLN. You’ve greatly impacted my professional development.
to hear that so many of my former elementary and middle school students are doing well in college and adulthood.
that the Mississippi State Bulldog community unanimously appreciates the character of now-former coach Sylvester Croom.
for the many Sonic Drive-Ins in the greater Memphis area.
that I won’t spend the Winter shoveling snow out of my own drive-way like my buddy Dennis.
for the many consulting opportunities and collaborations that came my way in 2008.
that this season of Heroes is really good.
for DVRs.
for hard-working and engaged graduate students. They are the reason I do what I do.
that gas prices aren’t so high right now.

Child Slavery: An Abomination

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

— Edmund Burke

Learn more at Touch a Life and C1 Entertainment.

THE CHALLENGE to All Educators 2008

(Repost from 11/20/2007)

I recently wrote a post encouraging educators to get students actively involved in service education. In it I provided my rationale for implementing service activities in the classroom and suggested some resources to help you get started.

Your feedback has caused me to decide to take this a step further. Now, rather than simply encouraging teachers (in general) to do this I’m now challenging you (specifically you) to start a service activity in your classroom. The holiday season is upon us, so I think it’s a perfect time to talk about service and initiate a project with your students.

Here’s THE CHALLENGE.

Kick-off a service activity in your classroom.
Make us, the readers of this blog (there are hundreds of visitors on a daily basis), aware of your project before you begin. I’ve dedicated a new section of the blog to this activity and added a permanent link titled The Challenge to the main menu. This allows us to to share information, provide links to personal/ class blogs, wikis, websites, etc. where we can learn about each other’s projects and share resources and ideas. You can post your information by a) leaving it in the comments in The Challenge area, b) emailing me a link to your project blog, wiki, site, etc. that I’ll add to The Challenge area, or c) emailing me your information, files, links, etc. that I’ll post in The Challenge area.
Keep working on your project and enjoy all the wonderful things that will surely come from it.
Share. Share. Share. Let’s provide updates by which we (including our students) can all follow each other’s progress. Again, you can do this by clicking on The Challenge link in the menu, or by emailing me links, information, files, photos, etc. that I can post on Clif’s Notes for you.

Let’s make the world a better place. I CHALLENGE YOU!!! 🙂

Resources

Here are some great resources to help you get started.

Release Day

Today marks the release of Downhere‘s latest album, Ending Is Beginning. I spent the morning listening to them as studio guests and performers on K-LOVE and was even able to chat with them in between songs. Thought I’d share my favorite Downhere song, The More, to celebrate the event.

What is your favorite Downhere song?

Creed

Of his many awesome works this is my favorite Rich Mullins song.

Must See TV

Five children with life-threatening medical conditions, whose unique sports-related wishes were granted by ESPN and the Make-A-Wish Foundation, will be chronicled in the “SportsCenter” “My Wish” series. Their experiences will be the subject of “SportsCenter” feature segments airing June 29 through July 3. — from ESPN.com

These life-affirming stories always provide me with a better perspective on life. I encourage you to try catching them during Sports Center this week or by watching the stories online. Trust me, you’ll be glad that you did!!!

P.S. — Please let me know if you find a way to embed these videos and I’ll post them here. They are just that good.

If I Had My Child to Raise over Again

I read this poem in a church bulletin in 1997. Although I was single it struck home with me as an elementary teacher and as a hoping-to-someday-be Dad. I saved it and read it from time to time. I thought some of you teachers and parents might like it.

If I Had My Child to Raise Over Again
By Diane Loomans

If I had my child to raise all over again,
I’d finger-paint more, and point the fingers less.
I would do less correcting and more connecting.
I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes.

I would care to know less and know to care more.
I’d take more hikes and fly more kites.
I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play.
I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars.

I’d do more hugging and less tugging.
I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later.
I would be firm less often, and affirm much more.
I’d teach less about the love of power, And more about the power of love.

Category: Christian