Thank You

There are so many ways to say thank you. I like to accompany my expressions of gratitude with a gift or a sincere compliment; maybe an example of how a person's gifting has blessed my life.

My sister deserves a thank you. She has blessed me with an amazing monetary gift, enough to take care of quite a few immediate financial worries! But what I am truly grateful for is the fact that she listened, she heard, and she responded out of compassion and love. In her matter-of-fact, practical way, she tried to convey her reasoning to me, the whys and the wherefores. Reason has nothing to do with the love and the generosity and concern that she made apparent through her gift. I love this woman! Because she gifted me? Because she saw a need and she filled it? Obviously, I am thankful for that, but I am really thankful for the blessed woman of God that is my sister, who she is. She did what she did because of who she is, and I love who she is.

She is there when I need to talk, to share. It's funny, she thinks that is a one-way street with us! Oh, if she only knew how her cute little Texan drawl anchors me to reality when I am flying away, when I am trying to escape.
If she only knew how gratifying it is that she asks for and actually heeds what I tell her what I've learned in my psychology classes. She could be my "Experimental Psych" class project! I practice my counseling listening skills on her, she thanks me! I made an audio tape for her one time as she was going through some scary medical moments -- she played it over and over to hear the voice of her big sister singing to her just as when we were children -- what a precious memory. She felt safe and I needed her to feel safe with me!

She takes care of our Mama, almost 90 now. She does so many things that we should never, ever take for granted. She asks for nothing in return, just a little time on the phone to connect. She preserves that bond, that sister bond so beautifully. When this sister was a tiny little girl, she always had her "banky" -- a tattered little baby blanket that was her constant companion. One day I got some fabric (from another darling sister -- more about her later!:) and it reminded me of her. I pieced together a quilt for her, stitched it all by hand so that all the love I could bring was sewn into that little quilt, that comforter. All the things I couldn't say, didn't say, is represented by a million little stitches. Thank you, sister.

God talented me with a sewing skill, and an imagination to go with it. This skill has always served as an avenue for blessing. It seems to go perfect with a "Thank You." I had to make another quilt. I signed it, and stitched a tiny thank you in one corner. This one is for the young lady, not a sister, not a daughter, but a treasured friend who gave me the chance to find my voice, to write the next chapter of my testimony. She believed in me, she had faith in me, she encouraged me to do it, to speak at an organized women's retreat that hosted 200 women! She emphasized by her encouragement that I indeed did have favor. She pointed out that I had the anointing to teach this lesson. She placed value on me and I received it as I had not before received. Value, she recognized me as a woman of worth, and I understood that God was trying to convey this message to me for a long time. She is a wise and caring person who deserves way more than I could possibly do for her. I ask that God bless her immeasurably. Thank you, Friend.

Thank you, Father, for the treasures you placed in my life.

What Teachers Make

WHAT TEACHERS MAKE

A poem by: Taylor Mali

The dinner guests were sitting around the table
discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain
the problem with education. He argued:
"What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided
his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests that it's true
what they say about teachers: "Those who can...do.
Those who can't ... teach."

To corroborate, he said to another guest: "You're a
teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you
make?"

Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness,
replied, "You want to know what I make?"

I make kids work harder than they ever thought they
could. I can make a C+ feel like a Congressional Medal
of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the
student did not do his or her very best."

"I can make kids sit through 40 minutes of study hall
in absolute silence."

"I can make parents tremble in fear when I call home"

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make kids wonder."

"I make them question."

"I make them criticize."

"I make them apologize and mean it."

"I make them write."

"I make them read, read, read."

"I make them spell definitely beautiful, definitely
beautiful, and definitely beautiful over and over and
over again, until they will never misspell either one
of those words again."

"I make them show all their work in math and hide it
all on their final drafts in English."

"I make them understand that if you have the brains,
then follow your heart...and if someone ever tries to
judge you by what you make, you pay them no
attention!"

"You want to know what I make?"

"I make a difference."

"And you? What do you make?"