The child. . . .

I told him to be quiet.
He was.
I told him to get books to read silently.
He did.
I told him not to speak to me in a disrespectful manner.
He apologized.
5 days at Level 3. Unheard of.

I think I'm in an alternate universe.
Will it last? I don't know.
Summer's coming and all of his teachers' hard work may be for nothing. Completely undone by the chaos of home for the summer.
Please pray for this kid.

Sunday morning. . .

I'm back at it and I'm mad. . .as hell

Saturday morning

I woke up early thinking I had to go to work. Sweet! Didn't! HA!

Things with "the child" seem better. I've taken a sterner voice with him, and that seems to empower his main teacher more. She has a daughter, and sons are way different. . .and when you add to that difference, violent tendencies...whoa. I'm less anxious about what he might do when he's in P.E. There are two teachers there and they just don't put up with his stuff. . . and he doesn't act up--he tries, but they nip it in the bud. Yesterday I had him in a SpEd room to take a test and for the hour I had him he was amazingly wonderful. I looked at him and said, "I think I'm seeing the real "C" right now." Sweet smile from him. That was nice.

My strong feelings on illegal immigrants stops at their kids. I'm in a couple of hispanic classes and have fallen drop-dead, totally in love with these kids. Even the ones that act up all the time. I ask them what they want to do--one wants to be a doctor, another a vet, another a teacher. I want that for them, too. I was supervising lunch for my kindergarten class. One little boy asks me, "Where is your mama?" I got a little dewy-eyed...not expecting that question. "She's not here anymore." I replied. He said, "She's dead?" "Yes," I said.
"She's with God," He said with the confidence and conviction of a much older person.

I'm working on a couple of boxes on commission right now, and that makes me happy. I'll post pics soon. School is almost over. I'm treating myself to a few painting workshops this summer, and considering going back to school for another degree, or a master's in....something.

I've been lurking on your blogs....everyone seems really busy right now. Maybe the summer will help us all catch up a bit.

The Lord's reminders. . .

I was feeling a little off this morning. I spent a good deal of time with family members that I haven't seen for a bit...some of them live in the area, but we just don't make it priority to get together. Cousins, they are.

Are all families dysfunctional? LOL.

Anyway, for reasons unspoken here, I was feeling off. I decided to write a thank you to my cousin's wife for having us all over. I made a card with my "Paths of Joy" (my copyright) and remembered back to when I made this image. It was as if there were roadways to the heavens and we just needed to follow those ways. The name "Paths of Joy" was given to me, and I went with it. I started thinking that my prophetic or spiritual artwork might be just so much hooey. Today, I searched scripture to see if this title really was something from the Lord, and lo and behold, Acts 2:28 and Psalm 16:11 popped up in front of me.
You have made known to me the paths of life, you will fill me with joy in your presence.
Acts 2:28
I get diverted everyday from my artwork for Him. Every day I find a distraction, a mission, a something--and while a lot of what I do is great ministry--even the school work, I am reminded today to get back to my painting. I don't know where it will go. I guess maybe I'm afraid it will go nowhere. But, I must do it. He has reminded me today! Even the verse and artwork that I thought was my own work speaks to me:
He has made known to me the paths of life. He fills me with joy in His presence.
Why do I stray so often?