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Independence Day 2014

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Every year during our holiday of Independence Day (July 4th),
I think of my Caylor ancestors. They had come to the colony of Pennsylvania in
the 1750s from Germany. They were Caylors (Kahler & Humbert were two of the families I know for sure) I am not an expert on the genealogy of that group, but
knowing linguistics like I do, I doubt those that came in the 1750s were very
good with the English language by the Revolutionary War; however, their teen-age children who were born in the colonies probably did quite well with English. The Caylors
must have been visionaries. They first came here to get away from over-population,
land shortages, and food shortages in Germany, and when they arrived, they
arrived to a group of disgruntled colonists who were tired of Great Britain’s
tyranny. In their vision of the future, they could see the importance of the
colonists (British, German, or French descendants) working together for freedom
and for making their own country, so they did it. They fought with all the
colonists, and they won the United States Revolutionary War. In a few years, the rest of the world looked upon
these rag-tag freedom lovers who ousted an empire and bestowed them the name “Americans”.

What an honor it must have been. They weren’t German -Americans, or
British-American, or French-Americans. They were AMERICANS equaling a group of
people of different nationalities, languages, and cultures that had come together to make the United States of America. My German ancestors knew they were doing something special, but they had no idea that they had laid the ground work for the
greatest country this world has ever seen or will ever see again. I am so proud
of my ancestors, my country, and my freedom. I am so looking forward to Carter
and Ammon knowing the love of freedom and of country and understanding their
proud heritage. God bless you all, and God bless the United States of America. Happy
Independence Day!

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Good Friday: Revised April 10, 2020

. Holidays, Jesus Christ Follower . , , , , ,

[Christ] himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.
– 1 Peter 2:24 (NRSV)

Jesus’ crucifixion had probably begun the 6th hour of the day as Apostle John records, and that would have been 6:00 in the morning. Jesus was so popular (remember his triumphant entry just a few days before there in Jerusalem), and the arrest, the trumped up charges in the “Jewish court”, the beatings and the questionings had been done in the early morning hours so the general public would have no idea Jesus was on trial. Jesus’ followers probably would have revolted, but it all happened according to God’s plan.

Imagine Jesus’ garments had been divided, Jesus had been taken down from the cross, and he had been placed in a tomb bought for him by Joseph of Arimathea. What a bleak and sad Friday for Jesus, his family, and his friends.  However, as we know, and as we should always remember, it is our “Good Friday”: the day our Jesus (the sacrificial lamb without sin) took on our sins so we could stand before our God cleansed, sinless, and as white as snow.

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The Last Supper: Holy Communion, Eucharist- Updated April 9, 2020

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Last Supper/communion/Eucharist

Matthew 26: 17-29; Mark 14: 12-25; Luke 22:7-19; John 13 & 14

Jesus instituted communion the night before his crucifixion, and it is has been a part of Christian worship ever since. I have met several, wonderful Jewish people, and one Holy Week in the future, I hope and pray Carter, Ammon, Sean, I can sit and partake of one and think of Jesus and the 12 Apostles eating in fellowship. Passover Seder

Being a Christian/a follower of Jesus Christ and partaking of the bread that represents his body on the cross and sipping the fruit of the vine that represents his blood that was shed for me and all the billions of people on the earth for the remission of our sins is what puts my heart and soul in “communion” with all the billions of saints who are partaking of the Lord’s supper with me. That is a powerful component of Christian worship

I know everyone doesn’t take communion every Sunday, and I kinda wish we would like the Christians of the New Testament (all it takes is a little research of first century Christian worship to understand they took it every Sunday), but in the scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. However, it’s a part of worship in remembering the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. The next time you partake of the Lord’s supper, think of all the billions of Christians you are communing with as well. It’s a pretty awesome thought.

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Holy Week: Jesus Washes the Apostles’ Feet – Revised April 7, 2020

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John 13: 3-30

If you knew you would be dead in the next 24 hours, would you take time to wash your friends and family’s feet? Wouldn’t that be a bizarre act? Well, that is one thing Jesus did KNOWING he was going to die. Jesus wanted the 12 disciples to know that he did not think he was any better than they. He was their master yet he wanted to serve them. The serving wasn’t to stop there but to continue with them serving others.

I’ve often thought of Jesus washing dirty, stinking, calloused feet of his friends. Here is the son of God that came down from heaven and all of its glory sitting on the floor of an upper room in some home in Jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago, humbly and gently washing 12 burly men’s feet.

During the Holy Week, the main idea is that Jesus was crucified and while being crucified took on the sins of the world. However, we sometimes skip over the fact that the one of the last things he taught just hours before his death was to love and serve others.

To answer my own opening question, I’m not sure how and where I would fit serving others in, but, yes, I would serve others in fullest capacity I could in those last hours. However, I can do it HERE and NOW without a “death sentence”….that is what Jesus wants us to place in our hearts and act upon immediately. Have a blessed day, friends.

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Palm Sunday: Revised April 5, 2020

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Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11: 1-11, Luke 19:29-42, & John 12: 12-19

Jesus was a human who experienced times of elation just like us. How many times have we had the thought, “It can’t get any better than this?” buuuuuuuuuuuut, we know it is fleeting and cannot always be this way. Our lives are not this way.

It is important to first mention that all four of the Gospels write of this event.  Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem must have been quite a sight to behold. The clamor, the hubbub about the Messiah/Hosanna, and the spiritual excitement of the King of Jews entering Jerusalem to “reign forever” must have been a glorious moment. It was a fulfillment of prophets from Zechariah (9:9): Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion. Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, and riding on an ass and upon a colt the foal of an ass. The people even lay palm branches on the street like a red carpet for their king.  What deserved pomp and circumstance for Jesus yet what physical and mournful tragedy awaited our Lord!

If you will, imagine all the Gospels from their beginnings to this point being like a roller coaster that chugs up a hill: Palm Sunday is the top/pinnacle of the hill. For Jesus, his physical life creeks over the top, then begins to plummet. In five days, Jesus the future Christ would be humiliated, beaten, and killed on a cross a criminal…to the world a crash at the bottom of the hill. However, it wasn’t the end, but the beginning of our assuredness of eternal life though Jesus Christ.

Enjoy Palm Sunday and get ready to walk Holy Week with Jesus anew.

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St. Patrick’s Day 2015

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St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, Ireland: June 13, 2011 I’ve always enjoyed all the “wearing of the green” and the leprechauns on St. Patrick’s Day. However, it wasn’t until our day in Dublin, Ireland June of 2011, that I felt a “spiritual conncetion” with Saint Patrick.  I had even read several times yet without absorbing much history of Saint Patrick to really know his story.

St. Patrick

He had been taken from  homeland in Wales (Great Britain) to be a slave in Ireland. He was approximately 16, and by his early 20s he had made it back to Wales. He then became a minister and returned to Ireland. He writes that he “baptized thousands of people”. He ordained priests to lead the new Christian communities. He converted wealthy women, some of whom became nuns in the face of family opposition. He also dealt with the sons of kings, converting them too.

Carter, Nana, Haven, & Ammon (admiring the vaulted ceilings)
June 13, 2011: St. Patrick’s Cathedral Dublin, Ireland

My favorite building in Dublin, Ireland was St. Patrick’s Cathedral. It had such a warmth and “spirit” about it. It wasn’t like other cathedrals I have been in where it was like a museum instead of a place of worship. St. Patrick’s work was filled with love and giving, and his spirit seems to permeate his cathedral.

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Ash Wednesday

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Genesis 3:19. “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.”

ash_wednesday

Luke 9: 23:  “Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”

Ash Wednesday

I love, appreciate, and admire those Christians who wear their ashes in such an outward manner today!  By no means does an outward form of appearance show what is in the heart of a person, but it is one of the few times in the year that people in droves of numbers actually show that they are followers of Jesus Christ as they go out and about with an ash cross on their foreheads. Ammon and Carter understand the tradition, and they understand wearing ashes to show their faith in Jesus the Christ.

Non-Christians, maybe take a few minutes today to “google” Jesus Christ, or Ash Wednesday. The event isn’t found in the Bible, but it is an event that many use to remember Jesus as a human and his sacrifices. This is the first event in a Christian “season” that leads up to Easter over 40 days from now.

ash_wednesday-1

Christians in Chattanooga, I know the Episcopal, most Methodist, and Presbyterian churches will have Ash Wednesday services: usually morning, noon, and maybe an evening service as well.

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“Find Out Anything From Anyone, Anytime”

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Ammon, Carter, and I are in a book! It’s called Find Out Anything From Anyone, Anytime.

Maryann Karinch and James O. Pyle co-authored this book, and one of Maryann’s chapters is Questioning in your Personal Life. She wanted to incorporate my good questioning techniques that I use with Carter and Ammon. She even references my future book (still unpublished, but written none the less!) and has a transcription of a conversation Ammon, Carter, and I had as we planned our Disney World trip last August.

Maryann sent Carter and Ammon signed copies of her book with a “Thank You.” We are all mentioned in her Acknowledgments, and our part of the book can be found on pages 208-211.

Maryann is an effective author, and I think you all would enjoy reading this book. The “Find Out Anything….” can empower us to:

-Identify and practice good questioning techniques.
-Recognize types of questions to avoid.
-Know the questions required when hearing unconfirmed reports of gossip.
-Practice good listening techniques and exploit all leads.
-Determine when and how to control the conversation.
-Gain real expertise fast.

I enjoyed the book, and I think you all will too.

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“Christmas Waltz” 2013

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I’ve seen several picturesque frosts on the ground these past few days. Mother Nature and the art that she creates is incredible: the ice crystals on the clover or the feathery, ice designs on the sheets of ice on our pond. The frost was so heavy that there was still frost on the ground in the shaded areas at 10 o’clock that morning.

The frost reminded me of the opening lines of “The Christmas Waltz” song. I never really appreciated the song until one of my favorite singers/actresses, Kristen Chenowith, sang it on her Christmas album from 2009.I appreciate her vocal talents, sense of humor, and Christian spirit.I want to share the song with you all.

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Letter T Preschool Unit Plan

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Tt
Unit Plan

Of course if you choose the Unit T around “Thanksgiving”, you can transition from Thanksgiving to Christmas with Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker ;o)

Letter T composer!

Letter T composer!

Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz

Mathematics: TN KCC A.3, KCC B.5, KCC B.4b, KOA A.1 & A.2, KMD A.1 & A.2

Social Studies: TN Transportation & Traditions of people 1.02 c & d.

Thanksgiving

Science: TN K- Technology 7.T/E.1, T/E.2, T/E.3

Weather 7.8.2

-Weather Data -Heat Chart

Language Arts: TN RFK 2.d, RFK 3.b, SLK 1.a, SLK 1.b, SLK 6, LK 1.a, LK 1.f, RLK1, RLK2, RLK3, RLK4, RLK5, RLK9, RFK3b,

Squanto’s Journey: The story of the first Thanksgiving by Joseph Bruchac

The Story of Thanksgiving by Nancy J. Skarmeas

When Tilly Turtle Came to Tea by Carol Pugliano-Martin

Multiple Intelligences

Verbal/Linguistic- Letter T reading, writing, Capitals & punctuation, & translate Merry Christmas into Spanish & German

Logical Mathematical- math (numbers 1-120), Triangle, test

Body Kinesthetic- Tap, texturize

Spatial- Draw /Color T & t coloring w/ABC Mouse.com, picture

Music/Rhythm- tap

Interpersonal- Relating to Daddy S, Daddy H, & Mamaw, & Nana, Kindness

Intrapersonal –Asking how they are experiencing their day with a video journal from iPad

Nature- Thermal, Temperature