"complaining cards"

I always enjoy the teachable moments in class with my 4 students. We started with morning devotions reading through Exodus chapters 15-17. We just finished chapter 1 which talks about the Isrealites continuing their journey towrd the Promised Land. They were getting their manna (bread), and quail every morning and evening, but one thing they were lacking was water. They couldn't find water anywhere and were thirsty and began to cry out to Moses and God because all the Isrealites thought they were going to die in the desert for lack of water. God, however, proves his patience and love in this passage, giving the Hebrews the water they needed in spite of their complaining and their lack of faith. God had a plan all along. Well with this reading I played a game with my kids and had them create "complaining cards" such as "I don't like washing the plates, or cleaning the bathroom, or helping the younger kids." But what was great about getting these complaints out on paper is that not only were they visual to us all, but then I could challenge my students to think of the positive side of the complaint. I also reminded them (How did God respond to these complaints from the Isrealites?), Then I shared with them that we all complain from time to time. But God wants us to be contect, not complaining. So, we may not like to clean the bathroom, but when we do clean it then it doesn't smell and share the responsibility with others, or when we get a lot of homework we can try to remember that the homework is helping us learn more how to read and write. We have a lot to be thankful for. Psalm 23:1-2, "The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in grean pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters." Learning to change our attitude. Good stuff!

BACK TO SCHOOL! Bienvenidos a la escuela!

I arrived August 22nd almost 2 weeks ago now. The cob webs are all gone and so are the mice who created quite the resort in my supply cabinet. I am excited to jump into a new year with more kids, more staff, and more opportunities for our kids to get involved with our community. It is going to be a growing year for all of us. We are expecting 24 boys this year which is almost double from last year and 15 girls so the Ranch is a full house. Our staff this year welcomes a family of 6 from Hume Lake, CA, and two young women from Oregon and Thousand Oaks, California who will be helping in the school. Exciting times for those returning as well as the new staff as we prepare for our first day of school on September 5th. All I can say is that it is blessing to be here for my third year and be a part of this ministry where I can share my love for Christ with these deaf children for the next 9 months.