The Watchman and the Gatekeeper

Tonight I was reminded of the parable of the watchman and the gatekeeper. This morning Dad and Ty found a stray dog hanging out in the back yard with our own 4. Puzzled as to how the dog found its way in- they soon discovered a small part of the fence where it had been pushed in. They thought they'd fixed the problem by placing a wooden two-by-four along the base of the fence where the dog had entered. This afternoon I got home from school and a bad hail storm came up. Around dusk Alison came over and I happened to glance outside in the back yard... when what to my wandering eyes did appear- but that same stray dog. I went outback to try and get rid of the dog but he was very elusive and did not want to come near me. After talking with Tyler he said not to worry about it- as long as the dog wasn't bothering ours. An hour or so later I began to hear a scuffle or two so I knew I had to devise a plan to get rid of him. I went back outside and lured my dogs into the smaller fence where I locked them in. I then went and opened the two gates to the larger fences- hoping this would encourage the dog to leave. Much to my relief the dog took my subtle hint and left.

Now- it was not until after the 2nd encounter with this dog and chasing him out that I was reminded of the profound yet simple truth of the "Watchman & Gatekeeper"- If we aren't on constant guard of our hearts and souls the enemy WILL slip in. The enemy can be so quiet that we won't even recognize him until after damage is done. Once the enemy has found his way in- it's hard to get rid of him...

A Few "funnies" from room 1..

One very flustered student (you have to understand this student does not listen, does not do her work, talks non-stop) "MS DANCY! YOU'RE NOT LISTENING TO ME!!!!""MY GOSH! They must teach teachers are this school how to IGNORE!"

"Pretty soon they'll invent a Z-phone! Ya know- like we have an iPhone now!"

"Ms Dancy have you felt those squishy intestines on top of your shoulders?" ~ I hope you're referring to your muscles...

A few funnies from this week..

Last Friday was April fools... and truth be told... I was dreading it with this bunch of kids... Never the less ... I can't count how many times "Look Ms Dancy! Gulible's written on the ceiling" and perhaps the best... I opened the door for lunch and saw a sticky note taped to the outside of my door and it read.. "Ms Dancy~ be at my office at 12:25~ Trish (the api)"... #1 I knew the student's handwriting and #2 Trish wasn't even at school, she was at an API meeting...

That same student mentioned before... when I posed the question "What does a right angle look like?" she matter of factly replied "A left angle"... clever clever

A student reported another student calling everyone and everything duche bag... when I whispered to him that word wasn't in our 5th grade vocabulary he replied "Oh, I dont' know what that word means." To which I replied "Then ya probably shouldn't be using it!"

The previously mentioned student when sorting and classifying polygon's today in class- as I pointed to a regular pentagon... what does that look like to you? "An ice-cream cone"... wow!

Happy Birthday Teenager!

Today Weston turns 13! This is a special birthday for 2 reasons! #1 this is his first birthday after his second chance at life and #2 he becomes a teenager! Yes- I feel old... I remember the day he born like were yesterday-

Newborn Weston and cousin Keri

Weston's first Christmas with Mommy and Daddy

Weston was a chump!

Weston and Kameron at the dinner table- cuties

Keri and Weston- up to no good!

GQ model in training

Little Wolfpacker

4 years oldKindgergarten Picture!
Summer 2010
January 2011

Birthday blessing

This is what I wrote in his birthday card- "Wow! What a year it's been! Look how far you've come! The best is yet to come! This is a special birthday for 2 reasons- #1 it's your first birthday after your 2nd lease on life and #2 you're a teenager! I thought I prayed a lot last year- I guess it was just preparing me for the next few years to come. Love you to the moon and back!"

to rightfully end this post... I'll leave you with the final words of Dr. Suess in "Oh, the places you'll go!"

And will you succeed?

Yes! You will indeed!(98 and 3/4 percent garanteed!)

KID YOU'LL MOVE MOUNTAINS!

So...be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Brayor

Mordecai Ali Van Alenn O'Shea

you're off to Great Places!Today is your day!

Your mountain is waiting.So... get on your way!

Kids Say the Darndest Things...

Haven't done one of these in a while...

While in our small guided reading group one day last week, I asked the question "Who knows what a simile is?" to which one student promptly replied "One of those things we have at the end of every quarter in the cafeteria and sometimes special occasions." Clearly they thought I said "assembly".

Friday one particular student was having a hard time focusing and getting any work accomplished- to "light a fire under him" I pulled up my chair along side his desk to let him know I wasn't going anywhere- his response "Man, if you were holding somebody hostage- you'd really kill 'em". Well as a matter of fact... ;)

This is school spirit week- today was "Sweat it out for reading"... hence we all wore sweat suits. I don't have a sweat suit- but I did wear my Lee University sweat suite- first student comment of the day "Ms Dancy! What's wrong with you? Are you going home?" Guess they thought I was sick and just writing lesson plans and leaving? and... if I heard it once- I heard it 10 times ... "Ms Dancy- is your middle name Lee?"

Ms Dancy- are you married?!? I don't know why not!

Our weekly selection in our Reading book was about Blues Singer Mahalia Jackson... question of the week "Is she related to Michael Jackson?"

I decided to throw hot rollers in my hair this morning as part of my getting ready routine... to say that students don't pay attention to their teacher's attire/appearance would be a story--- "Ms Dancy! You look beast!" haha

Day of Firsts....

Today this precious lady whom I thought the world of spent her first day in heaven while...

the first snow of 2011 fell... Lynn said earlier as we were playing in the snow... "Mama picked the right day to leave us. The snow has kept us all out of the house and our minds occupied."

Impromptu Photo Shoot

This morning Tyler wanted to try out his new camera so ....

I agreed to model...

Psalms 27

Last Thursday morning, December 30th, I was perusing a blog and going through "my morning time" when I came across a nugget of scripture, Psalms 27. I immediately thought of Phyllis and the battle she was fighting with cancer. I typed the scripture and edited the pronouns to include Phyllis all through out it. I wasn't even finished with it- when Ashlyn called to tell me things really weren't good- the doctor was giving her days to live. Definitely one of those "road checks"- I knew right away why God had given me that scripture. I shared it with Ashlyn, her response "perfect".

Psalm 27

1 The LORD is Phyllis' light and my her salvation—
whom shall she fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of her life—
of whom shall I she be afraid?

2 When the wicked advance against her
to devour her,
it is her enemies and her foes
who will stumble and fall.
3 Though an army besiege her,
her heart will not fear;
though war break out against her,
even then she will be confident.

4 One thing she asks from the LORD,
this only does she seek:
that she may dwell in the house of the LORD
all the days of her life,
to gaze on the beauty of the LORD
and to seek him in his temple.
5 For in the day of trouble
he will keep her safe in his dwelling;
he will hide her in the shelter of his sacred tent
and set her high upon a rock.

6 Then her head will be exalted
above the enemies who surround her;
at his sacred tent she will sacrifice with shouts of joy;
She will sing and make music to the LORD.

7 Hear her voice when she calls, LORD;
be merciful to her and answer her.
8 Her heart says of you, “Seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, she will seek.
9 Do not hide your face from her,
do not turn your servant away in anger;
you have been her helper.
Do not reject her or forsake her,
God her Savior.

10 Though her father and mother forsake her,
the LORD will receive me her .
11 Teach her your way, LORD;
lead her in a straight path
because of her oppressors.
12 Do not turn her over to the desire of her foes,
for false witnesses rise up against her,
spouting malicious accusations.

13 She remain(s) confident of this:
She will see the goodness of the LORD
in the land of the living.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong and take heart
and wait for the LORD.

At this point Phyllis was still in the hospital. Arrangements were made to move her to the hospice house Saturday, January 1st. Sunday- the 2nd I had the privelidge to stand by her bedside and pray and then kneel by her bed and share this Psalms with her. No words...

Biltmore

Since before Christmas Erin had been asking me to go to the Biltmore House. Finally it worked out to go just after New Years- the day before they took down Christmas decorations. The only thing I know to say is- "Why haven't I been before now?" As the old saying goes, "Some of life's greatest adventures are waiting just outside your back door." Asheville is roughly a 2 hour drive from Kannapolis.

When we got to the Biltmore we had time to spare before our tour time at 1:45... the couple that took this picture of us in front of the tree had driven all day the day before from Mississippi, would spend a day touring the Biltmore and a day driving back. Crazy to me- that our drive was so short compared to theirs and yet this was the first time I'd been there in my 26 years of life. I think it's safe to say I won't let another 26 years pass before I go back.

We made the best of our day despite the rain... I mean, "hey... the majority of our tour was inside anyways- what's a little rain going to do? At least it wasn't a tourential down pour.

Outside the mansion- too bad photography is not allowed inside. How beautifully is was decorated for Christmas!

We toured roughly 40 of the 250 rooms... only 40 rooms... less than a 5th of the rooms were even opened for viewing. The Christmas decorations were spectacular- my favorite part was going from room to room and comparing the elaborately decorated Christmas trees and envisioning all the behind the scenes decorating that takes place.

Now that I've seen the inside decorated for Christmas- I can't wait to go back in the Spring and see all the floral gardens!