Skip to main content

Thankful

Tis the season for grateful hearts and appreciation for all one possesses.
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
James 1:17
I want to share a story of a perfect gift I received a few weeks ago.
As mentioned, I serve as an Outdoor Education Instructor for a camp called, Sky Ranch. A wonderful aspect of this job is dressing up as a variety of historical characters to bring teaching to life for students. One of the history classes is called American Indians. For this class, my staff members and I dress up as Natives and instruct students in the Indian lifestyle. Student groups are led into the woods and transported on a "time trail" to the year 1686, when French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle came to trade with the Natives for furs. Students rotate from instructor to instructor in small groups learning topics such as weapons, war, hunting, gathering, different tribes, etc. Students meet La Salle, and each Native introduces themselves. Instructors choose a variety of names, from Whispering Pine and River Dancer to Drop Bear and Pumpkin Spice (my personal favorite name because it typically gets a good laugh from parents and chaperones)
One day, We taught this course in rainy, 40-degree weather. While this temperature is a paradise for some, as a native Californian, I was frigid. After the initial excitement of student arrival, my soaked moccasins began to send shivers up my spine. With each rotation of student groups, some of the students commented with giggles, "Pumpkin Spice, your lips are blue." I nodded and continued teaching. Then, the second to last rotation group brought me a pleasant surprise. One of my students not only noticed my goosebumps, but he did something about it. He raised his hand and asked, "Does Pumpkin spice want to trade?" Pumpkin Spice had nothing to give in return, he finished his bracelet and needed no more beads or string. Confused, I told him I had nothing to give in return, and He reached into his pocket and gave me a hand warmer. He said, "Pumpkin spice keeps it." I was astounded. This little 5th grader showed one little act of kindness. I was thankful for that little warmer, which lasted me all day long. When the cold crept into my bones, I focussed on the warmth of that hand warmer and smiled thinking of May this remind you no matter how small the gesture or gift, one genuine act of kindness can bring the greatest gift to someone. What a wonderful God we have who takes care of us in the most detailed moments of our day.

All my love,
Gennavieve

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hampton Court Palace

Today, I toured Hampton Court Palace, an official historic, royal palace. Following are some of the sights I saw, history I learned, and favorites I enjoyed. The guard chamber of King William III. The magnificent display of 2,871 items of armor and weapons displayed a message that William was a great soldier and peacemaker. William's Presence chamber. Only high-ranking individuals were permitted into this room. William would be distinguished by sitting on a Chair of Estate. Those who entered his presence were required to remove their hats and make three low bows to the King, or even his empty chair. I'm grateful to serve an accessible King, who is with me wherever I go. William's eating room. He was expected to dine here on occasions "in front of persons of good fashion and good appearance," in order to display the sumptuousness of his food and to reassure everyone he was in good health. He was served by three servants on bended knee. William's P...
Post a Comment
Read more

Tutorials

God is faithful. I could really just leave that line on this blog and not write another word. The simple fact of His faithfulness is continuously evident within my experiences in Oxford. On Friday, His faithfulness shone in my meeting with my two tutors, who I met for the very first time. I was extremely nervous going to meet them! The tutorial system in Oxford is unlike any education system in America. It is a one-on-one interaction between student and tutor (professor). In most cases the tutors are experts in the fields being studied, having achieved doctorates and read all of the books on a certain topic, or even being the major author within the field of study itself. For each tutorial, a student is required to prepare a 2,000 word essay and come prepared to defend/discuss their essay. This contrasts the American system, in which we receive information from a lecture in a top down sort of way. Tutorials open the doors for discussion, for dialogue and debate. Tutorials al...
Post a Comment
Read more

Thankful for Mothers

I am blessed to be surrounded by strong Mother figures in my Mother, Nona, staff members, Nana, and Great Grandmother. Often, when I get together with my Great Grandmother, she reflects on days gone by, memories which reveal truth, bring laughter, and offer wisdom. I wrote this in honor of her, and of the mothers who hold precious memories. Remember Remember the moment you first learned of life? Kicking inside you as a young wife. Remember the bottles and burp rags, piled in your lap? Praying and hoping for just one little nap. Remember the first steps, teeth, and words? "Dada" and "Mama," or even "Big Bird." Remember the school days, lunches packed to go? Back back ready, pencils sharpened, favorite outfit to show. Remember the homework, it all must be done? The square root of 441 is 29, or was it 21? Remember the crushes, the hearts beating fast? Wises words come carefully, "Wait for the love which lasts." Remember graduat...
Post a Comment
Read more