Ask for Help, And It Will Be Given

Great flyers from WMU and my friends in the Preschool Resources Department

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Ask (for help) and it will be given.

This weekend I will be presenting two breakout sessions about writing at a retreat. I'm very excited to attend and enjoy the retreat, as the past couple of years my schedule has not allowed me to go.

Besides sharing with women, I was invited to bring my books. Isn't that nice? Of course I'd love to bring my books.

The problem was that I didn't have any up-to-date flyers or informational handouts.

What does Angie do? She contacts the professionals (and her good friends) at Woman's Missionary Union.

I asked and boy, did I receive.

We back-and-forthed messages for quite a few days. And because there was a tiny break in their schedule of deadlines, my friends were able to put together several lovely pieces for me to use.

The flyers and posters look so lovely and colorful, I just had to share . . . though it is odd and a bit disconcerting to see so many me-faces staring back!

Thank you, Clay, Teri, Robin, and Joye! You ROCK! You also made me look good. We can never underestimate the value in that now, can we?

The Power of Words

Word sources

By Angie Quantrell @AngieQuantrell

Words.

Words are amazing.

The entire process of how we learn to speak and use words in intelligent conversation awes me. And the fact that we learn to write and read and utilize words is fantastic.

What can words do?

They can be used to:

~ encourage

~ affirm

~ express emotion

~ praise

~ tear down

~ build up

~ destroy

~ curse

~ forgive

~ add fuel to or put out the fire

~ share dreams

~ explain

~ teach

~ condemn

~ inform

~ question

~ make choices

~ create

~ stand firm

~ call for help

~ offer assistance

~ distribute faith, hope, and love


Words can be our best friend or our worst enemy. We can use them with kind regards towards others in our society.

Or we can abuse and pirate our words to wound, pillage, and plunder the hearts and lives of those around us.

How do you use your words?

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.  ~ Psalm 19:14 ESV

Read 99 more verses about the power of words here.

The Threat - Can Cats Read?



The experiment - Can cats read?

By Angie Quantrell Angie Quantrell

 

My husband walked into the kitchen with a guilty grin on his face.

"What?"

"Nothing," he smirked.

Seeing I wasn't convinced, he added, "I'm just laughing at your book on CD."

Ok. Weird. But I let it go.

After dinner, I went out to tidy up the patio and harvest strawberries. And then I saw why he was giggly.

On the chalkboard we have mounted to a wall (for the grands, of course), someone had drawn and written a message.

To our neighborhood bully cat, Mr. Mustache, or Stache. From our gray girls, Mabel and Monet.

Can cats read? Do they understand a threat? Is humor lost on them?

It seems my husband thinks so.

Did his threat work?

I'm sorry to say, but no, Stache has still been around spraying on our windows and chasing the girls inside.

To conclude this experiment in cat communication skills, we may assume that:

1. Cats cannot read.

2. Cats don't care if you threaten them.

3. Cats don't get humor.



Stache, boldly making his visit



Or maybe, cats just don't read message boards.

Read more about Stache, the Bully, here.

Read to Me

"Nana, read this to me."

I was happy to read a stack of 10 books to my 4-year-old granddaughter. This only worked because baby brother was fast asleep. Sister loves books.

Today, sister had another task for Nana. After busily writing on paper, she handed me her story.

"Nana, read this to me."

You can imagine I was a bit challenged. So I asked her to read it to me.

Khloe: I can't read.

Me: What is it about?

Khloe: Uhm, Lava Girl and Shark Boy.

Me: Ok. Once upon a time . . . Lava Girl and Shark Boy went on a picnic. They went swimming. They had a fun time. The end.

Khloe: No, you're not done yet.

Me: They had a flat tire and had to fix it.

Khloe: No.

Me: What else?

Khloe: (whispering to me) They help other people!

Me: Oh! Lava Girl and Shark Boy helped some people who had a flat tire. They helped fix the tire. Then they enjoyed their picnic. The end.

Khloe: (smiles and nods) Ok.

That was only the first story. She had another waiting in the wings. Nana was on call as storyteller.

I am pleased that she loves stories, writing, reading, and words. Literacy begins long before they reach school.

What is your favorite story to read aloud? I'd love to hear.

It's Never TOO Early to Give Books to Kids

It's never too early to start giving books to kids.

Meet Gage. He is 6 months old and he already loves to sink his (2) teeth into a good book.

Read for life!