Monday, January 8, 2024

Happy 2024!

Happy 2024!
I know many of you have already headed back to school.
We are going back this morning.
I wanted to pass along a little encouragement and a prayer using 1 Corinthians 15:58 to help us refocus as we go back. 

God, help us to celebrate the ministry that You have called us to. Help us to celebrate victories large and small. Help us to celebrate the fact that You choose to use us in Your work. Give us the energy and perseverance to work unto You, setting an example of Your faithfulness to our students and co-laborers in the ministry. May we be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of this ministry, knowing that in the Lord our labor is not in vain. Amen!

Prayers for everyone heading back into classrooms this year!

Sunday, February 12, 2023

Grand Opening Sale!

I shared exciting news about expanding my store.
Well, it seems that many other sellers are too.
We know that some districts do not allow their teachers to shop on certain sites,
so, we are trying to help out with that.

To get the word out about other places to shop,
we got together to throw a
GRAND OPENING SALE!
My new store is at Made by Teachers and
although I don't have everything loaded there yet,
I am offering a 20% discount on what I do have.
You will find many of my Bible packets, task cards,
Valentine's Day and Easter activities.

If you've never been over to Made by Teachers,
please be sure to head over and look around. 

Also, research #GRAND20
to find other sellers who are participating.

Click on the image below to get to Made by Teachers.

Sunday, January 22, 2023

Opening a Second Shop!

Good news!!
My business is expanding :)
I have just opened a shop at Made by Teachers
If you haven't been over to check out their website,
make plans to do it soon. Click on the image to find me and then have a look around.


If you are still more comfortable with TpT,
don't worry, I'm still there too.

Below are 2 Valentine FREEBIES in my 
Made by Teachers store.
Click on the images to grab your freebies and
also check out Made by Teachers.

Saturday, August 27, 2022

Bible Review with Headbands

Well, we're back in full swing around here.
We're on week 3 of Bible study already,
but I wanted to share our first week back.

This year I'm teaching 3rd - 5th grade Bible.
I've had most of these kids since the 1st grade.
We use the Gospel Project curriculum
which walks them all the way through the Bible.

I knew that I needed to review during our first class
and it was a lot to cover.
So, what they thought was a game
turned into a really great and fun review.
My adult kids and I have game night regularly at my house
and HEADBANDS is one of our favorites.
So instead of just talking at my students,
we played Headbands Bible Review.

I simply attached a card with topics that I wanted them to review. They started shouting out clues to help me guess what was on my head. I pretended to not know until I got all the facts that I wanted from them. I "guessed" what was on my head and then moved on to the next card. The game also helped me clear up misconceptions (for example, if they said "she's married to Joseph" I would say "it's Mary" and they would yell "no").

It was soooo much fun!
I felt like it was a great review and the next week we were able to jump straight into our new lessons for the year.

We have also used Bible word cards to play Pictionary and Charades. All of them are good ways to review or just practice any words or topics that you need to.
I'm including 3 of my FREE resources that would work really well for any of the review games mentioned above. Click on each of them to grab your free copies.
HAVE FUN!!

Sunday, August 14, 2022

Pirate Ponderings: CHOSEN

Every year our admin chooses a word or phrase
that she feels God is giving her for our staff.
I love our word this year :)
CHOSEN
CHOSEN "for such a time as this"
CHOSEN for this time,
CHOSEN for these kids,
CHOSEN for this generation,
CHOSEN for this place
CHOSEN to proclaim HIS excellencies.

I am in awe of the fact that I am chosen by God.
I know me,
so to know that HE chose me for ANYTHING is humbling.

And then to think of what HE chose
in order for me to be chosen.
HE chose to leave heaven,
HE chose to become a baby, born in a stable,
raised in poverty and oppression,
HE chose to buck the system in order to speak truth,
HE chose beatings and humiliation,
HE chose the cross,
HE chose death and the grave.

And yes, praise God for HIS resurrection, but
let's not skip over all the stuff that came before that.
HE chose a lot of hurt and suffering.
Knowing it would happen, 
HE chose to do it anyway, for me and for you.
HE chose all of it so that we could choose.

We can choose to reject HIM or

we can choose
to believe in HIM
to love HIM
to follow HIM
to worship HIM
to serve HIM.
We all get to choose what we will do with HIM.

I'm praying that our response will be
Colossians 3:12-17 (ESV)

12) Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience, 13) bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you must also forgive. 14) And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15) And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17) And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

HE calls us CHOSEN, HOLY AND BELOVED :)
and then we are given some instructions for how we should live in light of what HE has done for us.

When we walk into our schools and meet with students, we all get to choose how we will treat them (and each other).

I'm praying that this school year, for our students, our families, our schools and ourselves, we will all choose to 

 be hopeful
be kind
be humble
be patient
be encouraged and encouraging
be compassionate 
be comforted and comforting
be worshipful
be joyful
be committed
be thankful.

I'm praying that we all stay faithful to our calling and that everything we choose this year will be honoring to HIM.


Saturday, May 21, 2022

FREEBIE FRIDAY: Memorial Day


How many days left???
We are down to 3 which will include 2 days of field day and a half day so we don't have much time left to focus on Memorial Day with our students. If you still have time left, I have a freebie, an easy prep sentence building activity and a bulletin board idea for you.

I know when it gets close to the end throwing stations together needs to be quick and easy.
This word building activity is just that.
Just print, cut apart (kids can do that)
and let them start making words.
It's FREE so just click on the picture for your copy.
Another easy prep station is this sentence building activity.
If you make the copies your students can help cut them out.
Then they can work together to rebuild the sentences, record them on the provided worksheet and then check their answers using the answer key.
And now for a bulletin board idea.
This is a board that we did a few years ago.
We called it a WALL OF HONOR.
We had our kids (and staff) bring in pictures of their loved ones who had served and added them to our board. They attached names, dates, places and branches of service.
Everyone hung them with such love and pride.
It was overwhelming to see.

My prayer this year is that we all remember
and honor those who have served.
I thank my God every time I remember you.
Philippians 1:3

Friday, April 15, 2022

The Best Friday of Them All

I think we can agree that all Fridays are good,
but THIS Friday is the best of them all.

We call it GOOD FRIDAY,
even though it was not good for Jesus...
the result of HIS death (and resurrection)
make it good for all who believe.

Spending the day grateful for what HE did for me,
and waiting another glorious celebration on Sunday.
Praying blessings on you as you celebrate 
what HE has done for all of us.


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