So....I'm reading a Sci-Fi series....Never thought I'd say that :)
I was encouraged to read I am Number Four by a student in my 8th hour class. She loved it and highly recommended it to me. Being interested in what my students are reading, I check out the book form the library and in 2 days had it finished. It's one of those books that I just couldn't put down. The story is about an alien race that is being attacked by an enemy planet. To try and preserve their race, they send 9 children to earth in the hopes that they will grow their powers and someday be able to fight back and reclaim there home planet (Lorien).
There is so much action in the book and it was so intriguing to me that I am already 3/4 of the way through book #2 titled, The Power of Six. Although I am not a science fiction person...the characters and the story is what has really gotten a hold of me. I just checked out book #3, The Rise of Nine for the weekend. If you are looking for an action packed series...I recommend the Lorien Legacies.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
Smiles to Go
Over the weekend, I read Smiles to Go by Jerry Spinelli. He also wrote Wringer, Stargirl, Maniac Magee, Crash and many other young adult books.
Sometimes you just need a bit of a break. I had been reading some difficult material and wanted nothing more than to get "lost" in a simple story. If you are searching for easy reads that are engaging and FUN - read Spinelli. His stories are all about high schoolers: the joys and trials of being a teen. They are very fun and very real.
ENJOY!
Sometimes you just need a bit of a break. I had been reading some difficult material and wanted nothing more than to get "lost" in a simple story. If you are searching for easy reads that are engaging and FUN - read Spinelli. His stories are all about high schoolers: the joys and trials of being a teen. They are very fun and very real.
ENJOY!
Friday, September 19, 2014
Two Books
Sorry I haven't posted much this week - I have been doing quite a bit of reading...both personal and for school (I collected journals from my seniors and have been reading them).
Book 1 - FOUR
Loved it! It is the final book in the Divergent series. Basically, it goes through the life of the character named Four. His choosing ceremony, his training in Dauntless, his refusal of leadership, and his introduction to Tris are all written about. It was very fun to to scenes I read about in the Trilogy from a different perspective. It really made me think about my life and how the people i interact with may walk away from a shared experience with a very different take on it. Hmmmm...
Book 2 - Stargirl
Also a fantastic read. The story is about a girl who transfers into a high school and is completely herself (weird to all the other students). She rises to popularity and falls to outcast. She tries to fit in and reverts back to who she is. In the end she is a hero but at the cost of no longer attending the school. I am excited to read the sequel - Love, Stargirl.
Book 1 - FOUR
Loved it! It is the final book in the Divergent series. Basically, it goes through the life of the character named Four. His choosing ceremony, his training in Dauntless, his refusal of leadership, and his introduction to Tris are all written about. It was very fun to to scenes I read about in the Trilogy from a different perspective. It really made me think about my life and how the people i interact with may walk away from a shared experience with a very different take on it. Hmmmm...
Book 2 - Stargirl
Also a fantastic read. The story is about a girl who transfers into a high school and is completely herself (weird to all the other students). She rises to popularity and falls to outcast. She tries to fit in and reverts back to who she is. In the end she is a hero but at the cost of no longer attending the school. I am excited to read the sequel - Love, Stargirl.
Thursday, September 11, 2014
I want...
My daughter, Tessa, is three. Every day we work on helping move away from starting sentences with "I want..." We are trying very hard to teach her to begin the sentences instead with... "May I please have...."
I thought about it again last night while we were at our church picnic. Tess was participating in the classic game - CAKE WALK - you know, the one where you walk in a circle while the music is playing and then find a seat when it stops. Then the leader of the game pulls a card and if she pulls the card that matches your seat you get to go over to the table and choose a cake. It is great fun. After 6 times walking in the circle and NOT winning, Tess was beginning to be frustrated. Her bottom lip was getting further and further from her chin and the tears were very close now. On the 7th time...she won. Pure JOY! Then.....
She took 10 minutes looking over all the cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and other treats. You see, she just couldn't decide which ONE to take home with us. Finally, I gave her the 5 second count down and she settled on some homemade cupcakes that were beautifully decorated in purple and pink sprinkles. (I knew she was going to choose that one from the beginning).
Of course....She wanted to play again. She wanted more. It was then that we had a good conversation about humility and self-control. :)
AND YET - there is something great about wanting more... I am again drawn to our theme this year - Love Does
Love Does means wanting to do more...I guess Jesus was right (He always is) when he said, "Let the little Children come to me....because THEY get it."
I thought about it again last night while we were at our church picnic. Tess was participating in the classic game - CAKE WALK - you know, the one where you walk in a circle while the music is playing and then find a seat when it stops. Then the leader of the game pulls a card and if she pulls the card that matches your seat you get to go over to the table and choose a cake. It is great fun. After 6 times walking in the circle and NOT winning, Tess was beginning to be frustrated. Her bottom lip was getting further and further from her chin and the tears were very close now. On the 7th time...she won. Pure JOY! Then.....
She took 10 minutes looking over all the cupcakes, brownies, cookies, and other treats. You see, she just couldn't decide which ONE to take home with us. Finally, I gave her the 5 second count down and she settled on some homemade cupcakes that were beautifully decorated in purple and pink sprinkles. (I knew she was going to choose that one from the beginning).
Of course....She wanted to play again. She wanted more. It was then that we had a good conversation about humility and self-control. :)
AND YET - there is something great about wanting more... I am again drawn to our theme this year - Love Does
Love Does means wanting to do more...I guess Jesus was right (He always is) when he said, "Let the little Children come to me....because THEY get it."
Monday, September 8, 2014
Same Kind of Different as Me
I finished reading Same Kind of Different as Me over the weekend. I had read it before, but it had been a few years. I was again struck by the raw emotion that authors, Ron Hall and Denver Moore use in their writing.
In the story the wife of author, Ron Moore, battles and eventually loses the fight with cancer. The story however is much more about humanness and the "stuff" that connects us.
Friends...no matter where you come from: Rich, Poor, Black, White, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, NRA, PETA.... the stuff that connects us is God's LOVE & GRACE.
I highly recommend the book - it may not change your life, but it will remind you of the Beauty of God even in the midst of tragedy.
In the story the wife of author, Ron Moore, battles and eventually loses the fight with cancer. The story however is much more about humanness and the "stuff" that connects us.
Friends...no matter where you come from: Rich, Poor, Black, White, Hispanic, Republican, Democrat, NRA, PETA.... the stuff that connects us is God's LOVE & GRACE.
I highly recommend the book - it may not change your life, but it will remind you of the Beauty of God even in the midst of tragedy.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
BEAUTIFUL
I'm not going to lie...I checked again this morning for a rainbow...In my heart I was kind of hoping for a REPEAT from last year.
Although we didn't get a rainbow this morning, we did have something BEAUTIFUL. Students came to classes, teachers taught with passion, and Christ was lifted high in the hallways of HCHS. I love coming to this place and love being part of this BEAUTIFUL thing we call Education.
There is a line from my favorite musical, Les Mes, that says, "To Love another person is to see the face of God." That is the BEAUTY I see every day here.
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Reading makes us SMARTER and NICER...
Check out this article from Time
On that note...Here is a list of 25 books that I love and think you guys would love reading as well:
1) Wonder
2) The Fault in Our Stars
3) Looking for Alaska
4) Paper Towns
5) The Color of Water
6) The Giver
7) The Chosen
8) My Name is Asher Lev
9) Night
10) Same Kind of Different As Me
11) Love Does
12) The Hobbit
13) The Chrysalids
14) Season of Life
15) Divergent-Insurgent-Allegiant
16) The Book Thief
17) A Wrinkle in Time
18) Feed
19) Bridge to Terabithia
20) Number the Stars
21) Ender's Game
22) If I Stay
23) Where She Went
24) Chronicles of Narnia
25) To Kill a Mockingbird
On that note...Here is a list of 25 books that I love and think you guys would love reading as well:
1) Wonder
2) The Fault in Our Stars
3) Looking for Alaska
4) Paper Towns
5) The Color of Water
6) The Giver
7) The Chosen
8) My Name is Asher Lev
9) Night
10) Same Kind of Different As Me
11) Love Does
12) The Hobbit
13) The Chrysalids
14) Season of Life
15) Divergent-Insurgent-Allegiant
16) The Book Thief
17) A Wrinkle in Time
18) Feed
19) Bridge to Terabithia
20) Number the Stars
21) Ender's Game
22) If I Stay
23) Where She Went
24) Chronicles of Narnia
25) To Kill a Mockingbird
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