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Throw Back Thursday

May24

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A few years ago, I noticed someone had coined the phrase, “Throw Back Thursday” aka TBT on facebook. For a long time, many of us posted a TBT almost every week.

(My first year started mid-year as a fill-in for a K5 teacher who went on maternity leave.) It was such a joy to have a “class of my own.” They were so adorable! In the afternoons, I taught typing, history, and Home Economics. Each picture brought a smile. Such cute little faces!

What truly touched my heart was when I opened the 1980 yearbook. I had forgotten that my fifth-grade-students wrote messages to me. Some made me smile, some made me cry and some of the boys apparently wanted me to get married! “All in God’s time!” I used to say.  One of my favorite paragraphs reads:

Miss Hinchee, You are a very nice teacher and I love you. But sometimes you and nice and sometimes you are mean but I like you anyway. You’re a very nice person. P.S. I am glad I was in your 5th Grade Class.

Music to my ears! There are times when a teacher must be stern in order for the children to learn and to grow.  The words are even more precious because the little girl who wrote this is with the Lord now.

You know, this reminds me of how the Lord teaches us. Sometimes we feel blessed beyond measure when He sends along good things for us but when we go through the trials, we don’t understand why He allows some things in our life but He knows. He understands. He is with us through the trials and helps us grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

One of my typing students also signed my yearbook. He became a facebook friend a few years ago. I didn’t know that he was fighting cancer. The Lord called him home. What a joy this young man was. Serving the Lord as an adult at this same school. He is now with the Lord but I know he made an impression on many people who love the Lord because of him!

My goal in teaching was to show His love that each child would come to know the Lord as their Savior and that they would follow Him. That required me to apply II Timothy 2:15 to my life as well.   What a joy and blessing to teach each child. I am humbled as I look back at the wonderful opportunity the Lord gave to me so long ago!

“Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

Opportunity to share the Gospel tonight!

Oct31

 

For many years, I shunned the participation in the age old tradition of “trick-or-treating”.

The fact that it emerged from heathenism, I didn’t feel it was right to encourage the practice. However, about thirty years ago, the Lord prompted me to turn the darkness into “Light” by using the opportunity to share the Gospel (Good News) of the Lord Jesus Christ.

At first, I made Bible Verse cards on business card stock. I made goodie bags and included a card in each bag. Later, I learned that I could order Halloween, Harvest and “Kid” tracts from the American Tract Society and thus began a wonderful tradition.

One year, when I was providing child care in my home, teaching Sunday School and speaking in Awana, we had 92 children receive a Gospel goodie bag! That was an expensive year as I place at least three good candies in the bag with the tract.

We have had parents and children come to our door after Halloween, thanking us for the tract and expressing their delight.  As time went by, children who knew us and traditionally visited our home on Farm Road each year began to grow up. Teenagers stopped by knowing that they would receive a bag too.  Over the past ten years, we have given out less than fifty. This year, we had  only thirty-four tracts for children. We have had about a dozen adorable visitors so far. Not bad since this is only our second year in this neighborhood.

Praying for each child and their parents to read the Gospel tract and that some will receive Christ as their Savior.  We can shun events we do not approve of or we can turn it into blessing. John and I choose to share Christ tonight. How about you?

Oh, we couldn’t resist giving out my bookmarks and business cards to older girls and to Moms who love to read. Shameless advertising. The children are the most important tonight. May God bless each one tonight.

For more information or questions, please feel free to contact me at khpurdywrites4Him@hotmail.com

The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking: Tie Dye Play Silks

Aug4

Wonderful project for Mom and Kids! Check out this blog from

The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking

(And I thought dying salt, play dough, and rice was a neat way to teach about colors with the preschoolers in my classroom and  home childcare. Imagine teaching children about colors and having them “paint” their own fabric. The possibilities are endless!)

The Complete Guide to Imperfect Homemaking: Tie Dye Play Silks.