Creative Christmas Stories

My students make me smile!  I hope you feel the same way. :)

Prompt:  Something pops up behind you while you are sledding!  What is it? What happens next?!

I was at the top of the South Street Hill on my new sled.  It had a steering wheel, brakes, and plenty of leg space.  I jumped on it, then I went down real fast.  I was only a quarter down the hill when my cat, Bilbo, pops up behind me wearing a Santa suit and says, "Meeeowy Cwismeows," and I was amazed.  So, we kept going down the hill at about 20 mph.  At the end, we went back up and did it again.

A chill went down my spine.  Someone was behind me on my sled.  I didn't dare look back.  This was the most dangerous slope.  You had to dodge tree after tree and brake at the end to avoid going down the ravine.  I swerved around the first tree, trying to throw whatever it was off the sled.  It didn't work.  I went off a jump but my passenger was still there.  I was nearing the ravine.  The thing put an arm on my shoulder.  I bailed out, turned around, and watched as Santa Claus, riding my sled, went down the ravine.  He yelled, "You're getting coal this Christmas!"  Oops.

Prompt:  Explain to Santa why he should use the iPhone, iPad, etc. that you are sending him.

Dear Santa, I'm sending you a this laptop so that instead of having to write all these letters and get writer's cramp, I can just send you emails.  Also, instead of the elves having to make all the toys, you can just order them on Amazon.  And if you insist on making some of the toys, you can use iTunes to put on a happy Christmasy tune to make it fun.  And one last thing -- all the kids will think you're cool.  Sincerely, B.  P.S.  I'm hoping this will get me extra good points!

Dear Santa, I'm giving you this iPad to help you through this journey.  It can help you because it has a GPS app to help you get around.  Another use for an iPad is you can take pictures with the camera on the front and back.  You can also listen to Christmas music like "Let It Snow" and "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town."  Also, I know how long of a trip it is to get from England to America, so you can also play games on the way!  I hope you will like it! Your friend, L.

Prompt: Tell about your experience from the perspective of a wise man or shepherd.

I was walking down the street when I saw a star.  I went to my friends and told them about it.  We decided to go check it out and figured out there was a new king.  We went to Bethlehem and told about The King to the king, and he seemed to have a real weird face, but whatever.  By the time we found Him, He was about 2 years old.  So, we worshiped Him and felt His presence in us.  We gave Him gifts: myrrh, gold, and frankincense.  We felt joy and went home and had hot chocolate.

Yo!  I'm the one that's bringin' gold 'cause dat's how we roll.  So far it's been perty rough.  We be cruisin' all day, first one of the wise men got motion sick, then one got dehydrated and was talking about the stars being aliens.  Ain't nobody got time fo' that!  Then we made it after years of travelin'.  Boy, that was hard!  (I promise, this student actually has great grammar!  It's just well-written dialect!)

Christmas in Kandern!

I've been delaying this blog post in hopes that I could load some photos to SHOW you Christmas in Kandern... and it magically worked!  Mysterious.  Hope you enjoy these highlights of Christmas celebrations in Kandern!

The picturesque view of snowfall from my bedroom window last week.  Unfortunately, the rain we've had the past few days has completely rid us of the winter wonderland.

My small group went Christmas caroling last Wednesday.  We visited 5 other small groups and 5 BFA families.  This was one of my favorite small group times ever!  We had a lot of fun together as we drove around to the different houses.  We even sang to everyone as they arrived back at the high school at the end of small group time, and snow began to fall gently.  How delightful!

The middle school and high school choirs sang carols together at the downtown Christmas market last Thursday.  It was c-c-cold, but they did a great job!

The middle school parents blessed us with a middle school staff luncheon last Friday.  My classroom was transformed and we enjoyed cheeses, soups, and yummy desserts.

My roommate Brittany and I ventured into downtown Basel for their Christmas market last weekend!  It was fun to walk around a look at the different stalls.  We even got to participate in a flash mob (singing "How Great Is Our God" in German) organized by an alliance of churches in Basel!

Brittany and I had the middle school chapel band students over to our house for a Christmas party on Monday after school.  We played several Christmas carol games and ended by playing this favorite, Whoonu.  What a fun group of middle schoolers!

Wednesday was the annual small group Christmas party.  My group joined with Brittany and Justina's group to eat yummy soup, watch Home Alone, decorate cookies, and sip homemade hot chocolate.  It was a fun, relaxing time for everyone!

We did a major locker clean-out this week... some of the students needed it more than others!

During the last two English classes before break, the sixth graders wrote creative stories about different Christmas-related prompts.  I'll be posting some of these soon so you can hear how hilarious and clever they are!

Next time I write, I'll be on the other side of the Atlantic.  I'm looking forward to spending this Christmas in PA with some of YOU!

Thanksgiving Recap

So, Blogger is telling me that I have reached my maximum photo storage for this blog... no!  I have been wanting to update you on the latest events, but I've been putting it off in hopes that Blogger might change its mind.  It hasn't.  But here is the latest update anyway!  (And here's hoping that I might be able to fix it for the future...)

The past few weeks have flown by with activities nearly every day and big responsibilities on my shoulders.  On the heels of Operation Christmas Child, I switched gears to plan a motorized scavenger hunt for my small group and six other high school girl small groups!  My parents have lots of experience writing and participating in scavenger hunts like these, so I asked them to help with the planning.  They wrote the story line about a missing Thanksgiving dinner, which took groups to my favorite cafe, the kitchen of a BFA dorm, a guys small group, and the town square.  I wrote clues, contacted people at the different sites, and assembled sealed envelopes.  The girls gathered at the high school and were sent out in their teams of 7-9 people.  It was hard to sit still once the vans pulled out... I so hoped that all of the clues would work and that they would all finish in time!  From everything I have heard, it was a success and the girls had a blast!

Two days later, we hosted 18 of our friends in our living room for our 3rd annual Thanksgiving celebration!  We provided the turkeys (three of them!) and friends brought side dishes to complete the spread.  After a delicious meal, we read some Psalms and sang worship songs together, another Thanksgiving tradition of ours.  While eating delicious desserts - and long after we had put down our forks! - we chatted and laughed.  Yes, it was loud.  What would you expect with a group of 18 girls?!  You can see a picture of all of us around the table and read my friend's summary of the event on her blog.

Our Christmas tree is up and our living room is splashed with red and white, yet I am still overflowing with thanksgiving.  I am grateful for a community here in Kandern that makes this feel like home.  I'm grateful for my community on the other side of the ocean at Grace Point, which makes it possible for me to serve here at BFA.  I'm thankful for wonderful students, inspiring mentors, and a job I love.

"Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure.  The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance."  Psalm 16:5-6

Operation Christmas Child!

While most Americans are thinking about Thanksgiving, my last few weeks have been consumed by plans for Christmas... Operation Christmas Child, that is!  From driving between all three campuses to check on their progress to wrapping shoeboxes by the light of Christmas movies to filling my roommate's van with donated items, I have been so thrilled to be a part of the school-wide OCC project.  In past years, the elementary school has completed this project on their own, but this year it became a whole-school endeavor.  The middle school students in my DIY elective set the goal of 100 boxes to pack this year.  I knew we'd need lots of people to get involved with a goal that big!

On Wednesday night, my roommate and I got our small group girls to help us wrap shoeboxes for the packing party!

It was really neat to see how different members of the community participated in different ways.  Some donated items or packed whole boxes, while others came to our packing party or donated money for the transportation costs of the boxes.  All of us were united around the same purpose -- that children around the world might know the greatest Gift of all, Jesus!

Yesterday afternoon was the first-ever BFA packing party!  We used a conference room for the packing stations and the student center (lounge area) for the checking station, collecting location, and prayer area.  Everyone who packed a box was encouraged to pray for the recipient of that box, as well as the many others who will get these shoeboxes in the next few months.

 Welcome station and the packing room

All ages were represented at the packing party!

Middle school students, eager to pack boxes!

 Making sure the box is complete!

Next stop: checking station!

Blown away by the way God works!  Together we packed 112 shoeboxes!

The volunteers even helped us pack the boxes into the van!

Thanks to everyone who participated in Operation Christmas Child 2012!

(These are just a few of our helpers!)

"The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for the least of these brothers of mine, you did for Me.'"  Matthew 25:40

Chapel Band Workshops

Because there is no chapel tomorrow (parent-teacher conferences day!), we had a little bit of extra time in chapel band rehearsals.  We've begun rehearsing the songs for next week, but we didn't want to overplay them before next Friday... So, yesterday was a special workshop day in our chapel band elective!

Three students from the high school chapel band missed their last period classes - they weren't too upset about that - to share with the middle schoolers some tips about being in chapel band.  The two girls worked with our vocalists on singing harmony and having good stage presence.  I got to play piano for that group, and it was so fun to hear their voices blend and try new harmonies on familiar songs.

In the other room, a high school drummer worked with our two middle school drummers.  They developed confidence with different rhythms and talked about techniques for the drum set and Cajon box drum.

It was great to see these older and younger musicians learning from each other and worshipping God together!  We'll be doing this again soon.

The Treasure

"The treasure is You, there's no other

The treasure is You, more than gold

Heaven and earth, they have lost their luster

You alone are the treasure that I hold."

[Meredith Andrews]

The lyrics of this song by Meredith Andrews have been running through my mind lately, after reading a challenging chapter of Radical with my small group a few weeks ago.  Jesus is our treasure, the greatest treasure we could ever find!  Are we worth giving up everything else to pursue that treasure?

I wrote this little modern-day parable to share with the middle schoolers at our Monday morning devotions called "matins."  Several students acted it out as I read aloud.  I'm praying that we are all reminded of its truth this week!

The Parable of a Man Named Joe

(A Modern Day Version of Matthew 13:44)

Matthew 13:44 "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field.  When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

There once was a man named Joe.  He was out for a walk one sunny day with his dog, Bailey.  He let Bailey off her leash to run freely in the field.  This was their favorite place to come and play.  When he wanted to get away from the demands of work and finances and other responsibilities, this was where he would come.  He could just relax and breathe in the fresh air.

A scratching sound jolted Joe out of his dreamlike state.  There was Bailey, intently scratching at the ground.  

"What are you doing there, Bailey?"  Joe questioned as he jogged over to the busy canine.  He pulled Bailey away from the spot to reveal a box in a shallow hole in the ground.  "What on earth is this?"  He wondered aloud.  His curiosity got the best of him, and he tugged at the corners of the box to reveal whatever was inside.

It was almost unthinkable, unspeakable in fact.  He sat there on the ground for a minute without moving, unsure of how to respond.  The treasure inside was more than he could make in a lifetime, maybe twice that.  Bailey panted in his ear, but Joe couldn't think clearly enough to form words yet.

How many times had he jogged around this field with Bailey?  How long had this box been only a few meters away from their feet?  He couldn't ask those questions.  Not now.

Looking over his shoulder, he quickly shoved the box back into the hole and began covering it with the fresh dirt.  Bailey whimpered, as if to ask, "What are you doing?!  I just uncovered that treasure!"  Joe tossed back, "This isn't our treasure.  Not yet at least."

Joe ran into town with Bailey at his heels, millions of thoughts swarming in his mind.  But he could only entertain one:  How could he buy that field?

Joe tied Bailey up in front of the town hall and walked in.  "May I speak with Mayor Branch please?" he asked.  Without more than a nod, the secretary ushered Joe back to the mayor's office.  

"What can I do for you today, Joe?"  Mayor Branch was an old friend of Joe's.  

"Well, Hal, I was wondering about that field where I always run with Bailey, you know, down near Carter Street?"  

"Oh yes, of course I know the place.  Beautiful spot.  Great view of the sunset over the town, lots of shade from the trees.  Love that place.  What about it?"

"Um, well, who owns it?"

"Owns it?  Why, that's town land, I suppose."  The mayor typed a few things into his computer.  "Huh."

Joe waited patiently for a moment, then asked hesitantly, "What?"

"I had no idea.  There is a note here that that piece of land has been on the market for years, but no one has purchased it.  That's quite a surprise."  He read on and then gasped.  "Oh, well that explains it!  Look at this price tag!  No one could ever afford that."  Joe leaned over and his eyes widened.  It did seem a bit exorbitant.  But he knew why.

And as Joe walked out of the town hall, thanking Hal as he went, he knew.  He knew what he wanted to do.  Because he had found the treasure.

Over the next few days, Joe set out to sell everything he owned.  He met with his realtor to put his home on the market.  She kept asking him if he was really sure what he was doing, but he assured her that he had found something better.  Joe met with the stock broker to sell all shares of his stocks, and even quit his high-paying job downtown.  He went on ebay to sell his books, household items, appliances, electronics, and clothes.  What wouldn't sell there, Joe bagged up and took to the thrift shop.

"Joe!" Stan called out.  "Good to see you!  What are you doing here?"  Joe explained that he was downsizing, although he didn't go into the details.  Still, Stan shook his head in disbelief as he saw what Joe had brought in the bags, full to overflowing.  Joe left the bags at Stan's feet because he knew.  He knew what he wanted to do.  Because he had found treasure.

Finally, with nothing but Bailey to his name, he walked back to the town hall with his head held high.  Because he knew.

"Hal, I'm back."  Joe said, as he handed an envelope to Hal.  

"What's this?"  Hal asked.  And then he looked inside.  "What on earth?  Did you sell everything you own?"  Hal said, mockingly.  When he saw Joe nod his head seriously, he sputtered, "Oh my word, you did, didn't you?  Are you crazy?  I mean, that land is beautiful, but it's… land.  You're leaving behind the security of a house, a retirement plan, everything that lets you live a normal life!  You're comfortable where you are.  Why in the world would you give it all up?"

Joe nodded his head in understanding.  Because he knew.  He knew that others wouldn't understand.  They didn't know about the treasure.  Once that field was his, the treasure would be his.  And all that he was leaving behind, all of the sacrifice, all of the "stuff" was worth nothing compared to that field, compared to that immense treasure that he and Bailey had found buried in the dirt.

As crazy as it seemed, he was confident of this:  It was worth abandoning EVERYTHING ELSE to find that TREASURE.

A Full (of Fun) Wednesday!

These autumn days have been very full - full of fun, that is!  While my days are filled with many responsibilities, meetings, and events, I am truly filled with joy as I go through the day.

Yesterday's fun began with a special English lesson in 1st period.  We have been reading Number the Stars for the past week or so, and yesterday was a little break from that unit.  I did a mini-lesson on the six areas of Language Arts - reading and writing, listening and speaking, and visualizing and viewing.  The students were able to guess all of them with just a few hints!  We focused on writing, listening, and speaking during yesterday's class. The students had to do a creative writing piece on what it means to be "brave."  Some students wrote about actual people, while others created fictional heroes.  They worked so diligently!  After this writing time, I initiated a debate about the same topic.  I encouraged students to share their thoughts, respond to others, and draw in students who were on the "sidelines."  The sixth graders did a great job on their first round-table discussion, and I look forward to doing this with them again in the future.

In the middle of the day, I headed over to the elementary school to check on the Operation Christmas Child progress and eat lunch with my former class (now 5th graders).  Each elementary class has a collection box in the classroom, and the 5th graders come to collect the items regularly.  These items are then sorted into boxes by "type" (pictured below) to help the shoe box packing process go more smoothly.  It is so fun to see the 5th graders taking on responsibility and all of the students getting enthusiastic about the project!

Back at the middle school in the afternoon, we had our monthly class auction, which is part of our "classroom economy" based on the Vanguard program.  (Totally worth checking out!)  I wish I had a picture of the students raising their auction paddles to bid on fun items, such as chocolate bars, hand warmers, and coupons for one excused late homework and a free item at our next auction.

Finally, to finish off a great Wednesday, I headed to Herbstmesse for the evening.  I've written about this fall festival in Basel for the past two years, probably because it is one of the most-anticipated events of the fall.  After grabbing our wurst and Starbucks drink, we headed across the bridge to the bumper cars.  There is something unifying about the violence, the laughter, the high-energy excitement of the bumper cars at Herbstmesse!  This year was even more exciting for me, as I am now a middle school teacher.  The middle schoolers have a designated time to meet at the bumper cars to challenge their teachers and classmates.  It was a blast to ride around with students!  (Some were crazier drivers than others...!)  What a gift to be able to invest in their lives, not only in the classroom.

Roommates enjoying Starbucks!

Bumper cars with the middle schoolers!

Postcard Exchange!

I'm linking up with other middle level classrooms (grades 4-8) for an international postcard exchange!  Michelle Lundy at Making It As A Middle School Teacher has organized this classroom exchange, which will begin this week.  I'm excited for my students to participate in this connection with classes around the world!

To all you teachers out there... Michelle is still looking for teachers from these states, so visit her blog if you're interested!  Feel free to pass this along to your friends, too.

Alaska
Arkansas
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Idaho
Iowa
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Minnesota
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
North Dakota
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Dakota
Tennessee
Utah
Vermont
Washington
West Virginia
Wyoming
Washington, D.C.

Australia
Canada
Israel
Mexico
South Africa

D.I.Y. [Do It Yourself]

This quarter I have enjoyed teaching the middle school D.I.Y. elective, a brand new elective class that I'm creating as I go!  Yes, the idea originated from my love of Pinterest, but it has been really neat to see the students develop important life skills - resourcefulness, creativity, generosity - through our fun projects.

DIY Envelopes

(Idea from: http://www.neverhomemaker.com/2009/12/craftastic-envelope-diy.html)

DIY Collage Covers

I laminated their final result and taped it to their homework planner cover.

DIY Origami Frogs and Boxes

I used the opaque projector to demonstrate paper folding.

(Idea from: http://www.origami-instructions.com/origami-box-with-cover.html)

DIY Trail Mix

Our class made the bags of mix for the middle school overnight.

DIY Decorative Letters

We wrapped cardboard letters with colored yarn - and had some fun adventures with the glue gun!

(Idea from: http://www.delicateconstruction.com)

DIY House Scent Jars

We packed small glass jars with fall-smelling things to give as appreciation gifts to the middle school teachers.  (One mix: orange, anise stars, allspice, and cinnamon sticks.  Other mix: orange, ginger, vanilla extract.)  When the contents of this jar are simmered over low heat on the stove, the house smells amazing! 

(Idea from: http://www.theyummylife.com/Natural_Room_Scents)

DIY Candle Holders

These jars are wrapped in rubber bands, ready for spraypainting.  After the paint dries, rubber bands are removed to allow light from the candle to shine through.

(Idea from: http://theforgestyle.blogspot.de/2011/11/diy-yarn-wrapped-painted-jars.html and http://www.thehyperhouse.com/2012/01/elegant-votive-candleholders/)

I am also absolutely thrilled for my D.I.Y. class to be heading up Operation Christmas Child this year!  Last year, I worked with my fourth graders to coordinate the project at the elementary school.  Each student had a job to get the rest of the elementary grades involved.  Together we packed 43 boxes!   This year the middle school DIY elective also has jobs and will head it up for all three campuses.  We have a goal of 100 boxes!  I'm excited to see how our community comes together to make an impact with shoeboxes -- and how God will use these shoeboxes to transform the lives of kids around the world.

A "Taste" of Home

For a few days this week, I had the treat of hosting Tim and Alison Gee, friends from my home church!  It was great to be able to show them the area and give them a taste of what BFA life is like.  They fit right in!

* On Tuesday, I was able to take part of the day off to show the Gees one of my favorite places in Europe -- Interlaken and the Lauterbrunnen Valley in the Swiss Alps.  We had beautiful weather with great views of the peaks.

* Tim and Alison got a tour of the high school on Wednesday morning, followed by a (much shorter!) tour of the middle school.  They heard about how BFA provides services for the whole student -- their academic, social, and emotional needs.

* Tim decided to use his skills and training as a chef to bless the middle school staff!  We were spoiled with ginger beef with leeks over rice and delicious pastries for dessert!

* Tim and Alison both helped out with Scripture memory during Bible class.  They talked the kids about the meanings of the verses and helped them prepare for the upcoming verse quiz.  Tim enjoyed attending the Ultimate Frisbee elective at the end of the day, while Alison conversed with 8th grade students in the cooking elective class.

* We also visited several dorms over the course of the two days.  Each dorm has a unique personality and feel to it, making it more like "home" for the students living away from their families.

* The Gees also stayed in the guest apartment of my mentor, so they got to know the Campbell family during their stay here as well.

* Tim was the speaker for the evening at Chrysalis, the middle school youth ministry.  While Tim was spending time with the middle schoolers, Alison joined my high school group.  We drove to Elemenz, my favorite cafe, for some yummy desserts and deep conversation about our goals for the year.

Thanks, Tim and Alison, for a great visit!  Anyone else coming to Kandern soon?  Let me know if you'd like to visit BFA!

Goosebumps and God's Plan

As you know, I lead a small group of high school girls and absolutely love it!  Our time together is fun and meaningful.  I feel a greater connection to this community and deepened intimacy with Christ because of the time I spend with my small group.  Needless to say, I'm very excited that small groups start meeting again this Wednesday!

Over the past two years, we've read two Francis Chan books - Crazy Love and Forgotten God.  These books have spurred great discussion and challenged us to live out our faith more boldly.  This summer, I prayerfully considered several book options for this school year.  One night, I just felt peace about going with a certain book called Radical (David Platt).  I had read it through last year, so I was familiar with the content and knew that the book ended with a one-year challenge (which coincides perfectly with the girls' senior year).

Upon my return to Germany, I ordered copies of Radical for each of the girls in the group.  Just a few days later, I received this Facebook message from one of the girls -- and sat in silent amazement at the way God works.

"heather! (:  

it's almost time to see you again!!! yessss!!!! 

so i was wondering if you had a chosen book to read for this year already. because if you havent yet, ive just started reading this book called "Radical" by David Platt and i couldnt help but think about how wonderful it will be to read it together next year!!

it's such a challenging book. but soo soo good. and i think it would be a really great book to read together. but if you have other plans, i totally understand, it's just a suggestion. (:

love you! and see you soon!"

Yes, that is how God works.  He leads and He confirms.  And I get goosebumps because I'm a part of His plan!

Welcome to Class!

Welcome to sixth grade at BFA Middle School!  Here's a little tour...

This is what the classroom looked like a few weeks ago.

(And this was even after the teacher desk was in place and the room had been cleaned!)

Here's another "in progress" shot...

Desks are in place and shelves installed above teacher desk.

Here's my "teacher's area" - teaching desk, shelves for curriculum (much more full now), and schrank for materials.

Now the classroom is alive!

Our first writing assignment of the year - a "Spotlight on Summer" story - is on display on this bulletin board, with our four essential questions framed and hung above.  Reading groups are posted (in this picture, you can see one rock star poster with names underneath it).  Students also imagined their lives as a CD and created their hit single song title and band name.  These CDs are hanging from the ceiling.

Below the back bulletin board, you'll find our writing table, where I can have conferences with students.  Some students also choose to work here during free work time or partner assignments.  In the frame, you can see the photo of our school with the caption, "Sixth Grade Rocks!"  The blue bin houses files for the "My Classroom Economy" program that I'm using in Advisory classes.  The classroom money ("Star Bucks") is in the little blue box!

On the inside of our classroom door, we have a little game... "Guess That Star!"  Each student wrote 10 descriptions of themselves, and their "star" picture (posed with a microphone or guitar) and autograph are inside!

 On the outside of our door, we have a sign to tell others which class is currently "in concert" or if I'm just working in the classroom.

We're off to a great start in sixth grade!  Thank you for your continued prayers for the middle school.