Happy Heart

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today has special meaning for so many reasons: my mother AND my mother-in-law share today as their birthday!

We also told our parents two years ago (on Valentine's Day) that we were pregnant with T.

Last, but certainly not least, I get to celebrate loving my husband, sweet boy, family, dogs, and friends on this special day.

We become so caught up and distracted by day-to-day life, and it's nice to spend this day focusing on love and mushy stuff. Wouldn't it be amazing if we could all focus on showing others that we care throughout the other 364 days of the year??

I read something on the internet last night entitled "The Top Ten Worst Valentine Gifts". Number one? Bouquet of red roses. However, they were quick to tell readers that an assorted bouquet is more appropriate. And if your honey picks out the flowers himself?? Plus one point.

                                                            Score one for Christopher :)

Sweet, right? Well, scroll on down and check out the heartfelt card that he also gave me.

Um, yeah. For those of you who don't know him well, this is pretty typical. Heartfelt and sweet, and a little bit red. The way I like it :)

I saw something that described Jesus' sacrifice for us as the ultimate valentine. Amen, I thought. I love the idea of doing something for someone else or serving others on this special day and every other day. I have to brag about one of my dearest friends....

Instead of spending a night at home, she and her small group from church baked cupcakes and took them backstage to a strip club. Yep, you read that right. They took valentines and treats to the ladies who worked at the club. She emailed me and asked me to pray for the night; she was nervous about standing awkwardly nearby while "naked women were flying around" (those were her words... love her). The point of their outing was to show these women that they are loved, no matter what their past/present/future may look like. To show them that Jesus will take anyone and make them shine. What a blessing- my sweet friend stepped out of her comfort zone (waaaaaay out) to feed, encourage, and smile at these women who quite possibly feel used, objectified, and looked down upon.

Makes me think of the Samaritan woman in John 4....she meets Jesus at a well and does not realize who He is. He asks her for water and she cannot believe that He is speaking to her. She later confesses to him in conversation that she does not have a husband. I love His response:
That's nicely put: 'I have no husband.' You've had five husbands, and the man you're living with now isn't even your husband. You spoke the truth there, sure enough.

Ha! He is all-knowing AND has a great sense of humor. What happens next is amazing: He confesses to her that He is the Messiah. He uses this woman, despite others perceiving her as unworthy. He doesn't care about her past. A KING shares something huge with her and allows her to share with her friends and neighbors. What an honor.

Adventures in Kindergarten

What an experience I'm having in kindergarten this year! I love it! And not just in an I-like-my-job kind of way...I feel like I'm really making a difference in the lives of these little souls. I told someone the other day that I'd like to write a book about all the funny things they say, but I would literally be writing things down all day long. They are true entertainers and they don't even know it! Here are a few of my favorites:

In the beginning of the year, we talk alot about rules and how we treat our friends. We come up with classroom rules together. The last one on our list this year, number 6, is "No whining". This is hard for all of us at times, but particularly hard for five and six year olds. One day, as one little girl was whining about something, a little boy shouted out, "Number six! No whining!" I didn't have to say a word :)

Another thing we do at the start of the school year is draw our families and talk about them. One particular boy was coloring and as I sat at his table, he said "my momma don't love me". I laughed and told him that of course his mom loves him. He shook his head and continued without even looking up, "Uh-Uh. She whips me". Knowing this particular mother, I explained that she wanted to teach him right and wrong and that shows that she loves him. Still coloring, he responded: "Well...you should see the belt. Umph!" and issued a loud grunt :)

During learning center time, one of my sweet girls came to me for help. Her center involved looking at a picture of something that is spelled with 3 letters. Her job is to spell the word. She held up a picture of a bathtub and asked me, "Is this how you spell 'bath?" On her paper: B A F.


Lately, we've been learning about different sounds like SH, CH, WH and PH. When I asked the kids to name some words that start with 'WH', one little friend eagerly raised his hand. "Whooping! My momma says that I need one of those." Let me tell you- his momma is right. This same little friend then thought it would be fun to act out a whooping by slapping ME on the backside. I'm not sure who it was more disturbing for- me or him.


We do calendar books each morning. On one page of the book, we make a tally mark. At the bottom of the page, there are several hands to count the days also. After we make a tally mark, we color in a finger. (I'm sure some of you can guess where this one's going.) Today when we colored in the middle finger, I heard one or two snickers. (Sad but true- some of them already associate that finger with something bad.) One of my little boys called out, "That's not your LOVE GOD finger".


Yesterday, as we walked down the hallway to leave, one of my little ones told me that he liked my hair. I thanked him and another little boy (the same one who knows all about his different fingers) told me "Mrs. Cranford, I love your body". Dang- I could get used to this. My husband could learn a thing or two from these boys :)

One of my very favorite things about kindergarten is their level of excitement. Having taught second grade for many years, it's a very different experience. Second graders  have been there, done that. To kindergarten students, everything is new. For many of them, it's the first time they have walked in line, seen a smartboard, or listened to a firefighter talk about his job. We ran out of tissues one day and I said to a small group, "Let's get a new box of tissues out!" as I grabbed a colorful box. I kid you not: each child grinned and shouted "yeah!" I think I even got a fist-pump out of one little boy :)

At the end of each day, we line up before we are dismissed over the intercom. I am usually wiped out, so I'll sit on the table and chat with them while they are in line. Almost every day, one or two will come over and hug me. When their friends catch on, they join in too. After a few seconds, I am literally smushed by about 10 kids. What a blessing!

I am loving this year...watching them grow is amazing.

2 Cor. 5:17

Anyone in Christ is a new creation
The old has gone, the new has come.
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

PRAISE THE LORD for this promise. I learned this verse in high school, and I didn't realize it would carry me into adulthood. His promises have a way of sticking with us, I guess :)

I distinctly remember the immense guilt that set in when I learned what Jesus did. My mind was reeling with all that I had committed in fifteen years, all that had hurt my parents. I called them from camp and cried more than once, asking them to forgive me for all that I had done to bruise their hearts.

This is not God's purpose in exposing us to Jesus; He doesn't want to make us feel horribly guilty and beat ourselves up. Although this was my initial reaction, I later realized that He was simply trying to show me how deep His love is. He is willing to sacrifice His most precious possession for mankind...even for a lousy sinner like myself.

I love to tell people about my past. I get different reactions....some people laugh, some folks share stories with me from their own crazy days, and some don't believe me.Y'all- I was messed up. Not serving anyone but myself and ignoring the big picture. I don't wanna get into specifics because we all have our dark moments from the past. But I also don't want to share all that I've done because, frankly, some of it is embarrassing. Don't misunderstand: I am thankful for everything (well, mostly everything) that I have encountered or experienced. It helps me relate to other people. It helps me stop and think twice before judging someone. Thinking about my past helps me realize how far I've come and how God has blessed me with His ENDLESS forgiveness and mercy. He doesn't keep a list of my wrongdoings; He doesn't make a tally mark every time I hurt someone or do something that He doesn't like.

The most amazing part?? It's not just high school and college that I am forgiven for. I am forgiven and cleansed EVERY DAY. If I ask Him to forgive me, He does so with a happy heart. He rejoices in the fact that I am bringing it to Him; I am bowing at His feet and acknowledging that I cannot live this life without Him. I fail miserably on my own. I need His Spirit. The scary part?? He asks us to extend the same grace and forgiveness to other people.