02/27/09

Here is something "newer" than what I have been posting recently. These are roses my Daddy gave Mom for Valentine's and her birthday. You'll be seeing lots of roses in the near future so I hope you enjoy them. lol I just love these.... talk about coming right at you.


Today was Fitness Day at school and Fitness Day does not equal Mrs. Fowler.

I am not gifted in any sport. I tried softball during my senior year in high school and, well... let's just say I didn't last very long on the team. Cheer leading would be where I excel, but my best attribute for that is my loud voice.... VERY loud voice. Acrobatics are not my specialty, but they didn't have to be when I was cheering... thank goodness. This is why I am so thrilled when parents volunteer to handle Fitness activities. I can yell and cheer on my kiddos, but getting out there and knowing what to do with them.... not so much.

I had a fun observation today as I watched my students play kickball this afternoon for their Fitness Activity. One of my student's dad came to "lead" them in this rousing game. (Joe, if you are reading this, just know that I am so thankful for you and all you do for me each Fitness Day!) Before Joe and I got out to where the kids had assembled we noticed they had already divided up between boy/girl teams. I knew it was going to be comical.

The girls were up first to kick. Here they go running politely to kick the ball in the hopes that it will go farther than 5 feet so they can possibly run to our made up base of sticks and rocks. They cheer over everything and are so excited when they make it to base. Most of the girls are having conversations in line and not really paying attention to who just kicked the ball. If they made it home, they were thrilled. If they got out, they were like... "OK." When they are out in the field they were a bit "lost" at times and Joe was doing his best to help them win against the boys. They had no idea how many outs the boys had and did their best to run after those boys once they got the ball.

The boys were up next to kick. Most (not all) have to show that they are "Da man" and can kick it farther than the moon, when in reality of their age it only goes a certain distance. They grunt, yell, do some kind of guy dance, and get REALLLLLLY disturbed if you call them out and they really didn't think they were out because "That wasn't the base, Mrs. Fowler!!!" When out in the field, they were so competitive with each other over who was going to grab the ball first and run and tackle the girl that kicked it so she wouldn't get to base. If they got her out it was as if they won a trophy. Joe even "tripped" them up a few times to give the girls a chance to make it out there to the base! lol They constantly were checking on the "outs" and even tried to say it was three outs already when it was actually only two.

Now, during this whole game there were some girls who were really into the game and some boys who hated the game. lol I realize there are differences there, too, and it is definitely nothing wrong with that!

Watching the majority of differences going on because of the male/female factor just made me chuckle, but also made me see how important the the examples we set for children are at a young age. We we are definitely made DIFFERENT for a reason. God gave each gender specific strengths and weaknesses that are there to compliment the other.

I know Steve compliments me in our marriage and we both compliment the other in the rearing of Wesley and Mikayla.

What a joy to know God made no mistakes when He created us male and female. We have specific tasks that the Lord calls us to do and it is our job to train and guide the next generation to do the same.

SO... Joe, thank you for your willingness to come out and do our Fitness Days. What a blessing it is to watch your influence and crazy moments with those kids that they will remember always.

Mom's and Dad's... let's be careful that we set the right example for our boys and girls so that they grow up to be men and women who are pleasing to God and doing what He created them to do....

Proverbs 22:6
Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.