February 2010 Lower Family Newsletter

[Chad T. Lower]

February is quickly upon us, which means the kiddos are back in school and life has adjusted from Christmas break.

 

Ali is still talking lots and working on her potty training.  Last night, she got herself dressed for bed, then fell asleep in my arms.  Suzy put her in her bed not realizing she didn't have a pull-up on.  This morning, she was damp, but not soaked and woke to go to the bathroom.

 

During January, Malachi's school went on a field trip to the bowling alley.  Malachi's first time bowling, he grannied the ball down the lane.  Suzy said it went super slow, barely crawling down the lane, before it stopped halfway down!!  After a few seconds (or, I'm sure, what seemed like an eternity to Chi), the ball started rolling back towards him.  Suzy said as it was coming back, Malachi looked like he was going to cry, but Suzy, being the quick thinker she is, told him, "That's okay. It just means we get another turn!"  Tantrum averted!!  Although his future rolls were more successful, he had a lot of faults (foot over the line) during the game.  Even though the preschoolers were fairly spread out, it still took an hour to roll one game.

 

Asking Bella what she did in January, she says, "I went to church, played light bright, played with Ali and Malachi, made a picture frame out of the scratch things, having a celebration (probably talking about her Aunts' birthday party), going to Grandma's, sleeping at Grandma's, and sleeping over at Aunt Jeanie's."  She has started reading the Junie B. Jones series of books and seems to enjoy those.  Right now, she is sitting beside me as I type this reading a Pokemon chapter book.  If you recall, at the start of the school year, Bella was behind grade level in reading.  So much so, that she is pulled out of class everyday to get assistance with her reading.  Well, on her second quarter report card (which we received about two weeks ago), it lists that she is at grade level for reading!!  Hopefully she maintains grade level throughout the rest of the semester.  Her math is still behind where it should be, but she seems to be improving or maintaining all areas of development from the first quarter until now.

 

Suzy is still writing.  She is still waiting to hear back from the publisher about her story, but we do know that her book was received by the editor and is on her desk.  Please be in prayer for her as she is anxious about the whole situation. I still encourage you to check out her blog (www.susanlower.com) and read her eHow articles.  Her newest articles include:

How to Create a Photography Lightbox

How to Make Your Old Dishwasher Run Like New

How to Create a Recipe Journal

 

An older article that may be relevant is How to Prepare Your Taxes When You Are First Married

 

I find it amazing to think that Suzy started writing for eHow the end of February 2009 and in the course of a year (just under), she has written over 80 articles.

 

School is back in session for me as well.  We are 4 weeks in and tests have already started (two last week, two more this week).  For my College Algebra and Trig class, I changed the format for homework.  They only meet twice a week, but because I want them to practice math everyday, I developed a Day-to-Day homework assignment.  If they do it as developed, they will be doing a little math everyday.  I did not change my first test from last year, so we will see if there is any improvement.

 

Over the past few month, I ended every newsletter taking a look at the Biblical definition of love found in I Corinthians 13.  The "definition" begins in verse 4 and, believe it or not, the last five months have all come from verse 4.  With this month's newsletter, we are finally starting the second verse in the definition.  I Corinthians 13:5, "It is not rude,..." or, according to the King James version, "Doth not behave itself unseemly,...".  So if we are, "not rude," then how should we behave?

 

A good example of how we should behave is Moses.  In Numbers 12:3, we read, "Moses was a very humble man, more humble than anyone else on the face of the earth."  Some versions translate the word humble as meek, kind, or gentle.  As a result of his actions, Moses was chosen by God to lead the people.  Even when the people (and his own family) challenged Moses' authority, God sided with Moses.

 

If Paul's definition of love in I Corinthians wasn't so popular, Peter's definition probably would have been the one plastered on wedding programs and Valentine's Day cards.  [NOTE:  Reminder, Valentine's Day occurs later this month.]  In I Peter 4:8, "Peter writes, "Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other..."  So how do we show love?  Verse 9 reads, "Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay."  To not be rude is to be gracious to others.  Not only provide for their needs (a meal), but go beyond that and invite them into your home.  And, do it as passionately as you can with all the power God has entrusted to you.

 

Another way to not be rude is by having good manners.  I wrote about good manners a few months back in an eHow article.  One resource I used was a flyer by the Children's National Guild of Courtesy (a copy is attached to this newsletter) on Good Manners.  One of their rules reads, "Never be Rude to anybody, whether older or younger, richer or poorer, than yourself."  Two other rules deal specifically with how we are to treat older people.  Peter, in the next chapter (5:5), sets a similar tone, "In the same way, you younger men must accept the authority of the elders.  And all of you, serve each other in humility."

Chad T. Lower
a.k.a. Chopper
http://chadtlower.tripod.com/

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Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others.
Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
                              Philippians 2:3-4