The headmistress smiled at all her charges. will use the kitchen plant as the “We ‘control’ in our great experiment. How do you think that will work?” speak to “We won’t it?” even a “Not whisper.” send it good “We won’t thoughts?” And then see what “That’s right. we’ll happens.” Four weeks later even the eyes were as wide and disbelieving as the teachers’ children’s. The kitchen plant was leggy and sick-looking, and it at all. But the Great Room hadn’t grown plant, which had been sung to and swaddled in positive thoughts and words, had increased threefold in size with dark succulent leaves that fairly vibrated with energy when addressed with song, word or thought. In order to prove the experiment—and also to dry the tears of the tender-hearted among the little ones who feared for the life of the other plant—the kitchen ivy was rescued from its solitary confinement and brought to the Great Room to join the other ivy on the mantel, but at the opposite end. Within three weeks, the second plant had caught up with the first ivy. Within four weeks, they could not be recognized, one from the other. The take-home truth from this object lesson: As farmers in the All things grow…with love. teaching ministry, grow your love. As farmers in the parenting ministry, grow students…with your love. And as coworkers for Christ, grow one love. children…with another…in Again please take out your study sheet from the handbook. Under the heading as “Teacher or all of the following questions: Farmer,” answer any How has parenting made you a better teacher? How has teaching made you a better parent? In what ways can you better balance being both a teacher and a parent? In what ways can you model parenting to your parents who need it? students’ Take a couple of minutes to write them down and then discuss them with the person on your left. And again, when you hear the know the presentation is about to continue. music, you’ll The Teacher as Firefighter [After the break, the presenter returns dressed as a firefighter and plays a combination of “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in and Paul on the piano.] Your Word” Desmond’s “Take Five”
The headmistress smiled at all her charges. “We will use the kitchen plant as the ‘control’ in our great experiment. How do you think that will work?” “We won’t speak to it?” “Not even a whisper.” “We won’t send it good thoughts?” “That’s right. And then we’ll see what happens.” Four weeks later even the teachers’ eyes were as wide and disbelieving as the children’s. The kitchen plant was leggy and sick-looking, and it hadn’t grown at all. But the Great Room plant, which had been sung to and swaddled in positive thoughts and words, had increased threefold in size with dark succulent leaves that fairly vibrated with energy when addressed with song, word or thought. In order to prove the experiment—and also to dry the tears of the tender-hearted among the little ones who feared for the life of the other plant—the kitchen ivy was rescued from its solitary confinement and brought to the Great Room to join the other ivy on the mantel, but at the opposite end. Within three weeks, the second plant had caught up with the first ivy. Within four weeks, they could not be recognized, one from the other. The take-home truth from this object lesson: All things grow…with love. As farmers in the teaching ministry, grow your students…with love. As farmers in the parenting ministry, grow your children…with love. And as coworkers for Christ, grow one another…in love. Again please take out your study sheet from the handbook. Under the heading “Teacher as Farmer,” answer any or all of the following questions: How has parenting made you a better teacher? How has teaching made you a better parent? In what ways can you better balance being both a teacher and a parent? In what ways can you model parenting to your students’ parents who need it? Take a couple of minutes to write them down and then discuss them with the person on your left. And again, when you hear the music, you’ll know the presentation is about to continue. The Teacher as Firefighter [After the break, the presenter returns dressed as a firefighter and plays a combination of “Lord, Keep Us Steadfast in Your Word” and Paul Desmond’s “Take Five” on the piano.]