Intelligence Redefined

 I was refreshing my knowledge of the cognitive development of children the other day when I came across the theory of multiple intelligences.  This theory was one my student teaching supervisor stressed when thinking about differentiation in the classroom.  It's a theory developed in the 80's that purposes everyone has eight (now recent research purposes nine) areas of intelligence that traditional I.Q. tests do not detect.  The area of intelligences are Linguistic intelligence ("word smart"), Logical-mathematical intelligence ("number/reasoning smart"), Spatial intelligence ("picture smart"), Bodily-Kinesthetic intelligence ("body smart"), Musical intelligence ("music smart"), Interpersonal intelligence ("people smart"), Intrapersonal intelligence ("self smart"), and Naturalist intelligence ("nature smart") (from

http://www.thomasarmstrong.com/multiple_intelligences.php).

I share all this to say that I found an assessment that gives what intelligence are dominate in you.  The questions are telling of what intelligence the question evaluates, but it's interesting and may provide clarity in the best ways you acquire knowledge.  Take it and learn something insightful about yourself!

http://literacyworks.org/mi/assessment/findyourstrengths.html

In taking this I can't help but share about one of my students from last year.  He had an extreme naturalist intelligence.  When a fellow co-worker and I found out about his passion for his farm we began to relate his work in the classroom to the farm.  This unlocked many difficult concepts or blocks in writing in him and gave more opportunities for personal success.  I had the opportunity to visit his farm in the spring which was a huge privilege!  It's one of the those experiences I will not forget.

The famiy's super friendly donkey

They have two goats who were not nice. 

My student's older brother's cabin he built!

 

She is often the voice in my head...

Anne Reynolds aka momma

Throughout the generations the relationship between mother and daughter has been depicted in literature, art, and film.  One film, Steel Magnolia's, is embedded in my head as one that gives a Hollywood rendition of my relationship with my mom and all of her friends.

In Steel Magnolia's Julia Roberts (all-time fave in my book) and Sally Fields (my mom resembles her in looks and the kind of mom she is caste as) live in an ultra-southern Louisiana town set in the 80's.  I remember when this movie came out and my mom went to see it on a "girls night out."  It's a tear-jerker about the complexities of life, the sacrifices for family, the unsolicited advice every daughter should actually listen to,  and the joy in life.  And it has a beautiful and not-so-far-from-the-truth look at relationships between women.  Needless to say it's a top five-er for me.

Watching this movie and the many scenes that take place in and around Truvy's (Dolly Parton) home salon, I think about my mom's different groups of friends she has from her different seasons of life.  Although her gab times are not held under a dryer chair, her retention of friendships is one of a kind.  She remains friends with a group of gals she knew before she was born!  She has her college friends that continue to see each other through children's weddings, illness, job changes, and increasing numbers in their class reunion.  Then she has past and present neighbor friends who are now scattered all over Georgia and Alabama. Next she has freinds from work, who she has the utmost professionalism with but her heart is sensitive to their personal needs too.  In this group, a dear friend of my mom's just went to sit at the feet of Jesus after an arduous battle with pancreatic cancer.  This friendship illustrated the power of the Gospel in the marketplace.  And rounding out this wide circle of friends are the G.G.'s (mom's accountability group aka "God's Girls" and also the name most of them will be called as grandmas) plus (I say "plus" because there are more women from her community group, the Bereans, that do just about everything with the GG's save the once a week meeting).

So now you can see multiple "salon" circles my mom has and my amazement for her capacity.  Really I know it's not just her capacity but the specific way God has gifted her by the Holy Spirit.  My mom is a champion, cheerleader, wise sage, and exhort-er in the lives of people.  She has the gift of hospitality, exhortation, administration, and mercy.  Here are a few verses I think of when I think of my mom:

"Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.  Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God."  -Matthew 5:7-8

"Consider the lilies, how they grow; they niether toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is through in the over, how much more will he clothe you?"  - Luke 12:27-28

"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering adn sacrifice to God."  - Ephesians 5:2

"She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hasnds to the needy...Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.  gie her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates."  -Proverbs 31: 20, 30-31

She is joyful, funny, innocent, merciful, encourgaing, driven, and always willing to try something new.  She loves our family with the love of Christ.  She is often the voice in my head and the shoes I will never fill and that's ok!  She is a true reflection of her name, grace.

chiaroscuro fascination

 

Over the past week I came across some interesting lighting and attempted to capture some.  The candles and string of lights are on the back porch.  I love haning out back there.  The candles in sand and chandelier pictures are from the Greek Orthodox church on East Blvd.  I had a blast with a group of girlfriends there this past weekend.
The sky pic is from the back porch too.  Speaking of the sky it has been amazing since September hit.  As we drove back from night church the colors were deep hues of crimson, eggplant, mustard, and sapphire.  I love autumn and can't wait for it to officially begin next week.

Abide

"Abide in me, and I in you. 

As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself,

unless it abides in the vine, neither can you,

unless you abide in me."

To remain, last, sustain, live, tarry and dwell.

In the present culture these words are rarely uttered or thought about much less acted out.  Yes, there is a magazine called "Dwell" (one of my favorite to look at in the check out line at H.T.) and we may remain longer at the computer than we intend to.  And I can affirm this cultural ethos in my own life as I have lived in seven different houses/apartments since graduating from Elon.  The words I have used to describe my life have been transition, change, seasonal,  and temporary.

In all of this there is a constant that the above verses speak of, Jesus.  I have loved reading through John over the past couple of weeks.  The story of Christ told by his most beloved disciple shows a relationship that had staying power and a true sense of abiding in Christ.  I came to John 15 the other morning and was humbled, broken and raptured by the promises and proclamations Jesus makes in this chapter.

He is my constant, my dwelling place, and what sustains me.

Point of View

Sometimes all I can do is just take pictures of the beauty of creation.  The scenery from this weekend was amazing, not to mention the genuine and loving fellowship.

What's in a Name?

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose

By any other name would smell just as sweet"

-Juliet by way of William Shakespeare

As  a teacher I am always thinking of creative themes and cutsie names for different aspects of the classroom life.  I love movies and musical so I often think of "if my life was a movie" (really a musical because how much more fabulous would life be if we all busted out in song and synchornized dance) what would the title be? 

And I didn't use any of my normal strategies to come up with this name.  I used a very wise man's nickname for me. 

My Dad

Doesn't this picture just exude wisdom and aging gracefully?  Well, whatever you may be thinking about good ol' Randal, he is the origin of this blog's namesake.

For as long as I can remember he has greeted me with a hug and a kiss on the cheek and a tender "hey my Sweet E Bee."  Even if I just leave the room sometimes it elicits this same response.  He is a very tender-hearted man, an introvert to the core, a science nerd, a husband of 35 years, a father of (almost) 29 years, but most importantly he is a man of God and believer of Christ.

My dad carries a legacy of deep faith and trust in Jesus.  His parents Mama Mimi and Grandpa Mac had a covenant marriage in one of the purest ways of experiencing it here on Earth.  From their devotion life, to their love of the church, to their raising a family, and discipling their grandchildren, my grandparents had a Kingdom oriented marriage.  Mama Mimi is living and she is the spunkiest 87 year old I know.  Grandpa Mac lived a life of intrigue and adventure and went to be with His Savior in 2005.  I'll write more about these wonderful folks later. 

Back to Randal, from his parent's discipleship he grew in love with the Word, prayer, fellowship, and sharing the Gospel.  Personally, I love my dad's joy and deep study of the Old Testament.  Often times when we begin sharing what we've read he has these nuggets of gold from the patriarchs of the faith.  He may not admit this but I see that he has a heart for Jewish people and showing them their Redeemer.

It is from the father my dad is that I have a beautiful and privileged understanding of THE FATHER.  Unconditional love, discipline, justice, forgiveness, joy, sorrow, discernment, grace, wisdom, and so many more characteristics of God I experience through the life of my earthly father.  I see the image bearer of Christ my father is and pray that I could be wed to a man surrendered to Christ just as he is.  Many verses come to mind when I think about my dad's reflection of my heavenly Father:

"Then God said, 'Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.  And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth..." -Genesis 1:26

"Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ...But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God." - 1 Corinthians 11: 1, 3

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2:15

"For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity" -Proverbs 2:6-7

So now you know the man behind the blog name.  I love him dearly and I am so proud and so pleased to be his daughter.

Already...not yet

Lately Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers song "The Waiting" has echoed through my head over the past couple of weeks...well maybe months.  The choruses are what gets me and what I have heard as the song in my head:
The waiting is the hardest part
Every day you see one more card
You take it on faith, you take it on heart
The waiting is the hardest part

Now I'm not a gambler, not toker  and I don't believe in cards telling the fate of life, but 'the waiting is the hardest part' could not be more real at this moment. I was reminded today but a dear friend that waiting has occured in most of the greatest stories in history.  Romeo and Juliet raptured in love at first sight but then were drawn into a period of waiting.  Cinderella waiting for Prince Charming to realize the slipper he held was not that of a noble woman but a slave.

And this waiting transcends the fables of childhood into the metanarrative that The Creator authored.  Men like Noah, Joseph,  Abraham, Isaac, Moses, David and so many more that surrendered to the will of the One who authored all their days...and mine.  Yet out of His goodness there was a waiting period.  Many lasted for years, YEARS WAITING for the Lord to reveal His will and His plan.  What faith and what perseverance.

Comparatively I see these light and fleeting trials are in fact nothing compared to the eternity with Christ.  So I guess to bring it to the "street view" I have had the opportunity to interview at some great schools none going past interviews, so I am waiting for the Lord to reveal his plan.  I delight in the promise that the Lord has His good for me in all of this, the muddy, mirky stuff and the joyful moments.

So friends I leave you with this picture (which sidenote is a goal of this blog to post pics of life and the joys along the journey).  It's of my dear friend Ash, who is expecting her first baby due three days before the day I arrived on Earth.  It is a joy to know Ash and it is a joy to wait for precious Ethan Barret.  Although the waiting may be the hardest part, it is worth the wait.