The Back–to-School season is already upon us. The last days of summer vacation are quickly fading away. Our Sunshine Kids pre-school is beginning to gear up for the fall. Stores are stocking their shelves with notebooks, pencils and calculators. I fondly remember going with Mom to shop for school supplies. It was just about the only good thing about the summer ending and school starting. When I was growing up, we could get our educational provisions at either M.E. Moses Five and Dime or Skillern’s Drug Store. (Yes, I know, I’m old.) Both offered an incentive to buy your supplies at their establishment. Moses offered a free candy bar if you spent enough money on supplies there. But I always wanted to shop at Skillern’s, because they had a soda fountain and offered a free Big Shake with your purchase. I hate to admit it, but I also remember having to get a used cigar box to hold my pencils, scissors, paste and ruler. We were truly high tech in those days. At least I used the term “teacher” rather than “schoolmarm.”
You can still participate in the joy of buying school supplies – even if you don’t have school age children. Our Hearts and Hands for Malvern project is collecting school supplies for the children of our adopted school, Malvern Elementary. Malvern is one of the Title One schools in McKinney and many of the children’s families are unable to afford the supplies they need for school. Here is a list of supplies they need. I hope you will add it to your shopping list and bring them to the church by Sunday, August 8.
Malvern Elementary Supply List
Glue sticks
16 ct. Crayola crayons (no Rose Art)
24 ct. Crayola crayons (no Rose Art)
8 ct. Crayola Washable thick markers
12 ct. Crayola thin classic markers
12 pack #2 pencils (yellow)
200 count wide rule notebook paper (NO college rule)
70 count wide rule spiral notebooks (NO college rule)
100 count wide rule spiral notebooks (NO college rule)
White copy paper
Plastic pocket folders with brads
Paper pocket folders – NO brads
Also, our First Sunday Communion Offering for August will be collected for school supplies for Malvern.
I hope you will join others in our congregation and share one of the most joyful parts of school starting with the children of Malvern Elementary School. And maybe it will help you reminisce your good ol’ days.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
The Peters'
I am sure you have joined me this past week in sadness over the deaths of Coppell’s mayor, Jayne Peters and her daughter, Corrine. What a tragedy the loss of these two lives has been; particularly when you factor in the recent death of their husband and father from cancer. Hearing and reading through the news reports, I am continually amazed at how quickly people can second guess. Why didn’t anyone notice there were problems? Why would someone loan Ms. Peters a gun? Why would First United Methodist Church in Coppell have a memorial service for the mother and daughter together? Now is the time for support and sadness and grief, not the time for second guessing. When news like this comes, we too often move into a type of voyeurism, sickly using the event for gossip and entertainment, rather than to allow ourselves to hurt and pray for those most deeply involved. By the way, I am very proud of the people of FUMC Coppell and their pastor Dennis Wilkinson for being there for the family and community in this most difficult of times. Dennis recently lost an adult son to a tragic death. I would trust no one more than Dennis to empathize and care for others at a time like this.
We will probably never fully know the heartbreaking circumstances that led to Ms. Peters’ actions, but I do hope we can learn from the tragedy. Not assuming any of the speculations I have read are true, let me speak to a few that I have heard, so that we might learn from them. First, grief is important. I have no idea how much the lingering effects of the loss of their husband and father had on them, however, I do know how devastating unresolved grief can be on the human heart and soul. When we do not take care of ourselves following the loss of someone or something dear, we risk the kind of depression and hopelessness than can debilitate us. After a loss, take time to fully feel the emptiness it brings. Don’t gloss over it. This is the time to call upon friends and family, ministers and counselors and the support groups we offer at the church for the help they can give. (Click here for a list of our support groups.)
Which brings me to my second observation, true friends are very important. One of the Peters’ close friends described them as very private. We all cherish our privacy, but we cannot allow that privacy to isolate us. We need people we trust; to whom we can share our deepest joys and hurts. Someone who will take on the burdens of our lives means we do not have to carry them all ourselves. Find that person. If you already have someone like that in your life, thank them for being that person. And commit to be that person for someone else.
Finally, pretence is dangerous. Evidently, no one knew of the looming financial hardships the Peters’ were feeling. Friends were surprised Corrine wasn’t registered for college. Keeping up the facades of suburban life can become overwhelming. Secrets can truly destroy us. Embarrassment may redden our face, but pretence can blacken our heart. It is better to risk embarrassment than to let pride destroy you.
I hope you will join me in my continuing prayers for the Peters’ family, their friends, the community of Coppell, the people of the Methodist Church there and all those struggling from the same hurts felt by them.
We will probably never fully know the heartbreaking circumstances that led to Ms. Peters’ actions, but I do hope we can learn from the tragedy. Not assuming any of the speculations I have read are true, let me speak to a few that I have heard, so that we might learn from them. First, grief is important. I have no idea how much the lingering effects of the loss of their husband and father had on them, however, I do know how devastating unresolved grief can be on the human heart and soul. When we do not take care of ourselves following the loss of someone or something dear, we risk the kind of depression and hopelessness than can debilitate us. After a loss, take time to fully feel the emptiness it brings. Don’t gloss over it. This is the time to call upon friends and family, ministers and counselors and the support groups we offer at the church for the help they can give. (Click here for a list of our support groups.)
Which brings me to my second observation, true friends are very important. One of the Peters’ close friends described them as very private. We all cherish our privacy, but we cannot allow that privacy to isolate us. We need people we trust; to whom we can share our deepest joys and hurts. Someone who will take on the burdens of our lives means we do not have to carry them all ourselves. Find that person. If you already have someone like that in your life, thank them for being that person. And commit to be that person for someone else.
Finally, pretence is dangerous. Evidently, no one knew of the looming financial hardships the Peters’ were feeling. Friends were surprised Corrine wasn’t registered for college. Keeping up the facades of suburban life can become overwhelming. Secrets can truly destroy us. Embarrassment may redden our face, but pretence can blacken our heart. It is better to risk embarrassment than to let pride destroy you.
I hope you will join me in my continuing prayers for the Peters’ family, their friends, the community of Coppell, the people of the Methodist Church there and all those struggling from the same hurts felt by them.
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