Tag Archives: Thanksgiving

Autumn Rain

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What a beautiful sound.

In a season that calls us to reflect on the things we are grateful for, we sometimes need an important reminder to help us do just that; to make known our gratitude. So let me start by saying, I’m so grateful for YOU! God made you so very special and here are just a few scriptures to prove just that:

  1. God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. [Genesis 1:27]
  2. The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life. [Job 33:4]
  3. For You formed my inward parts; You knitted me together in my mother’s womb. [Psalm 139:13]

I am grateful for the Bible, it truly is my daily bread. The word of God is living truth. “It is able to quicken and make alive.” I know this for a fact, because I’ve experienced it first hand. When we understand something through personal experience, it takes the matter from the mind and places it ever so gently in the heart. God is always with us and it is so important that we talk to Him on a daily basis through our thoughts and prayers. As we reach out to God we experience the grace of His love for us and for others and with that we should always give thanks.

I am grateful for the privilege to teach. Just as the Autumn rain fills the Earth and provides the moisture trees and plants need to stay alive, a teacher is graced to share the peace, harmony and truth that our God so desires for us to have as His children. Jesus teaches us to respect each other, so that we experience His glorious rain of blessings.

The best thing about thankfulness is that the more we choose to use it, the easier it gets. This Thanksgiving season, let’s not miss out on all the love that our God desires to shower us with. Let us start taking care of each other with words of encouragement and forgiveness so that we may be a clear vessel in which God’s gracious love can flow. Jesus is peace, He is our everlasting Father and He is knocking on our door this season to share the most beautiful melody we will ever hear. Let us stop what we are doing and let Him in for that thanksgiving meal! May our wonderful Lord, bless you and your family by the power of the Holy Spirit! For nothing can compare to peace one feels in the presence of our God. 

What a beautiful sound, “Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before Him with thanksgiving and extol Him with music and song. For the Lord is the great God, the great King above all gods”. [Psalm 95:1-3]

What are you thankful for?

A teacher is not so much responsible for what our students know, but more so for the seeds we plant to help them grow.

Father in the Name of Jesus, by the power and grace of the Holy Spirit, be with us, direct our path, fill us with the riches of Your grace, transform our mind with a healthy balance that is good for our body and soul. Guide us with Your gracious love, that we may press forward to being all that You created us to be. In Your Holy Name we pray… Amen

Sweet blessings always,

Deanna Danielle

Deannadanielle.com

“I always thank my God for you because of His grace given you in Christ Jesus.”
1 Corinthians 1:4
“And now we thank You, our God, and praise Your glorious Name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13

A Lesson From The Heart Of A Classroom

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Our class begins in a prayer circle. The room is set up with 4 to 6 desks that create the look of tables. Adding a desk or two, I have the children share chairs so that everyone has a seat. In the center of the table we have a burning candle (battery operated). After they wash their hands, we talk about God’s love for us, events that are happening in our world, and I often share a life story with them.

While setting up class today, I realized that I did not have the candle with me. Wondering what to do, I prayed. As I asked God for guidance, instantly I knew what to do. As the kids sat down, I asked them if they noticed something different. They all commented that the candle was missing and that it wasn’t a very good feeling. It was a perfect opportunity to talk about the love that God has for us, and how incomplete life would be if we didn’t have Jesus in it.

I shared a story with them about a friend of a friend, a woman who was in her last hours with a disease called lupus. I told them of how in her final state as she yelled out to God, she heard Him ask her, “What is Love?” In her silence, she heard Him again, “What is Love?” At that moment, she felt His presence like never before. Through a vision of red-hot luminescent energy passing from one heart to another, she could hear God speak to her, “That which you are seeing is Love, I AM that Love. She wanted to bow down even further into a greater reverence to him. However, because she was lying on her stomach, she was unable to kneel down as deep as she wanted to.

I told them of how God explained a lot to her about why people do what they do in life and why things happen the way they do. He explained to her that there are only two forces here on this earth, and that when things come against us we can counteract them with the supernatural Word of God.

I was kneeling down to speak to them at eye level. As I put my hands up in an expressive gesture to continue to tell the story, I felt a hand go into my right hand, and then another go into my left, and what looked like a domino effect, one hand went into another until we had a circle of hands holding on to each other. If you could only imagine, as a teacher, what a beautiful feeling this was. This was a lesson from the heart of a classroom, the meaning of true love as we held hands to pray.

“That I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!” – Psalm 30:12

Wishing you and your family, a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Deanna Danielle

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Thank you to those that have given their lives to protect our freedoms. Many make the ultimate sacrifice to keep us safe and we thank them for that. God Bless the U.S Military, and everyone we love. Card made by Alex, 4th grade November, 2015 Let us come to Him with thanksgiving. Let us sing psalms of praise to Him. – Psalm 95:2

Cupcakes and Lemonade!

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In the Gospel of John 15:12, Jesus teaches, “This is My commandment that you love one another as I have loved you…”

At our Thanksgiving cupcakes and lemonade fundraiser, you could truly feel that love. Our class was so blessed with everyone who joined in to help make this fundraiser possible. This was from the baking and awesome gifts donated for our raffle, to the impeccable support and help of all who gave of their time.

 Through the pouring rain, and the second class session canceled due to no heat in the building, God truly blessed us. We raised $1,027.97 in two hours. Some of the children  there wanted to help even more, and set up another bake sale for two days later, and they did. After receiving a text, “Round 2 and doing well!”, the second session brought in $205.66!

It is a privilege to be able to lend a helping hand. The money we raised will be put towards meals and helping others this Thanksgiving season. It is my prayer that we may all put aside time to give thanks for all our blessings. As Hannah wrote in her journal, “Thank you for all that I have learned today. Thank you for my family and friends. I love you God with all my heart and soul.”

Millard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity International said it so well, “I see life as both a gift and a responsibility. My responsibility is to use what God has given me to help His people in need.”

 Wishing you and your family a very blessed and beautiful Thanksgiving!

 Deanna Danielle

Cupcakes and Lemonade! "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." Matthew 5:16

Cupcakes and Lemonade!
“In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16

 

Simply Blown Away

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I have great confidence in the future if my fourth grade class is any indication of the time yet to come. They have everything that it takes to be good leaders. They are: responsible, smart, caring, dedicated, passionate, and above all else, Priceless!

Since the day involved more than I had time for, I arrived at our auditorium with only a few   minutes to spare, before our class began. To my amazement, Cecilia and Joseph were sitting on the stage steps, ready to discuss the upcoming ECAP fundraiser. They looked at me and smiled, letting me know they were set. Joseph then commented that he had read and changed a few of the words in the announcement that Cecilia had written.

Joseph not only helped her with the words of her beautifully written proclamation about our fundraiser, he stood by her side, and together they introduced themselves to the crowd of all the classes. They explained that the reason for this event was to help those in need. Also, how Mr. Brown will go to the food bank to buy food for the people who are in need this Thanksgiving, with the money we raise. As they asked for the help of everyone in the auditorium, they stated that, “Together, we can make a change in the way some people live.”

As I watched them turn the pages in their notebook, listening to them speak, sharing all this information. I can honestly say, they did not miss a beat, and you could have heard a pin drop in that room. They made sure everyone knew the date of our bake sale, the prices of the goods, and where it will be held. They even concluded with these words, “So, remember this Thanksgiving to be grateful for all the things that we have. Thank you!”

Upon arriving at our classroom after the meeting, all I could say was, “I am simply blown away, and I am speechless. I am so impressed with watching all you work so hard, willingly and zealously, not only help others, but to be a great example to others at the importance of loving, caring, and supporting each other. Keep up the great work!”

We learn in Jeremiah 29:11 how God thinks about us, for it is written, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Blessings always,

Deanna Danielle

"Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.  The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children." Matthew 14:19-21

“Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.  They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.  The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”
Matthew 14:19-21

 

A Time for Service

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Children enjoy being a part of anything larger than themselves. As a teacher, it is a delight to see their smiles shine brightly when I choose any of them to be my helper, or to lead a group on a special project. They can hardly ever contain their excitement, and they always seem to do their best to meet my expectations.

We have been preparing for our cupcake and lemonade fundraiser to help ECAP. They will put together Thanksgiving food baskets for those in need in our community. It was a pleasure to have their Area Director take the time to come and speak to our class. He spoke of his job, the families who are in need of their assistance, and the importance of those who partner with them, including us!

Watching my class prepare for our fundraiser, listening to their questions for Mr. Brown, along with asking for his business card, has truly impressed me. It always brings me joy to see Christ-like hearts in my students.

I’d like to share two little writings from my class. “Today, Mr. Brown came into our classroom and taught us about his job and how he makes baskets for people who do not have a lot of money, and people who are less fortunate than us. I understand how he helps people, and I love that!!” – Alessia. “Please God, let the people who are less fortunate than us have the most spectacular Thanksgiving. Please let them know that you care for them. Most importantly, let them have hope and faith through the rough times that they go through.” – Cecilia.

Fourth grade is a wonderful time to learn and explore, to grow and have fun. It is also, a time for service. In Matthew 25:35-40, we read, “For I was hungry and you gave Me food, I was thirsty and you gave Me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed Me, I was naked and you clothed Me, I was sick and you visited Me, I was in prison and you came to Me. Then, the righteous will answer Him, saying, Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink?  And when did we see You a stranger, and welcome You, or naked and clothe You?  And when did we see You sick or in prison and visit You? And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers, you did it to Me.”

Blessings always,

Deanna Danielle

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“Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.” Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Words Written with Love

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Along the coast of Mexico stood a beautiful villa. A sign in front read, ‘Rooms Available’. A man driving by needed a room, so he check in. After putting his bags down, he decided to go for a swim, since it was a glorious, warm day. After beginning to swim, he noticed a sign which read ‘No Swimming — SHARKS!’ He got out of the water, using unkind words, he kicked and tore down the sign, and left the villa in a fury.

Again, the ‘Rooms Available’sign was posted. The next gentleman to check in, unpacked, and went for a stroll. He, too, decided to go for a swim. As he stepped into the water, he caught sight of another sign that read “No Swimming — SHARKS!’ With his heart pounding, he quickly returned to shore. When he approached the rocky beach, he knelt down and prayed, “My Lord and my God, thank you for letting me see this sign, for you rescued me today from being eaten by the sharks.” As he looked out over the water, many moving shark fins were visible. He again thanked God for saving him. Upon his return to the villa, he shared his story with everyone.

This is the story that I shared with my class. After reading it to them, I asked, “Do you think the sign, ‘No swimming — SHARKS!’ were words written with love?” Looking at their expressions, as they answered, “Yes,” you could see there was no doubt amongst them. I now held up a sign with the 10 commandments written on it. I explained, “These, too, are words written with love, by the hand of God.” Exodus 31:18.

With the opportunity to share with our class the differences, between harboring anger and nurturing love within ourselves, I could clearly see that this class is ready to be the reflection of the Ultimate Love.

Some great kids have been added to our class lately. They are Gianluca, Joseph and Frankie. This was Frankie’s first class with us. Here are a few of his written words of love, “Today our class learned about the Ten Commandments. We also learned about being happy for each other and to love everybody.”

As Nancy Spiegelberg once said, “Lord, I crawled across the bareness to you with my empty cup, uncertain in asking for any small drop of refreshment. If only I had known you better, I’d have come running with a bucket.”

Many Blessings,

Deanna Danielle

Words written with love!

Words written with love!

 

 

We’re Thankful For…

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Little hands, colorful paper, and thoughts of what we are grateful for, helped to make our Thanksgiving turkeys this year.  As we prepare to celebrate this festival that began with the Pilgrims back in 1621. I asked our class to share what they were grateful for. For Alexa, it’s God and Jesus; Lucas, his garden; and Ryan, his house. Dominic, Chase, Nick, Joseph and Annabelle are grateful for family. Adrienne is thankful for the earth; Lily, for oxygen; and Mark, for his faith.

Today, our program also had its annual Thanksgiving food collection.  All the items went to our church’s food pantry. This will help feed many people here in our own home town this Thanksgiving. Together, all the students filled 100 bags! So, I like to say; Way to Go! Great job!

At our prayer service, I had the privilege to read  beautiful scripture of Jesus feeding over five thousand people. Matthew 14:13-21, “When Jesus heard what had happened, He withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed Him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ‘We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish,’ they answered. ‘Bring them here to Me,’ He said. And He directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, He gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.  The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.”

This reminds me that Jesus was truly the One who taught us about Thanksgiving. He not only preached this, but lived by example. Whether He was feeding four thousand, five thousand, or God only knows how many more not listed in scripture. We see our Lord’s divine ability to completely meet the needs of all the Earth. This, in itself, is an awesome  blessing to be grateful for. Ephesians 5:20 says, “Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So, this Thanksgiving, as we’re thankful for all the wonderful things in our lives, may we join together to pray for the poor, the homeless, the orphans, and the widows. Let us pray for all the needs of others and the needs of ourselves. May you be blessed with peace, happiness and great health this Thanksgiving season and always!

Deanna Danielle

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!!!