"Then I’ll tell the world what I find, speak out boldly in public, unembarrassed." Psalm 119:46 The Message
I stepped off the noisy yellow bus for the first day of school, careful not to scuff my new shoes on the metal steps. I toted a square metal lunch box that sported the flying car from the latest Disney movie, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang in one hand and an empty red book bag in the other. I scurried past the grin of the nodding principal, up a short flight of stairs into Mr. Peterson’s fifth grade classroom. The familiar scent of white chalk dust, yellow number two pencils, and pink rubber erasers greeted me along with Mr. Peterson’s warm laughter as I took my seat near the windows.
Laughter filled his classroom and washed over my heart like a healing salve. His silly antics relieved the pain I carried from my broken home. For a few hours a day, I remembered that joy still existed. But there was one problem. Mr. Peterson soon discovered I didn’t laugh out loud.
(Shuffle over to Children's Christian Author's Blog and find out what Mr. Peterson taught me. Just click here.)
Hi Dawn, I really enjoyed your post over at Christian Children's Authors blog! I was a quiet, insecure, sensitive, young person and can remember the challenges I faced during 5th grade also! Thank you so much for sharing. I would have loved to have a teacher like Mr. Peterson back then. So awesome of God to put him in your life at that time! In God’s goodness, at age 42 I married my "Mr. Peterson", who also happens to be a high-school science teacher! Congratulations on the publication of your book, Auntie’s House… it looks awesome! Blessings to you. I look forward to following your blog!
ReplyDeleteHi Kathy,
DeleteThanks so much for visiting me at home base here on Dawn's New Day. Thanks to our "Mr. Peterson's", God's brought us both out of our shells and into his purposes. Your artwork and photography radiates God's glory. Keep "speaking up" through your art!
Blessings on your day,
Dawn