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The scent of a fresh box of crayons, newly-sharpened pencils, the "whoosh" of school bus doors opening, children laughing and greeting one another after the summer break, school bells ringing, playground whistles blowing, lunchbox notes from home, meeting new classmates ... For a number of us, these signs and sounds represent one thing, the start o...

I was shocked! The newlyweds had been married only a month and yet they were inviting me to come visit them at their new home in Illinois. I adored my older brother and was eager to spend more time with my new sister-in-law, so I jumped at the opportunity. Only days after graduating high school, I left Seattle to join them in Peoria. Little did I k...

Will I be liked? Will I fit in? Will I know where to go? Will I remember everyone’s names? What will I do if someone is mean to me? Will I be able to get to the bathroom whenever I need to? Will I be able to answer the questions asked of me? Will I remember all the rules? Will someone remember to pick me up after school? —First day of school concerns of a preschool student... director. I have been an educator for over a decade, and I still get “butterflies” in my stomach as the first day of school approaches. Yet, once the doors open and the families flood into the preschool, the butterflies are replaced with an immense sense of joy and gratitude for each family that has chosen to make Messiah their preschool home. I know that over the next nine months, we will see positive transformations...

My first soda from a vending machine, all-camp softball game, purchasing candy at the camp store, playing miniature golf, sleeping in a cabin, church meetings twice daily, the smell of the cement basketball court after a rain shower, and, my favorite, the sound of a ringing church bell signaling meal time; when I think back on my earliest camp experiences, these are some of my memories. Every other summer, my family of seven would pack up the station wagon and begin our journey to Covenant Heights in Estes Park, for a week-long Bible Camp. Our cousins from California would meet us part way and we would tent camp together the rest of the way to Colorado. Even though I was only about six the last time we made this trip, I have some very vivid memories of my experiences at these camps. While much of our time was spent running around...