The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has annointed me to bring glad tidings to the poor. Lk 4:18

"I am grateful for agencies that raise awareness to social justice. One agency that I am grateful for is Dean's Beans Coffee because it give coffee growers more for their work."

"I am grateful for the gift of meditation because I can meditate outside."

"Wondrous God, I am grateful for the spring air! For me, springtime means new life." (x2)

"I am grateful for the many ways to pray. My favorite is through talking to Jesus in a quiet room."

"Wondrous God, I am grateful for the spring air. For me, spring means...my birthday and the smells and the warm air with odors."

"I am grateful for the opportunity to attend school because... I know that there are children in the world that aren't able to go to school. So I am blessed to have this opportunity."

"I am grateful for the gift of meditation. My favorite way to meditate is through retreats."

"God of all creation, thank You for nature's beauty. My favorite thing about nature is the animals in their natural habitats."

"I am grateful to do ordinary things with great love. Some of the these things are helping others with homework and chores."

"Wondrous God, thank You for the spring air. For me, springtime means fun in the sun and nature coming back to life."

"I am grateful for the gift of meditation. My favorite way to meditate is on a rock outside when it is quiet and peaceful."

"I am grateful for the opportunity to help others, because it gives me a chance to humble myself and see that I am not the only person who needs help sometimes."

"I thank God for the opportunity of change."

"

Talking with God is the greatest priveledge that we have!

I would like to open this week's blog by sharing a prayer that the 7th grade class wrote for our upcoming field trip to Heifer Internationals' Overlook Farm. We have been studying about the various forms of prayer and how prayer is one of the best means of developing and maintaining a relationship with God. The students did a wonderful job collaborating on this prayer.

"Loving God, thank You for the abundance that we have. Thank You for the resources and willingness to travel to the Heifer Learning Center. Keep us safe from harm and guide us to be understanding of other's needs. Help us to fulfill our promise of purchasing a llama and water buffalo for 3rd world villager's in need. Allow us to see the face of God in all those whom we help, just as Mother Teresa did. Please prepare us for any difficulties we may encounter on this trip. Thank You for allowing us to make a difference. Amen!"

**Prior to reading our gratitude jottings, please take a look at the links on the right hand side of the blog. You will find a video clip to an 8 minute documentary about a Heifer Learning Center in AR, directed by George Lucas. While the documentary clip is about a more extensive overnight program, our students will have the opportunity to participate in a 5 hour program called Humans and Habitats, similar to the one in the video. I am praying for fantastic day!


"I am grateful for prayer because it strengthens my heart and my relationship with Jesus."

"I am just plain thankful for the technology that we have today to figure out things and find cures for diseases."

"I am thankful for the opportunity to pray. My favorite prayer is the Hail Mary. It is my favorite prayer because She is a wonderful role model and it is great to pray to Her."

"I am grateful for the opportunity to pray. My favorite prayer is the Hail Mary, but I also like making up my own."

"I am grateful for the opportunity to overcome difficulty by praying. A time when I felt Jesus' strength was when my dog died."

"I am grateful to be able to agree to disagree. A time when the Spirit gave me strength to do this was when a student asked me to smoke with them and I didn't."

"I am grateful for prayer because it gives me guidance."

"I am grateful to be able to agree to disagree because it allows us to form our own opinions."

"I am just plain thankful for being alive and healthy!"

"I am just plain thankful for forgiveness from my friends."

"I am grateful for the ability to communicate. My strongest means of expressing myself is helping others and smiling at others too."

"I am grateful for the ability to communicate. My strongest/best means of expressing myself is the way I dress and the way I talk."

"I am grateful for the ability to agree to disagree. A time when the Spirit gave me the strength to to do this was during the election. My family wanted a certain presidential candidate and another family wanted someone different."

"I am grateful for prayer because it gives me the power to talk to God."