The Right Assignment

It doesn’t matter how well we do an assignment if we do the wrong assignment we still get an F In school it didn’t matter if we wrote the most wonderful paper we had ever written, if the topic of our completed product wasn’t the right assignment we would get an F on the paper. Walking with God and living for Him is no different. We may think we know what the right assignment was and no matter how well we completed the task if it was the wrong assignment in the first place we would get an F. It would help if God would tell us outright what our assignment is but He doesn’t operate that way. We have to pray, read His word, wait patiently, try to listen, trust Him and eventually we will begin to understand what He wants us to do. Jumping into something and calling it God’s will doesn’t mean it is the right assignment. Once I was told by someone, who was dating a married man, that she was happy and God wants her to be happy therefore what she was doing was right. WRONG assignment. God would never allow us to do something against His will in order to “make us happy.” What matters to God is that we have the joy of the Lord in our hearts, being happy is a side-dish that is not necessary nor required. That is the right assignment. As our parents expect us to do as we are told, the assignment or chore they gave us to do God is the same way. We may get it wrong a time or two but we need to keep on going, keep on working at doing the right assignment well. It should never be good enough for us to get a score that merely “gets us by.” Recently I was disappointed to hear the law that was passed about “no child should be left behind” is being turned into a “wrong” assignment. The purpose of the law was to make sure all kids are able to get through school as they should and learn from the process. Unfortunately what is being done is; kids are being passed on through the grades with very little learning just because of the rule “no child should be left behind.” Wrong assignment! Whatever you do don’t allow yourself to be just passed on through just to get you out. Learn from what you are doing, grow and mature from your assignments in life. Cheating on your homework does you no good, just passing to be passing does you no good. Don’t turn a right assignment into a wrong one simply because it makes it easier on you. Even a wrong assignment done well will still get you an F and that is not a goal you should set for yourself. Rise above that in your choices, attitude, and outlook in life. A “C” on a right assignment beats an “A” on a wrong assignment that will eventually turn into an “F.” The person who fails is the one who doesn’t try and try hard at doing the “right” assignment. © 2013 Karen J. Gillett at Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing for KarensKidsKorner

Future Writer in the Making

On Sunday my ten year old granddaughter Aubrey arrived at church with her book that contained a poem she wrote last year in grade school. Holding tightly to the published book of poems with both hands the instructions from her mom and dad echoed in her ears. “Better not forget it at the church,” they told her as she beamed with delight. “My poem is on page 32,” she told me.

Ice Cream by Aubrey Evans


Ice cream
Cold, creamy
Cone, three scoops, ice cream
Eating, giggling, and licking
Cold, creamy, ice cream

The poem last year in school wasn’t her only accomplishment in her future writing career. She even wrote a story about what she hoped to see in the future and won an award for it from the city where she lives. The writing was placed in the time capsule at the city park with the instructions for it to be opened in 100 years. A ceremony was given for putting the writing and other things into the time capsule. Once in, everyone got to sign the capsule. At last what Aubrey had written was tucked away safe and sound ready to make its 100 year journey.

Taking the time to autograph the time capsule was fun as I thought about this very ceremony in reverse. Instead of sealing the capsule away in a 100 years people were going to be opening it up. Who would be there? What would they be thinking? Would the town be any different than what it was today?

As I pass the time capsule every Sunday on my way to church it will always remind me of her. What a blessing our kids are and what a wonderful contribution they can be to us. All it takes is a few sentences or other things. Just the joy they bring to others hearts, the smile they wear, the innocence they portray is a great contribution to the hearts of those around them. Whether they are the hearts of love ones, friends, total strangers or people in the future it doesn't matter.

We'd probably be surprised just what kind of contribution we are passing along in the time capsules of our hearts. Treasures that will be sure to come out many years from now long after we are gone simply because they were passed along from generation to generation.

As a mom and grandma what I hope to pass on to the next generation is the news of Christ's love for them. Well over 100 years ago He was here to give us the good news. It's news that has traveled from many a time capsules, through many a hearts and will continue on. Praise the Lord.

Job well done Aubrey. Grandma's proud of you!

In the News~~~ Valedictorians In School

I couldn’t pass this one by as I listened to the morning news. Somewhere in the United States a school has decided to do away with the honor of “valedictorian” because it hurts the feelings of those not receiving the award. In case you don’t know what that big word stands for it is an honor given to top A students who have done well and accomplished great things with their grades throughout school. Therefore they are given the honor to give the commencement or farewell speech at graduation.

Unfortunately there are people who think that things like this should be done away with to help spare the feelings of those who don’t get such an honor. I never got it in school and it didn’t seem to harm me or at least I don’t think it did. In fact I had two sisters above me that was given this privilege. They earned it over the years. They worked hard for what they accomplished. Both of them even made “American’s Teen of the Year” award broadcasted in a book nation wide.
I was way too busy being “me” that I didn’t care what they did. As much as my parents probably wondered what in the world happened to “Karen” their third daughter they never brought up the subject of being like my sisters. My listed accomplishments were chasing boys, playing volleyball, dancing on the drill team, and running around with the church youth group.

The answer isn’t taking away from one person’s accomplishment to compensate for those who don’t achieve the same thing. I would never want my sisters to lose their honor because I didn’t care about achieving what they did. Bringing them down wasn’t going to bring me up any higher than what I wanted to be.

That’s like saying no one should have the honor of being president of a country or organization because others can’t be on that same level. The achievements of others give us something to strive for. It should never be used as a stick to beat ourselves down with. That unfortunately is a choice we make for ourselves.

Put the stick down, if you don’t make it all the way to the top that’s okay too. If others pick the stick up and try to beat you over the head with it wondering why you aren’t better, walk away but look back. Ask yourself, “Are you trying as hard as you possibly can? Could you do something better?” “What can I learn from this to help me in the future?” If you are doing your best and applying all you can to accomplish what you can then hold your chin up high and walk forward.

Don’t ever anchor yourself at the doorstep of “if only I could be like them,” “if only I was smarter,” If only I was prettier, smarter, richer, or more outgoing.” “If only they wouldn’t honor people like them I could feel better about myself.” Wrong, you can feel good about yourself no matter what others are achieving.

The true valedictorian or honor student is the one you are in your heart and your attitude. No one can take that away from you. Following Jesus and being obedient to His word will help you accomplish that in a very big way. Don’t bring others down, lift your own self up with Jesus.

© 2009 Karen J. Gillett @ Pencil Marks and Recipes Publishing