REFLECTIONS ~ "Lose The Training Wheels" Camp ~ Victoria

It's been quite the week!  Last Monday morning Alisdair could not ride a two-wheeler.  But this Monday, he can!  And it is all thanks to a wonderful non-profit organization called "Lose the Training Wheels," some dedicated volunteers and the Queen Alexandra Hospital for Children in Victoria, British Columbia.

One Sunday afternoon in mid-May, Alisdair and Isobel and I went down to the local school.  Both kids were on their bikes (with training wheels) and I was walking between them.  One would get stuck, and then the other, and I'd have to take turns, pushing them a bit to get them going again.  Some insensitive folk drove by and stared at Alisdair, as he is almost 12, and I suppose they hadn't seen such a large kid using training wheels to ride.  The whole incident frustrated and upset me.  I wondered what we could do about the situation and began to search on the internet.

Yes, there were special bikes that could be purchased for large sums of money.  But, even if we bought a special bike for Alisdair, he would still be singled out from other children of his age group.  And then I found what seemed like the answer... "Lose the Training Wheels!"

As I watched a video of a camp held in Victoria, British Columbia, a couple of years ago, (see previous video post), the tears streamed freely down my face.  Although Alisdair made fun of my emotional outburst, he, too was inspiried by the clip.  He phoned his grandma and told her about our discovery and mused about how wonderful it might be if only he could attend a "Lose the Training Wheels" camp.

I emailed the organizers to ask if they still had spaces available and was told originally that it was only for children within their therapy program, but they would let me know if, after the local registration deadline, there were spaces left.  True to her word, a few days later, Sara emailed back saying there was room if Alisdair wanted to come.  This was terrific news but there were still a lot of hurdles to overcome if we were to go.  After all, Victoria is a long way from our prairie home and we needed to get there, have a place to stay once we'd arrived, have transportation to the recreation centre where the camp was being held, to find a replacement for our paper route, find someone to look after Isobel, etc. etc.  I wasn't sure we could manage everything the whole concept entailed, but I emailed Sara back and asked for a few days to check out the possibilities.

And then, suddenly, all the pieces of the puzzle started fitting together.  WestJet announced a seat sale and, although the tickets would still be costly, they were now a bit cheaper.  In fact, the difference in price between booking flights and riding on the Greyhound bus, was only about $30.00.  Grandma and Grandpa were willing to look after Isobel and Alisdair's friend, Rolland, agreed to do the paper route for the week.  It seemed like God wanted us to get to the camp and so I told Sara we would come.  She kindly agreed to hold a spot for us.  Shortly afterwards, Canada Post went on strike and it took some time to get our application sent in.  But Sara patiently kept our spot for us.

So it was that on Sunday, July 10th, Alisdair and I flew out from Edmonton to Victoria to prepare for an exciting and unforgettable week.  It was actually a six-day trip, with five days at bike camp.  But in those few days, he was able to accomplish something that he couldn't manage to do in about five years of trying ... he learned to ride a bike without assistance.  We will always remember this amazing life-changing experience and the blessing "Lose the Training Wheels" has been to our family.

We both want to share our week with you, so watch for future posts about the camp and our trip to the west coast.  Once I get our pictures downloaded (and our suitcase unpacked) we'll be composing lots of posts about Alisdair's journey to "Lose the Training Wheels."

QUOTES ~ A Definition of Family Literacy...

Family Literacy

"Family Literacy refers to how families use reading, writing and communicating to work, learn and play together - both at home and in their community.  It's about families taking time to develop relationships.  Everyday activities that parents share with their children are not only learning opportunities for the child, but the parents as well.  When families take time to read, explore a city or countryside, visit a museum or park, bake or cook, share stories or celebrate traditions together, they are preacticing family literacy."  [Emphasis mine]

To learn more about literacy, check out the Saskatchewan Literacy Network website.

SAFETY FIRST ~ 97% ~ Saskatchewan Safety Council Baby Sitter Training Course

Alisdair's Manual

We are pleased to announce Alisdair has successfully completed the Saskatchewan Safety Council Baby Sitter Training Course.  We took a trip to the library (to borrow some videos) and the Librarian presented Alisdair with his official card, signed by the Course Leader, Fay Hewko, dated April 19th.

We were also given his "Babysitter Training Course Exam."  There were a total of 100 marks available, broken down as follows:   (30 marks for Short Answer questions; 40 marks for Multiple Choice questions and another 30 for True and False responses.) 

The front page of the test booklet

We were delighted to learn Alisdair had received 97% on this test!  The instructor wrote at the bottom of the exam "Good Job!"

Special thanks to Mrs. Hewko for her willingness to teach the Course and to the Neilburg Branch of the Lakeland Library for sponsoring this valuable training.  I am sure the wealth of information that Alisdair gleaned from the course will serve him in good stead in the months and years to come ~ whether he eventually begins to babysit or not.

REFLECTIONS ~ Easter "Random Acts of Kindness" Encouraging

We're just back from delivering today's edition of the Saskatoon Star Phoenix to Alisdair's subscribers.  There were more papers, than on an ordinary Thursday, as today is considered "Friday" for distribution purposes (since there is no newspaper tomorrow due to Good Friday).  Several subscribers choose to receive the paper on the weekends only and so there are always more deliveries on Fridays, Saturdays and Mondays (as this is the edition that contains the TV Guide).

We were partway through the route and Alisdair and I were both tired and hurrying to get the job "over with."  And then we stopped at Lois' house.  She is in her eighties and is blind in one eye.  When she heard Alisdair opening her door to throw the paper in her porch, she yelled, "Hey Paper Boy!"  He stopped.  When she came to the door, Lois handed him a baggie with an Easter egg and some chocolate bunnies in it.  Alisdair rushed back to the car.

"Look, Mum! The Easter fairy came to this house!" he said as he showed me his sweet loot.  We decided to share the chocolate bunnies and to save the egg for later.

Farther along the route, Alisdair arrived at another mailbox.  This one had four "O Henry" Easter eggs inside.  Another treat for the diligent paper boy.

Until taking on the responsibility for this paper route, I never would have thought about remembering a delivery person in such a manner.  But it is so kind and thoughtful and makes such a difference, especially when the worker is a child.

So, thank you to all those who express appreciation through little "Random Acts of Kindness."  They are much appreciated!

Happy Easter, everyone!

POETRY ~ "And Spring arose on the garden fair..." ~ By: Percy Bysshe Shelley

"And Spring arose on the garden fair,

Like the Spirit of Love felt everywhere;

And each flower and herb on Earth's dark breast

rose from the dreams of its wintry rest."

~Percy Bysshe Shelley

SPEECH ARTS ~ $100.00 Scholarship Presented at Gala Awards Concert

Delighted Winner!

It's obvious Alisdair is delighted in the above photograph.  He's learned that "hard work pays off" ~ and some times not quite the way you think!

Scholarship Certificate

Friday evening, Alisdair received a Scholarship Certificate at the Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival's "Gala Awards Concert" for 2011.  The Certificate says the award was for the "Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival Junior Speech Arts Test Piece."  A cheque for $100.00 accompanied the certificate. 

The "hard, cold cash!"

Being new at the Music Festival scene, we weren't sure what a "Test Piece" actually was.  Apparently they are classes where the participants are given a specific poem or passage to perform.  The award, then, was for "Sacred Reading" (Matthew 25:31-40). He received a mark of 89% for that particular entry.

REFLECTIONS ~ Who Am I?? ~ "MUM or TEACHER?"

We were on our way to North Battleford for Alisdair's swimming lessons and to attend the "Gala Awards Concert" for the "Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival."  Since it had snowed overnight, John couldn't go to work, [Yes...we had an inch of snow on April 15th!  Spring must be cancelled!], so he was driving the minivan and Isobel was the front seat passenger.

Alisdair and I were in the third seat, quietly working on math and spelling.

One of the assigned words was "typhoid."  Another was "boycott."  There were nine questions in all to determine if the student was aware of the"Word Meanings." 

The first of these asked, "Which spelling word names a disease?"  Almost instantly Alisdair answered, 'TYPHOID' and then he recalled how in our January "Remember Me Pockets" Author Study he had learned how J. R. R. Tolkien, who wrote "The Lord of the Rings," had contracted that illness when he was in the trenches during the war.

Question number eight asked," 'Which spelling word means 'to refuse to buy or use something?' " 'BOYCOTT'  is what Martin Luther King, Jr. did when they refused to ride the buses," Alisdair reminded me.  I gave him a "High Five" for remembering these little tidbits of information.

Just then, Isobel turned around and started calling out, "Mum!  Mum!"

John, always one for a one-liner, glanced at the 5-year old and said, "That's not 'MUM,' that's the 'TEACHER!' "

Although I didn't want to give John the satisfaction, I couldn't help myself, and had to smile at his wisecrack!

SPEECH ARTS ~ Alisdair Wins A Scholarship!

I was out at choir practice tonight.  While I was gone, Alisdair got an exciting phone call.  Cathy Richardson, one of the ladies on the "Battlefords Kiwanis Music Festival" board telephoned with some very good news!  He won some kind of scholarship for his Speech Arts performances!

When I got home, I called back for more details.  Mrs. Richardson didn't have the list in front of her, so she wasn't sure exactly what the prize was, (or what it was for), but she said Alisdair would have his name on a plaque and would be receiving a cheque.

In order to receive his prize, we need to attend the Gala Concert at 7 PM on Friday, April 15th at Third Avenue United Church in North Battleford.  There is a $5 charge for everyone who attends (except all prize winners get in free).  After the gala concert (where selected people perform their pieces once again) Alisdair will be called to the stage to accept his prize.

He doesn't have to perform any of his pieces, but it's so encouraging to be singled out for recognition.  At this rate, I'm sure he'll be willing to participate again next year!

Blessings abound ... and surprises continue to pop out from behind the corner every now and again...  Not too shabby for a first time performer.  Good job, Alisdair!!

WRITING ~ Love Not Limited to Valentine's Day




I received a rather odd telephone call this morning. Mary, an elderly lady in my community was phoning, because she was curious and wondered if I could shed any light on a rather mysterious subject. Mary had been at a banquet and another lady, named Alice Ramsay, (who used to be from this general area but now resides in Lloydminster), had shown her a clipping from a recent issue of The Edmonton Journal.

Someone in the Camrose area had cut it out and mailed it to Alice and asked her if she knew who the author was. Alice didn't know, so she asked Mary, as the article said the author lived at Neilburg.

Of course Mary didn't recognize the name "Rena" (it's my first name that I never use in my day-to-day life) and she couldn't remember the name of the author, other than it was a "Ramsay."   I didn't have a clue what she was talking about and was quite confused for a moment. Then I said, "Mary, was the name 'Rena?' " When she said it was, I knew what had happened.

Apparently an article, that I'd submitted to The Journal's "Offerings column" on their Religion page, sometime prior to my January 2009 wedding, had been kept in a file until now, when the Editor had dug it out and decided to publish it! Since the paper no longer pays an honorarium for these kinds of articles, I had quit submitting them and checking their website each week.  Consequently, I was unaware that it had even been printed! I had just assumed any unused submissions had been discarded long ago.

When I hung up, from my conversation with Mary, I "googled" my name and up popped the article on my computer screen.

You certainly never know what a day might bring forth!

Here is the article:

Love not limited to Valentine's Day

By Rena Ramsay, Edmonton Journal February 19, 2011

As I sat in the darkened auditorium, waiting for the concert to begin, I watched them. It only took a glance to see the obvious. They were "in love."

He seemed oblivious to those around him, his eyes fixed on her alone. She, too, appeared to be enjoying the evening out and smiled up at him from the confines of her wheelchair.

When they were young, they must have been a handsome pair, I mused. Now, since she had undergone facial surgery some years before, her smile was contorted. Still, an inner beauty shone through her countenance.

As I continued to observe, he reached over the metal chair rail and clutched her gnarled hand in his, in a simple gesture demonstrating the eloquent words of the poet Robert Browning: "Chance cannot change my love, nor time impair."

Jim and Gladys didn't need chocolates or roses or fancy cards to express their emotional bond, although, no doubt, they gave gifts to show their deep affection. The love that first blossomed between them, more than 60 years before, had been faithfully nurtured throughout their lengthy married life. In this day and age of disposable relationships and rising divorce rates, their lives provided me, and others, with a vibrant example of the true fulfilment a lasting marital union can bring.

"Lasting relationships don't just happen," Gary Smalley writes in For Better or For Best. "All too often, people marry before acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary to take care of their mates: to meet their emotional, mental and physical needs." He believes the "ideal marriage evolves when the wife concentrates on meeting her husband's needs and the husband concentrates on meeting his wife's needs. That combination builds the lasting qualities of a giving relationship."

The Apostle Paul outlines the charcteristics of true love in 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8. These scriptures set a high standard and often we don't live up to them. We aren't always patient with those closest to us. We hold grudges and doubt one another's integrity. We demand our own way and fight for what we believe to be "our" rights. At these times, we have forgotten how true love acts.

"To love is to choose," wrote Joseph Roux in Meditations of a Parish Priest. Sometimes choosing to be loving is difficult. It might seem easier to throw in the towel than to attempt to rebuild a faltering relationship; yet choosing to make the effort can often reap rich rewards.

Many resource books, videos and organizations offer support and communication tools to couples determined to sustain their love for a lifetime. Utilizing these resources can assist in the development of a strong and lasting marriage, like the one Jim and Gladys shared.

Make a choice to demonstrate love to those around you, not just on Valentine's Day, but every day of the year.

Rena Ramsay is a stay-at-home mother and freelance writer who lives in Neilburg, Sask. She attends Family Worship Centre in nearby Cut Knife.

OFFERINGS

Offerings is your opportunity to express thoughts on religious issues.

Submissions up to 750 words can be sent to: Religion Department, The Edmonton Journal, Box 2421, Edmonton, Alta., T5J 2S6 or e-mail: jvlieg@edmontonjournal.com

Please include a few lines about your faith tradition and involvement in your place of worship.

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal

Encouragement ~ An Apple For The Teacher....

Photo ~ communities.canada.com

Sorting through a stack of papers today, I came across a little rectangle of bright red paper with a four line poem printed on it.  When I saw it, I remembered the encouragement the words had been to me, back at the beginning of the school year.

Written on the paper, in extra large letters were these words:

An Apple for the teacher

Is really nothing new

Except when you remember

Parents are teachers too!

To complete the theme, the slip of paper was inside a plastic sandwich baggie, with (of course) a big red apple!  Ms. Weekes, Isobel's Kindergarten teacher (who has recently become Mrs. Winsor!), kindly gave one of these to each parent of her new students.

I was especially touched because, although I realized that the words were true for everyone (and each of our youngsters had developed and learned many things since birth), ~ they were even more appropriate for me.  I was taking on the role as Alisdair's full-time teacher and, at the time, I didn't fully comprehend the magnitude of that responsibility!

Although the paper can be put into the recycling box, the vital encouragement it gave will remain with me in the days and weeks to come.

Perhaps you know a homeschooling Mum that might need a boost.  Maybe this poem and a crunchy apple is just the encouragement the Doctor ordered!