Whole Heart Devotion

In high school and college, math was my preferred subject.  I loved statistics, solving equations, and seeing how math could be used in everyday facets of life.  As I entered the education field, it would be no surprise that I would geek out over math terminology being used to describe how young children interact and play with each other. The term "parallel play" describes a level of play where children play adjacent to one another, but rarely interact with each other.  You might see them glance at their peers, and their play activity might even be influenced by those around them, yet play is still approached from an independent standpoint.  This type of play is quite opposite of cooperative play where children choose to intersect with their peers by playing games or participating in dramatic play (housekeeping, playing school, etc.). As I think about my life and the relationships I am involved in, I am not that different than a child.  I am very selective about the

As I take the last bite of a pint of Blue Bell ice cream (which by the way was the best ice cream that ever landed in my mouth - see picture below for the flavor), so many thoughts about the past week flood my mind.  The first was rather insignificant -- I realized that I have never eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting before tonight!  Ice cream is always my go-to comfort food, but I didn't realize how badly my body expected that physical treat during times of distress!  You never know how much you want something until you can't have it -- and ice cream clearly doesn't last when left in a freezer for five days without power. Perhaps my other ponderings will be more reflective and less  self-serving  . . . ~ The goodness and benevolence of people’s hearts is always a refreshing breath of fresh air during natural disasters. In our typical world of self-centeredness, times like these remind me that there is good in everyone.  From neighbors sharin