A wise person knows that he or she does not possess all knowledge. So a wise person is always seeking more knowledge. The moment a person decides they have ‘arrived’ and are too proud to inquire of instruction is the moment they become a fool. Once a person asks for assistance they open themselves up to obtaining a solution. If you are too proud to disclose where you are lacking, you will remain at a fault. Many ‘proud’ people find themselves broken before they shed their foolish pride and get on with progress. “Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.” (Proverbs 18:12).
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Monday, June 13, 2011
Book Fetish
So last night my son Josiah hands me a piece of paper. It is a scholastic book fair 'wish list' that he got from school. In his 1st grader scrawl (which is quite legible) he has written the titles to five books that he would like. He says while pointing to number one, "Eight dollars, I have to give them that much to get that book. The others I would like but I really one that one, the Star Wars Heroes." I hesitate and slowly respond, I'm like, "Well Josiah perhaps I can order this later. I want to show you something called 'Amazon.com, I get free shipping, any book I want!" Josiah's look says he is not impressed. Then he explains, "The books are there, at the school all ready in the media center. If I just give them the 8 dollars they will give me the book right then." Then CJ says, "That is quite a bit of money for a little fella to be carrying around." I look at the list and ask, "Well is it 8 for each or for all?" Josiah says, "They told me 8 for that one so that's what I wrote down."
Then this morning he reminds me as he's getting ready for school and during the ride to school, that he's got to have $8 for this great Star Wars book. So I tell him that I need to go to the atm and maybe we'll look into it later. Then I agree to walk into the school to find an adult to give me more information. But Josiah gently leads me to the closed media center door which has a huge poster advertising the times the traveling scholastic book fair is open. He says, "See it's in there." and I hear in his voice the same yearning I felt at his age about a book fair at school. I remember walking around the small school library which had brand new books stacked on tables and I could take home any of them... if I had some money... which I did not. I don't recall ever having the money or having my parents come in and buy books for me.
As an adult I understand, there were four of us and my parents were busy trying to make ends meet. They did buy books for me, when they could and also other friends and family saw my fascination and began giving me books also. But I remember the school book fair, I remember touching the books, thumbing through a few and then when the browsing time was over going back to my classroom empty handed.
So I tell Josiah, perhaps later this evening during parent teacher conferences, daddy can buy the book, if its still there then. I patted his shoulder and told him I'd see him tonight after work. He nodded and went to class. So I go home and look at the list on the table next to my laptop. I log onto amazon and look up the book. It has 8 good reviews... then I call the school and find out they will open this 'store' to me when I come. So I go to the school and browse the great book fair. It was just me and another parent. I have Josiah's list and I seek out the Star Wars Heroes and am unimpressed. I pick up about six other books, some from his list and a couple I think he would like. I ask that my pile be held to the side, while I go get Jo from the cafeteria. When he sees me he's pleasantly surprised.
So we go into the book fair together. We have the whole room to ourselves and we can buy books! We were both giddy and we compared titles. I showed him why some of my selections were better, we compared prices and made our selections. Josiah tried to prolong my visit by saying I could probably stay and eat, or if I wanted I could volunteer to help the lunchroom staff. It was cute how he thought this might be appealing to me. I told him I'd all ready eaten and had to get ready for work. So I paid the darn near $30 for our blessed stack of brand new scholastic books. I allowed him to hold onto one thin Bakugan Brawlers book throughout the school day (which I promptly wrote his name inside).
I know for some people (probably most 'normal' people) this whole thing was silly and maybe even a waste of time, effort and money. But it was a great moment for me and my son and our shared book fetish. It may have taken me 27 years, (LOL) but the little girl in me finally got to take home a stack of books from the school book fair.
Then this morning he reminds me as he's getting ready for school and during the ride to school, that he's got to have $8 for this great Star Wars book. So I tell him that I need to go to the atm and maybe we'll look into it later. Then I agree to walk into the school to find an adult to give me more information. But Josiah gently leads me to the closed media center door which has a huge poster advertising the times the traveling scholastic book fair is open. He says, "See it's in there." and I hear in his voice the same yearning I felt at his age about a book fair at school. I remember walking around the small school library which had brand new books stacked on tables and I could take home any of them... if I had some money... which I did not. I don't recall ever having the money or having my parents come in and buy books for me.
As an adult I understand, there were four of us and my parents were busy trying to make ends meet. They did buy books for me, when they could and also other friends and family saw my fascination and began giving me books also. But I remember the school book fair, I remember touching the books, thumbing through a few and then when the browsing time was over going back to my classroom empty handed.
So I tell Josiah, perhaps later this evening during parent teacher conferences, daddy can buy the book, if its still there then. I patted his shoulder and told him I'd see him tonight after work. He nodded and went to class. So I go home and look at the list on the table next to my laptop. I log onto amazon and look up the book. It has 8 good reviews... then I call the school and find out they will open this 'store' to me when I come. So I go to the school and browse the great book fair. It was just me and another parent. I have Josiah's list and I seek out the Star Wars Heroes and am unimpressed. I pick up about six other books, some from his list and a couple I think he would like. I ask that my pile be held to the side, while I go get Jo from the cafeteria. When he sees me he's pleasantly surprised.
So we go into the book fair together. We have the whole room to ourselves and we can buy books! We were both giddy and we compared titles. I showed him why some of my selections were better, we compared prices and made our selections. Josiah tried to prolong my visit by saying I could probably stay and eat, or if I wanted I could volunteer to help the lunchroom staff. It was cute how he thought this might be appealing to me. I told him I'd all ready eaten and had to get ready for work. So I paid the darn near $30 for our blessed stack of brand new scholastic books. I allowed him to hold onto one thin Bakugan Brawlers book throughout the school day (which I promptly wrote his name inside).
I know for some people (probably most 'normal' people) this whole thing was silly and maybe even a waste of time, effort and money. But it was a great moment for me and my son and our shared book fetish. It may have taken me 27 years, (LOL) but the little girl in me finally got to take home a stack of books from the school book fair.
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