London: Arrival and Day 1

Tuesday, May 26

I wasn't even angry about spending hours in the Atlanta airport. Occasionally I wandered around the terminal, but always circulated back to the my gate. By the end of the day even the cleaners were commenting on how long I'd been there.

Gloria had a delay in Pensacola and showed up only about three minutes before her zone was called for the London flight. I didn't see her again until we landed at Heathrow.

Wednesday, May 27

I hadn't managed to connect to in-flight Wifi for some reason, so we were on the ground before I found out the rest of our group had their flight canceled in Chicago. Luckily they were still able to catch a later flight, but they didn't get in until about midnight.

Meanwhile, Gloria and I found the flat we had rented, about an hour and a half away from the airport between the tube and walking, and I took a shower. A blissful, blissful shower.

 Impressions of the tube, by the way? Hot, stuffy, crowded. Not a super fun thing in my opinio, except for the people watching. After getting cleaned up we walked over to the Sunflower Cafe.

After enjoying a light meal, we headed back to the flat. We stopped at some type of international grocery market on the way back and admired all the fresh produce. Then we walked back to where we were staying and explored the little grocery right next door.

Once back at the flat I took a nap. It was supposedly going to be just a short nap, an hour or so, but I completely sacked out, having not had a proper night of sleep since Sunday night. Don't ask too many questions about how long I slept. Suffice it to say Gloria and I walked down to the tube station to meet the rest when they came in around midnight, and I hadn't been awake too long. The problem came when I actually tried to go back to sleep. My times were so twisted and my sleep schedule so far off it was ridiculous.

Thankfully the rooms had cooled off at least as London is experiencing a heat wave that is breaking records from the 1920's or so. Unfortunately there isn't an air conditioner, so we have to rely on drafts from the windows and fans.

Day 1

Thursday, May 28

We were up and leaving the flat around 7:20 or so to head to the tube. First on the list was the Tower of London, but we stopped at a little coffee shop first to eat something and make sure those in the group who apparently can't survive without coffee would be fit for the day.

We had about two hours in the Tower of London. Just to be clear, the entire compound of buildings is referred to collectively by that name. While some thought that was plenty of time, Lindsay and I didn't even get through everything. She is a fantastic museum companion. 

We first visited the crown jewels, as the line to get in there wasn't too long and I've heard horror stories of hours-long waits just to get in. It was very crowded already in my opinion, but at least there were no guards yelling at us to hurry or tour guides telling us to get out. Honestly I'm glad I've been through the Crown Jewels display once, but I don't need to go again. I guess I'm not super impressed by flaunted wealth, and it just seemed a bit superfluous.

That being said, the things that impressed me just as much as all the crowns and scepters were the large gold dishes used for communion services and other special occasions. Among the most impressive was the Grand Punch Bowl, measuring about three feet wide and big enough to hold 240 bottles of wine. I kept trying to imagine being the people in charge of serving out of these massive, unweildy looking dishes.

We next visited the White Tower where the famous ravens seem to hang out a lot. Basically, it's a display of weaponry and suits of armor from the past, along with a few odds and ends.

It was impressive to see the Parade of Kings which consists of suits of armor displayed on wooden horses. 

One interesting piece was a parade lance that was positively massive but supposedly only weighed twenty pounds. I also noticed a circular object called the collar of torment and tried to read the plaque. I finally figured out it said it was used as a punishment for scolding wives. Hint to crowded museums: Display the information toward the top of the glass cases so people can read it from the back of the crowd rather than putting everything at floor level. Thank you.

There was also an executioner's ax and block on display. The block was unusual because after use they were generally burnt.

Somehow by that time Lindsay and I were far behind the rest of the group. We went into the Bloody Tower, then visited the place where Sir Walter Raleigh was held. I didn't realize he had cultivated his own herb garden there. Another feature was a display about the two lost princes. If you don't know the story, look it up for yourself. It seems clear that they were likely murdered, but of course I suppose the evidence could be circumstantial. Gloria was informing me on the chat somewhere in there that I didn't need to read everything, but it gets a little hard to pick and choose.

We were heaaded out when we passed the Torture Chalmber. Of course we had to stop there! Looking at the rack used for "stretching" victims made me think of the persecution of the martyrs.

The real facts are, though, that the number of people who were actually tortured in the Tower of London is very small. The number killed there is also not as large as one would think.

We went next to the Borough Market, There is lots of food there: whole booths of cheese and fruit and cuts of meat. There were also bread shops and pastries and other equally unhealthy things. Most of us ended up getting fish and chips for lunch because we were ready for protein and just took the first option that came along. Some of the group wandered about for a while in the Market while others of us went to explore the Southwark Cathedral.

It was a comfortable little cathedral. I was, of course, impressed by the ceiling. I'm not sure what it is about elegant wooden ceilings that enthuse me every time. 

It was soon time to catch the tube again and head to Westminster. We waited around on the sidewalk for a while for our tour time to start, but finally got in. 

I'm not sure what all you know about Westminster Abbey, but it is a functioning church. However, to enter you get to pay a fee unless you attend the Sunday morning service. There are also a lot of people burried there. The ones that made us question how they came to be buried in a place of worship were Charles Darwin and Stephen Hawking.

Sir Isaac Newton is also interred there, which seemed more appropriate.

My favorite place was probably the Poets Corner, where I found the Bronte sisters, Rudyard Kipling, Charles Dickinson, and of course my all-time favorite, Jane Austen.

We were all a little weary from walking, and as we had a little extra time, some of us just sat around a while. We finally exited and found drinks and things while we waited in line for Evensong.

We were lucky enough to get ushered in some of the very first ones, getting front row seats to the spectacle of the service.

We sat on wooden pews right near the choir as pictured above. The service was very full of ceremony, as one would expect. It began with organ music while the clergy and choir walked in, singing a song in Latin while we all stood.

Next, there was a short introduction and then the entire congregation was expected to stand and read the words of a prayer, I guess it was, confessing sins and asking forgiveness. Then the officiant gave the Absolution after which everyone said the Lord's Prayer together.

Next, the officiant and choir sang the responses. The officiant would sing something, and then the choir would respond. I was curious if they chose the officiants according to singing voices or how the practicality of that worked out for them.

The choir did a bit more singing, then there was a reading from Genesis 22:1-18. The choir sang again, then another reading from Hebrews 11:8-19. The choir sang again, then the congregation was supposed to say the Apostles Prayer. I coul not in good conscience say with them that "I believe in the Catholic Church." 

Then there was more singing by the choir and the officiant. It was another call and response type of situation, but the officiant had massive solo parts. I was a little amazed how someone could sing staying on one note for so long.

Finally, prayers were said and there was a final song by the choir. The last one was genuinely beautiful. It was acapella with perfectly lovely harmonies. We all said one more little something together, then the choir and officiants walked out and we were dismissed, too. It was an interesting event. We were expected to stand during the parts where we participated and also during some of the singing parts.

We were all feeling a bit hungry, so we were delighted to find supper at Prezzo, an Italian restaurant.

After Prezzo, it was soon time for our bus tour of London. We rode a vintage double decker bus from the 1960's while our guide, who claimed his name was Oliver Twist, gave us bits and pieces of information about the city mixed with slightly cynical dry humor. I was very tired at the time and am afraid I was unable to retain a lot of what he said.

We did see Cleopatra's needle and drove across a bridge built during WWII, which he claimed was the only bridge built on time and under budget in the whole history of London, this because it had been built entirely by women.

We also saw the monument for those who lost their lives in the fire of London. The thing that struck me was that he claimed more people had died by jumping off the monument than actually died in the disaster it memorializes. 

A high point was seeing a piece of sculpture by the artist Banksy, who always intrigues me.

We were all very weary after the bus ride. It was around 9:00 by the time we started back to the flat. It was close to 10:00 by the time we arrived. Some stopped at the grocery next door to grab some things for breakfast in the morning. 

Gloria said to plan on walking around 20,000 steps a day, which, according to Google, comes out to around 8 miles. The app on my phone claims I logged a little under that, just a shade over 19,000, but there were some who did hit that mark.

It is currently 12:27 a.m., but I wanted to get this written up and not have a massive amount of stuff to write later. I think everyone else is probably in bed, with the exception of the one person who is up doing laundry.

So there you have it. Congratulations if you survived to the end here. I'm refusing to even go back and proofread this, so please forgive all mistakes. Thank you.

Cheers til next time!

Dear DFW and American Airlines: A Break-Up Letter

 Dear DFW and American Airlines:

It is 1:10 a.m. I am in Terminal D, the same terminal where we girls all met to fly to Egypt over a year ago. About twenty minutes ago I was privileged to meet some sisters in the faith from Guatemala. I don't know their names, but I know their smiles. They were visiting in Mississippi or Missouri, I'm not sure which, for a granddaughter's graduation. This is one of the things I love about you, the way you provide me with opportunities to meet people I never would have otherwise. 

While I've been here I've chatted with people who've traveled from Bangkok and New Jersey. Both foreign places to some degree. I have rejoiced with the guys standing in line at the service desk who kept letting people go ahead of them while they waited an hour for their buddy to join them. I smiled when a grandmotherly lady brought them chocolate chip cookies as a thank you. I've reveled in the homey, familiar sound of accents from my old stomping grounds near Mobile. Not that you would let me fly there, of course.

I thought we were going to get along forever. I never envisioned this day would come so swiftly and brutally. It's not that I quit loving you, exactly, because Texas will always hold a bit of my heart, but we have grown apart. There's no point in pretending things will ever be quite the same again. Once you have broken a person's trust to this degree, it's only natural that there would be some caution in any type of relationship going forward.

It wasn't long ago I told someone that I had never had a flight canceled. At least, not one that I had booked for myself. "Don't jinx it," they said. And I only laughed, because I believed in you. I really did.

The first hints of trouble brewing made their appearance on Sunday. I was relaxing at my gate when the announcement was made. So sorry, but the flight was canceled. Canceled! There was no gentle let-down, no subtle delays to warn me. DFW did not want my presence. It was quick and brutal and unforgiving. And we were only ten minutes from departure.

And so I tried to make peace. I rebooked, as you, American Airlines, suggested. I understood that sometimes people have their own personal storms to work through before they can make amends. So I tried to do my part, go the extra mile. I really thought it would work.

Monday arrived. Security was a breeze. I waited across from a bookstore where there was a section of books displaying Theo of Golden prominently, which reminded me that the same is waiting for me to continue listening to on Audible. I enjoyed watching people make selections. My first flight of the day carried me in a state of bliss toward your welcoming land. Again, there was little warning until the announcement. We were in a holding pattern, we were told. We might be holding for an hour. 

Storms were brewing, they said, on every side. But when I talked to the kindergarten teacher seated beside me, she said her friends in Dallas said the storms only lasted fifteen minutes. Nonetheless, since you had started the awkward miscommunications, things soon spiraled out of control. Our pilot came back on to say that we had been diverted. 

Rejection! Any relationship guru can tell you how harmful rejection is. Instead of the Lone Star State, we were being shuttled off to Oklahoma City. I don't personally have anything against Oklahoma (except disagreeing with a certain co-teacher that it's the best state ever), but that wasn't where I wanted to be. We waited there for around two and a half hours, amidst reassurances that DFW was closed completely down, all flights delayed, and we'd probably still reach ours on time. 

Unfortunately, by the time the fuel truck finally showed up (What's up with only one fuel truck, OKC?), my flight had departed from DFW. In vain I tried to communicate. I was met with a brick wall of silence. Well, mostly. The agent I communicated with told me that he couldn't see any updates and I'd have to wait until I landed in DFW to figure out my next move. Seems you need to be a bit more in touch with your own emotion, or motions, or whatever it is, American.

So I tried to relax, tried to tell myself everything would work out between us. Because I'm a hopeless optimist sometimes. But you had more pain in store.

When I finally felt the good solid linoleum of DFW under my  feet, I didn't know where to start because everything had disappeared from my app. I took some time to gaze at the flight schedules and determined there were two flights heading out yet that could get me where I wanted to go: one to Mobile and one to Pensacola. Both were located in Terminal E. I decided I may as well go to that terminal for help.

Once there, I joined a line of people at the customer service counter. I also dialed you, American, on the phone and placed a callback order, not sure which would be faster. I was told the callback wait was ninety minutes. The line only took thirty to forty-five, so that was nice. 

But here's what they say about relationships, American: The relationships that fail can be determined by watching whether or not the partners respond to bids for attention. I should have guess ours was doomed when the agent mumbled at me through her mask and barely made eye contact. I was being as gracious and agreeable as possible under the circumstances, and although she did not respond to my bids for friendliness, I made excuses for her when she printed off a nice new boarding pass and shoved it across the counter to me.

The sad thing is that the flight was delayed before I even made it to the gate which was all of a one minute walk away, thanks to my strategy of figuring out which terminal held the likely flights. After an hour's wait or so, the plane arrived. Everything looked to still be on schedule. Even then we might have been able to salvage our relationship, but it was not to be.

I noticed a sad absence of crew members around the gate. The flight was delayed again. And then? I almost expected it by now, because how many flights actually depart at 12:20 a.m.? Canceled. Again. 

I stood by the wall, trying to see what options your app would give me. I was starting to wonder if that's all I had left of you.

Another passenger said loudly that if they let him on he could fly that plane. He might not land it perfectly, but he could get us there. A woman standing near me gave a metaphorical snort. "I'm a pilot," she said, "there's no way he could fly that plane."

I asked her if she flew commercial or private. She said private. I would have talked to her more, but I was really getting concerned about our relationship by that point, so I again took measures to fix things. All the disappointments and rejections I have ever experienced came flooding back as I stood waiting in line at Customer Service once again. That might be an exageration, but you get the point.

I was in line with a lot of people trying to reach Mobile. The man behind me showed me screenshots of why the flight had been canceled and seemed to want to chat. So did the woman ahead of me. That is one thing to be said for you, DFW. Perhaps you don't do too well with relationships, but you have apparently learned that humans bond quickly in adverse circumstances. Thankfully the line moved fairly quickly. 

The agent I met with this time genuinely did her best to help me. I explained my predicament. All flights available in the morning would get in too late for me to catch my London flight out of Pensacola. She said she could route me straight to Pensacola if she sent me on a detour through Houston. That sounded OK, until I found out that I'd get into Pensacola at 4:00, have to deplane, collect my bag, check it back in, go through security, and get on my next flight. It would not give a lot of extra time, and no extra time at all if there were to be more delays. 

Your motto is, apparently, "Let Good Take Flight." By several minutes after midnight I was starting to think all your good really had taken flight. I will hand it to your agents. They did their best, but you've got to come up with some way to help them out. They were clearly over-worked and exhausted. They worked on figuring out arrangements for me to fly straight to Atlanta for forty-five minutes or an hour. And part of that time the poor agent was battling against your own system. She would put in flight details, and someone or something working from the opposite end kept changing them back.

She did not seem disappointed to abandon me (Do you see a pattern here? betrayal, no communication, abandonment, etc., etc.) {That was for you, Sadie.} and go run something down to crew on the ground or something. Her manager took over and within an astonishingly short time had found me a flight to Atlanta, which departs at 9:35 a.m. and arrives around half past 12. I do think second chances are in place, but I'm not sure how many chances to give after that. 

Currently, I am exhausted, but unable to sleep. I have removed my contacts and am remembering why I don't like glasses; they always slide down my nose. I feel like an absolute ball of grease and unsavory smells. I am slightly ravenous. And I am slowly becoming a bit unhinged. Your emotional manipulations have worn me down. 

Maybe I will regret this, but I think it's over between us. I know everyone goes through difficult seasons in life, but your season of spring and summer storms is too much for me, DFW. I need something a little more calm and stable. And American, your traffic control was a mess. There were planes piled all over the place just waiting to have some direction. This won't do, you know. 

The only hope of salvaging this relationship is if you can find me some cheesecake somewhere. Then, maybe, I'll consider letting the past be the past. But for now? You've done too little too late. I shall always remember you with fondness, but there comes a time to let things go. 

Bittersweet memories and all that, I shall always love you, but it's best if I go, to loosely quote.

The end.

P.S. I wasn't kidding about the cheesecake, although I know nothing is as dramatic as it seems at this hour in the morning.

What I'm Reading: March Recap

How has another month passed so quickly? I did not nearly complete everything I had hoped to this month. But without further ado, here is the list as it stands.

	$	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$
Recommend-ability	I highly recommend not reading this book.	Don't bother.	You might enjoy it.	Would definitely recommend	Absolutely loved it. I will likely recommend to every person I talk to for the next month.
Writing Style	Extremely poor	Well, they know how to spell and what a period is.	Average. Just… Average.	Good job. I might be a little envious of their way with words.	I stand amazed.
Likelihood of Reading Again	Are you kidding? I lost enough brain cells the first time.	Nope.	Maybe, but doubtful.	Probably will read again.	I will definitely re-read. Way too many things I found fascinating.
Thought-Provoking	What thoughts?	I think there was a thought somewhere.	Sort of basic thoughts, but accurate.	Some lingering thoughts. That's a good sign.	So much to think about. My brain is on fire!
Subject Matter of General Interest	There should not have been ink and paper wasted on this book. I now understand tree-huggers.	Not my style, personally, but might be interesting to someone of a different temperament.	Interesting, but may be specific to my personal tastes.	Fun things to think about. May be quotable. Likely to appeal to a variety of personalities.	Positively fascinating. I will be quoting this for years. Absolutely everyone should read this book.

 

Practical Pantomimes
By Louis J. Huber
Acting, Skits, Humor, Fiction; 95 pages, Not available on Audible
Physical Copy
 
Have I read it before?
I have not. I’ve read very few plays and skits.
 
How did I find it?
Thrift store discovery! My copy has definitely seen some hard times. First printed in 1937, this book is readily available in the public domain. For some reason which I did not spend time researching it is considered a culturally significant work.
 
What is it about?
This is a book of short pantomimes in which there is a reader who narrates a story while other participants act it out. These are meant to be simple skits, easily done with things you would have around your house. The acts are meant to be fun and funny and nonprofessional. Some were written more as narration while others are in rhyming form. There weren’t really any of the skits that I would want to be part of producing, but they did inspire me with ideas. I can definitely imagine myself, not re-reading the book in its entirety, but browsing for a specific purpose. I think something could be made out of them. Maybe the problem was that they just didn’t quite fit my sense of humor. Each pantomime seemed to follow a very similar pattern of figurative speech being taken literally, and while this is funny for a while, it doesn’t stay funny for the endurance.
 
Any warnings?
None whatsoever. However, I found Practical Pantomimes very difficult to rate, as you will notice below.
 
What’s a quote?
Oh, I do have a few favorite lines.
“Mary clapped her hands and Jojo entered the room very quietly. That is, he didn’t make any more noise than a locomotive.” (from “A Spy Story”)
“Most dice have only two sixes, or twelve, as their highest number, but this pair was loaded. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, we give you an idea of what kind of war it was—even the dice were loaded.” (from “War Is Not Well”)
“He rang the bell, but Adolph thought it was a passing streetcar and paid no heed. Adolph never paid taxes either, so why should he pay heed?” (from “The Gentleman’s Gentleman”)
 
Recommendability: $$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$
Thought Provoking: $$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$
 
 
Lafayette in the Somewhat United States
By Sarah Vowell
Historical, Nonfiction; 288 pages, 8 hrs. 7 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No.
 
How did I find it?
Lafayette in the Somewhat United States popped up as an Audible recommendation. Several years ago, I believe I proofread a book about Lafayette for the school library. I fell in love with the romantic heroism of a wealthy young orphan so taken with the idea of freedom that he would leave his own country to fight for such on behalf of another.
 
What is it about?
I found the book well written, a good mix of explanation on the research, different viewpoints, excerpts, and fun information I didn’t know previously, with a little sarcasm thrown in to boot. There were plenty of references made to other moments in the Revolution that makes me fear I have started irrevocably down a Revolutionary rabbit hole. Oh well, there could be worse things than that. Lafayette, if you’ve forgotten, was only 19 when he slipped away from France to help the Americans fight for their freedom. This was without the blessing of his king or his father-in-law. He left behind a young, pregnant wife as well. The book describes how Lafayette longed to earn honor and glory. Not the most Christian sentiment, certainly, but very intriguing to me. Among accounts lifted out you will find the story of the battle in which he was wounded and the winter at Valley Forge.
 
Any warnings?
Nope.
 
What’s a quote?
“While the melodrama of hucking crates of tea into Boston Harbor continues to inspire civic-minded hotheads to this day, it’s worth remembering the hordes of stoic colonial women who simply swore off tea and steeped basil leaves in boiling water to make the same point. What’s more valiant: littering from a wharf or years of doing chores and looking after children from dawn to dark without caffeine?”
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
The Unexpected Adventure
By Lee Strobel and Mark Mittelberg
Religious, Nonfiction; 292 pages, 7 hrs. 20 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No, although I was familiar with Lee Strobel’s name.
 
How did I find it?
I saw this book recommended on someone’s status. As I love Lee Strobel’s book, The Case for Christ, in which the author shares his search for evidence pertaining to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, eventually becoming convinced of truth and turning from atheism to Christianity, I was interested to find out more about this title.
 
What is it about?
The premise of this book is to inspire Christians to evangelism. This is done by a series of stories from the authors, recounting the adventures they have had in telling others the Good News. The most touching story, to me, was one of the authors who felt compelled to speak to his father-in-law about becoming a Christian. Little did he know that would be the last conversation they ever had. Another story tells of motorcycle daredevil, Evil Knievel, and how he turned to Christ toward the end of his life. There are dramatic moments of misunderstandings and debates, but also simple conversations at restaurants or on airplanes.
 
Any warnings?
I don’t feel certain that this book lines up 100% with my own theology, but I still found it worth the time to read. It’s made me reconsider some of my own choices. Why can’t I say “God’s given us a beautiful day!” when engaging in small talk with a stranger instead of “It’s a nice day out?”
 
What’s a quote?
“After all, he is the great evangelist; we’re merely the tools that he uses to fulfill his mission of redeeming the world, one individual at a time.”
 
Recommendability: $$$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$$
 
 
Hypergifted
By Gordon Korman
Fiction, Junior ; 272 pages, 5 hrs. 18 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No, although I have read the sequels, Ungifted and Supergifted.
 
How did I find it?
I saw it pop up on Audible. I loved Gordon Korman when I was young, and I’m always curious to see what he is writing now. It’s interesting to me to observe how authors change through the years.
 
What is it about?
If you are familiar with Gordon Korman, this book contains many elements that are classic: Junior summer camp counselors, a super smart kid, a kid who disappears and is great at avoiding questions about where he goes, and a kidnapped pig. OK, maybe the last one isn’t quite so classic, but animals do end up in odd places in many books, it seems. I did think this book tied together a number of elements found in older books like I Wanna Go Home and No Coins Please with things found in some of the newer books, like The Superteacher Project what with some of the references to AI. As this is the third book in the series, the characters were already familiar. I did have trouble believing that someone who correctly predicted a pregnancy in book one did not recognize the same signs in book three. I also thought the climax was somewhat lackluster.
 
Any warnings?
I didn’t feel there was as much disrespect in this book as there are in some of Korman’s works, actually, although there were the same elements of hiding things from adults. Also, this story does take place on a college campus, so some references to partying, but if you let your children read other Korman books, this one will be fine, too.
 
What’s a quote?
I guess I don’t have one.
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$
Thought Provoking: $$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$
 
 
Here’s hoping that April will give me time to get in a little more reading! I currently have four books in progress, so that seems hopeful. As always, I’m open to your thoughts and recommendations!

Structure

Let all things be done decently and in order. (1 Corinthians 14:40)

We live in a society that is without anchor. People are swept along by their emotions, their own selfish desires, and their pride. We rebel against being told what to do, become frustrated when our autonomy seems to be taken away, and hesitate to impose limitations on those around us.

I am not here to argue about this. We should not take away someone’s free will. We should not force our own ideas on others. A healthy mind should think critically, not just go with the flow.

Order and structure is obvious in God’s design in nature. Creation all around illustrates His plan to put systems in place: the movement of the planets and stars, the predictable patterns of wildlife migration, the way season follows season, and so many more.

Some have been raised in an era of law and order and did not feel that their emotional needs were met. That may be a valid point. But what I see today troubles me equally. I see adults who are so determined not to raise children under a heavy hand that many have fallen into quite the opposite ditch. We are leaning so heavily into how we feel and the independent desire to live and let live that we are failing to give our children something solid to cling to. Failing to deny ourselves is causing both us and the children entrusted into our care to struggle much more than we would have to.

I’m not talking about being heavy-handed and giving out copious amounts of punishments. I’m talking about providing gentle, firm guidance. We need to give boundaries that are clear. It’s important to have systems and frameworks in place that provide security.

Children long to know they are safe. When we build structure into our lives, we are giving them that longed-for security and providing a good foundation from which to build connection. This doesn’t mean that we can never have spontaneous fun, but it means that when we do break from our normal routines, the child still feels safe because they know the break is only for a moment and that they will be back in the safe structure they are used to within a foreseeable amount of time.

But what does structure look like in everyday life? Are people given resources in plain language that spell out how and what they can do to build this safe, secure connection with the children in their lives? I think many of us walk into parenthood or classrooms with only vague ideas and memories from our own childhoods of how things should operate. These ideas are often biased from the childish perspective from which we experienced them. Maybe the adults in our lives weren’t the role models they should have been, but we have little else upon which to base our own actions.

I am not here to speak to parents because I don’t have experience in that department. I am sure there would be lots to be said about regular mealtimes and bedtimes, the order of events in a morning, and how children can be given a healthy wind-down routine in the evening before bed, but I’ll let someone else tackle that.

Neither am I here to speak down to my fellow teachers because I have far too many former students out there who can tell you that my own structure has not been perfect. I have had moments where it felt like things were falling apart around my ears, when students weren’t where I expected them to be or they’d gotten into mischief I didn’t predict. Too often those moments have reflected my own lack of structure. I’m supposing you, too, have had those moments when it feels like you’ve lost order.

This isn’t about control shown by a display of power. This is about putting a structure in place that gives you control of your class through respect. It’s about always having a plan in place which gives less room for disobedience. It’s about holding yourself to a way of doing things that will not only ease your own stress levels, but give your children the security they crave.

Children respond to our expectations. When we expect them follow the patterns we’ve laid out for them, they will generally do so. When we respond to discrepancies with love and small, consistent consequences, they not only learn that structure (and the teacher) needs to be respected, they also understand that they are in a secure environment.

So what are some ways to introduce structure into your classroom?

The first thing is to be very clear about your expectations. Let the bells in the morning be a firm indication to your children of what they should be doing. Maybe the 5-minute bell indicates time to be in their desks or time to quit talking. Either way, whatever action is expected of them should enable you to start your day immediately upon the ringing of the tardy bell.

Your students need to understand how many are allowed out of their seats during the day. Some teachers have a system in place in which a student raises one or two fingers to indicate a need to get out of their chair. Others allow one or two students up at a time. The method you choose isn’t so important as the fact that you have a method and stick to it. If I say I allow one student up at a time, but I often find three students up and milling about, I am not only breaking down my own structure, I’m giving my class the impression that I may not mean what I say.

In lower and middle grades (and honestly, upper grades, too, if they are struggling with respect) you will find it automatically adds a touch of order to have your students line up for everything. Line up before you leave the room for recess. Line up by the door when you come in for recess. Line up to exit for lunch. Line up to go to school devotions. Lining up is not demeaning. This is part of our everyday lives—we line up at banks, grocery stores, and gas stations.

Speaking of recess, be clear about starting games. Many classes are dismissed and the teacher has things to quickly do inside while the students mill about outside or finally start the game themselves. It provides security when the students know who is in charge. One way to do this is to do your best to go outside at the beginning of recess and indicate the start of the game. I prefer to use a whistle to do this, but there are other methods as well. Of course, it’s unrealistic to think that you will be able to be there every single time, but consider giving the responsibility to one of your students to start the game if you can’t be there. That way, it’s still clear that there is order and the rest of the children know that the chosen student is acting under your authority.

Respect the bells and time schedules at your school. Yes, definitely do finish the batter in softball and absolutely have some fun days where you stay out for an extra time allotment, but when we are consistently late going out for recess or coming in from recess or dismissing at the end of the day, we are indicating that the structure set in place for us by our school board is not necessarily worthy of respect. Another perk is that if staying out is a treat, you can use it for leverage and rewards.

Teach your boys to tuck in their shirts after recess and your girls to tidy their hair. This leads to a recognition that learning is serious business and it’s important to show up for it in a neat way.

During class time, many of us like our students to be free to respond and take part. I love the spontaneous interaction as much as anyone, but we need to be sure it is plain to them when we want them to answer freely and when we expect them to just be quiet and listen. Some teachers tap their desk with a pointer or give some other signal to differentiate. I like to extend an open palm toward the class when it is a free-for-all and hold up my hand like a policeman when I expect them to be quiet.

Lunchtime is one of my favorite times of the day because I just get to hang out with my class and listen to them talk and probe their minds to figure out how they think. It’s a special opportunity to get to know them. But even lunch must have structure. Take the time to teach your class that you expect them to sit properly. Instruct them on basic good manners. Be attuned to the level of structure your class needs. Some need to know what table to sit at. Some need to have specific seats assigned. Some may need a “no talking until you are finished with your hot lunch” guideline. None of these are harsh or overbearing. They are simply providing the secure environment your children long for, a routine that anchors their day.

Hold students accountable for following along during oral reading. Expect them to stand up with good posture when it is their turn to read. You may have students that struggle with reading to whom you give a bit more leeway, but for your average student there is no reason to constantly remind or prompt. I learned my favorite way of dealing with this at the Pensacola Christian Academy. If a student is called upon to read and doesn’t start reading at the correct spot within a few seconds of standing up beside his desk, another student is called on and the first one remains standing until the end of the page is reached. I have found this very effective. The structure and consequence are all built in together. Again, the consequence is not a big, heavy thing—just a consistent reminder to the child to do what he knows to do.

Keep job time orderly. There does not need to be communication between students unless one of your class jobs demand such. You may find it helpful to tell your children only one of them is allowed out of the room at a time during jobs, or have them request permission to leave. I like my children to return to their desks after their job is completed and make sure their desk is clean as well. When they are finished, they sit quietly and wait for me to come and check both their desk and job. If they pass, they get a high-five. This is a simple way of making sure order is maintained, not only in the busy last moments before dismissal, but before they even arrive at school the next morning, their desk will show the result of structure. It also provides a tiny moment of one-on-one connection with each child every day.

Expect students to stick to a certain structure, even on field trip days. They need to know if they are allowed to run or if they are supposed to walk. They need to know how far ahead of the group they are allowed to go. They need to know that it’s polite to listen quietly and that it’s respectful to show interest in what a guide is telling them by asking questions at appropriate times. They need to know they may be expected to walk in an orderly line, just like they do at school. I like to take my afore-mentioned whistle along, even on field trips. One blast on it tells my students to stop and wait where they are, while two blasts mean “come here.” I don’t need my class to constantly be at my side and be quiet on those fun outings, but I do need a sure way to get their attention and maintain a semblance of order.

I don’t expect you to do everything like I do. Some of you have better ideas and are probably more self-denied and structured than I am, but I do know that the more structure I have introduced into my classroom, the easier my job has become. I’m not suggesting that we turn our students into robots or dampen enthusiasm. There is plenty of room within structure for excitement and fun. But I think we do ourselves and our students a huge disservice when we allow them to drift during the school day.

Maybe you’ve read this and thought you’d like more structure in your own classroom. It’s not too late to start. And you don’t have to start with everything at once. Choose just one thing—maybe lining up—for the first week, and add others in as you become more confident and comfortable with your role as a guardian of routine and order. If you have any students in your classroom from difficult home situations, they need the structure even more than the other students. Ironically, they will often fight it the hardest. They want to know, “Does this adult actually mean what they say? Can I trust them? Is this going to be a safe place for me?”

Show up for those students. Provide the security they need. Build structure into your day with love, knowing it’s one of the most important gifts you can give.

Wishing each one of you many successful days in the classroom!

What I'm Reading: February Recap

Welcome to my February reading recap! I did manage to get in more physical books this time, but I’m also sort of panicking because I’m not getting as far in my list of titles as I’d like. Maybe I can blame it on the fact that February is a short month.

I also became disturbingly aware that part of the reason I listen to so many audiobooks is because that’s where I look first for books that are recommended to me rather than just getting a physical copy. I do have a valid reason, though, I think. Audible books don’t take up space, and I’ve been trying to downsize my book collection some in the last several years and get rid of the ones I don’t love. Not sure how that project is actually going. Still, I also know science shows you don’t comprehend books as well when you just listen to them, so I’m a bit uncertain how to balance all these little bits and pieces into something that’s realistic for me.

Definitely two overwhelming favorites this month—you should be able to tell pretty easily which ones!

 

	$	$$	$$$	$$$$	$$$$$
Recommend-ability	I highly recommend not reading this book.	Don't bother.	You might enjoy it.	Would definitely recommend	Absolutely loved it. I will likely recommend to every person I talk to for the next month.
Writing Style	Extremely poor	Well, they know how to spell and what a period is.	Average. Just… Average.	Good job. I might be a little envious of their way with words.	I stand amazed.
Likelihood of Reading Again	Are you kidding? I lost enough brain cells the first time.	Nope.	Maybe, but doubtful.	Probably will read again.	I will definitely re-read. Way too many things I found fascinating.
Thought-Provoking	What thoughts?	I think there was a thought somewhere.	Sort of basic thoughts, but accurate.	Some lingering thoughts. That's a good sign.	So much to think about. My brain is on fire!
Subject Matter of General Interest	There should not have been ink and paper wasted on this book. I now understand tree-huggers.	Not my style, personally, but might be interesting to someone of a different temperament.	Interesting, but may be specific to my personal tastes.	Fun things to think about. May be quotable. Likely to appeal to a variety of personalities.	Positively fascinating. I will be quoting this for years. Absolutely everyone should read this book.

 

A Secret History of Brands
By Matt McNabb
History, Trivia, Marketing; 160 pages, 6 hrs. 22 minutes
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No.
 
How did I find it?
Audible recommendation; I have about a 50% success rate on those, but I continue to try the ones that are free, and occasionally spend credits on ones that look exceptional.
 
What is it about?
A Secret History of Brands is full of random information about things from the brands’ pasts that most would not like to talk about today. Some of the brands included are Coca-Cola, Ford, Adidas and Puma, Bayer, and Winchester. Almost all of the dark secrets refer to things that happened during World War II. Some of them I was slightly aware of, but didn’t realize how deep the involvement went. Ford was a particular disappointment in this respect. I mean, there was an actual thug going around beating up employees. I did appreciate the author’s clear message that the terrible things these brands had been involved in had no bearing on the current values of the brand.
 
Any warnings?
Yes. I skipped one chapter and maybe part of another.
 
What’s a quote?
Oops. I didn’t grab one. Maybe there wasn’t one.
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$
Thought Provoking: $$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
Atomic Habits
By James Clear
Personal Development; 254 pages, 5 hrs. 35 minutes (on Audible)
Physical Copy
 
Have I read it before?
It’s been on my bookshelf for several years, but no.
 
How did I find it?
Maybe 6 or 7 years ago I started hearing this book mentioned occasionally and it was given glowing reviews. Shopping at a small-town bookstore with some friends, I saw it on the shelf and decided to buy it. I figured it looked like something I probably needed in my life, but I didn’t necessarily want any more hard work at the moment, so it just sat.
 
What is it about?
This book breaks down habits in about every way you can think of. Why and how we form them and step by step instructions on how to change them. I love that it makes breaking old habits and creating new habits feel possible. I also love that pretty much every chapter started out with an illustration story. I feel that the habits we build have an impact on our Christian lives. This book provides good reminders on why being aware of our choices is an important component to succeeding.
 
Any warnings?
Yes, actually. Be aware that once you read this book, you will no longer feel helpless to change some of your habits. Instead, you will bear a responsibility you may wish you didn’t.
 
What’s a quote?
So many quotes for this one.
“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”
“When a measure becomes a target, it ceases to be a good measure.”
“Keep your identity small.”
 
Recommendability: $$$$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$$$
 
 
Andrew Jackson and the Miracle of New Orleans
By Brian Kilmeade and Don Yaeger
Nonfiction, Historical; 270 pages, 5 hrs. 45 min. (on Audible)
Physical Copy
 
Have I read it before?
No. Several years ago I was with my family in Galveston. We watched a little historical film that mentioned the Lafitte brothers, commonly thought of as pirates or privateers, depending on your viewpoint. Somewhere in there, it mentioned their involvement in the Battle of New Orleans. I found this intriguing, and as I read bits and pieces about the Lafittes, I’ve also become more aware of how fascinating the entire battle was.
 
How did I find it?
A happy chance discovery! I was at the local library book sale and this beautiful, hardback copy caught my eye. It looked brand new. When I saw the subject matter, I knew I’d capitulate to the purchase.
 
What is it about?
The title is a good description. I enjoyed the amount of quotations taken from both British and American sources. There are also a number of small maps throughout the book, which are very helpful in understanding positions. The book briefly mentions Jackson’s childhood and entrance into politics. Also mentioned are battles in Pensacola and Mobile. I never realized how ill Jackson was throughout the New Orleans campaign. I’ve been mostly familiar with the side of Jackson seen during and after his presidency, in which he sometimes seemed a bit unstable or unhinged. This book gave a completely different perspective of him as a trusted leader, an instinctual warrior, and almost fatherly to the soldiers under his command.
 
Any warnings?
Not really. I mean, yes, it’s a battle, but I don’t like things that are too gruesome, and this didn’t even make me cringe except maybe once or twice.
 
What’s a quote?
Here are a couple:
“Say to the ladies,” Jackson instructed an aide, “not to be uneasy. No British soldier shall enter the city as an enemy, unless over my dead body.”
“The British, confident that the people of New Orleans were too newly American to have any sense of patriotism, were sure they would divide and conquer.”
 
Recommendability: $$$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
The Reluctant Dragon
By Kenneth Grahame
Children’s Fantasy; 59 pages, 53 minutes (on Audible)
Physical Copy
 
Have I read it before?
No, brand new to me, though it’s been around for about 90 years, apparently. It took maybe 20 minutes to read to myself.
 
How did I find it?
Discovered at a thrift store.
 
What is it about?
The Reluctant Dragon is a very cute story about a boy who befriends a dragon. The townspeople assume that because the dragon is a dragon, he is a bad dragon and call St. George out to slay him. In a twist of events, the boy convinces St. George to come up to the mountains and meet the dragon in person. When St. George discovers the dragon has an artistic soul and loves sonnets, he realizes how silly the townspeople have been. My childish side thought it was a funny little story, while my grown-up side thought the townspeople accurately portrayed human nature.
 
Any warnings?
No. Unless you don’t like stories about dragons and such, in which case you have already received a warning by reading the title.
 
Fun fact, though: This book is available on Audible in Catalan, Chinese, French, Italian, and Spanish besides English. If you’re studying any of those languages, it might be a random way to practice. Plus, it is currently free on Audible as well.
 
What’s a quote?
“Haven’t got an enemy in the world,” said the dragon, cheerfully, “Too lazy to make ‘em, to begin with. And if I ever do read other fellows my poetry, I’m always ready to listen to theirs!”
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
Dinner With King Tut
By Sam Kean
Archeology; 464 pages, 15 hrs. 53 min.
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
Nope.
 
How did I find it?
Another Audible recommendation; how could I say no to archeology? For sure to a book with Tut in the title?
 
What is it about?
Dinner With King Tut is a series of experiments in archeology interspersed with fictionalized accounts of life in ancient times. The stories happen in places such as Turkey, Egypt, Polynesia, Viking Europe, Northern Alaska, and Mexico. The author takes you along on his adventures learning old methods of mummification, tattooing, cooking, medicines and surgeries, poisoned arrows, trebuchets, cannons, and games. I found the activities absolutely fascinating. Would I want to do them myself? No. But I’m sure glad someone else did.
 
Any warnings?
Sadly, yes. Read with caution. There were a few things I skipped, mostly in the fictionalized sections. Also, there was far too much death and dying in my opinion in those same fictional parts. I mean, sure, the author wanted to add drama, but must we continually kill people off in order to do so? And of course there is reference to the earth being tens of thousands of years old.
 
What’s a quote?
“There’s indirect evidence that humans have been using poison arrows for tens of thousands of years: archeologists have found arrows in Africa so slender that, unless they were used to hunt butterflies or something, they simply would not have been effective without poison.”
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
The History of Chocolate
By Sam Bilton
History; 3 hrs. 31 min., Not available as physical copy
Audible
 
Have I read it before?
No.
 
How did I find it?
Audible recommendation. This is from Audible’s Great Courses, and I’ve enjoyed quite a few others from that series. Plus, I love chocolate.
 
What is it about?
This book takes you back to the origins of chocolate in the Mayan culture. It follows the winding path of both taste and cultural importance to the present. You will learn many interesting facts. For example, cacao beans were once used as a form of currency. Chocolate was mostly served as a drink and was often part of ceremony. And there was once a woman who made special chocolate products with poison added for unhappy wives to feed their husbands. You will also learn how the chocolate candies we know today were developed, why chocolate is the romantic candy of choice at Valentines, and become familiar with what innovations have helped some of the world’s top chocolate brands become the businesses they are today.
 
Any warnings?
Honestly there were a couple of little things that I thought, “Oh, do I need to warn about that?” but I can’t remember what they were any more. So there might be a few things, but nothing too major.
 
What’s a quote?
I do believe there was probably a quote somewhere, but I wasn’t able to stop listening and take one down, so you’ll have to do without.
 
Recommendability: $$$
Writing Style: $$$$
Likelihood of Reading Again: $$$$
Thought Provoking: $$$$
Subject Matter of General Interest: $$$
 
 
And that’s the end of my list for the month. I hope you are inspired to read at least one of these titles after which we can get together and discuss all our thoughts about it.
 
As always, leave recommendations in the comments or send them to me personally. I can’t promise when or if I’ll get around to them, but they’ll definitely go on The List. And I’ve already been recommended Martyr’s Mirror, which is the only book of that length currently waiting, so if you are considering sending me something of similar length, maybe hold off on that idea.