Sharing a Secret Part 2

Since it was almost time for Thanksgiving break, it was time for me to share my secret again with a couple of classrooms.  I was invited back to preschool and Kindergarten, so the teachers must have enjoyed it last spring.  :)  http://mwks13.blogspot.com/2013/05/sharing-secret.html

Some of the students had heard my secret last year either in school or at the library.  But, they did an amazing job listening. This is the time of year that thankfulness gets a lot of discussion time in the classroom.  The kids got to share with me one thing they are thankful for.  They did an amazing job and really put some thought into their answers.  I will never outgrow my love of getting to share my secret with these students and who knows, maybe next time, I'll even have a new story to share as well.      

Thankful thoughts for today:

Friends

Naps

White, powdery snow

Christmas music

"While They Were Sleeping"by Casting Crowns

Popcorn

"The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best.  Therefore it tends to become the best.  It takes the form or character of the best, and will receive the best."
                                                                Wallace D. Wattles

Kansas Association for Youth

I was thrilled to be invited to speak at the Regional KAY Conference in Hill City.  I was an active member of my local KAY club while I was in High School.  I believe KAY can provide lots of important character building/leadership training.  I am so excited to be able to give back just a portion to an organization that impacted me so positively.

The website at:   http://www.kshsaa.org/Public/KAY/main.cfm says this about the organization.  "The Kansas Association for Youth (KAY) is a character-building, leadership-training, service program directed by the Kansas State High School Activities Association. This nationally acclaimed organization provides students an opportunity to learn to assume their citizenship responsibilities and to enrich their personalities through well-organized programs, projects and parties. Programs educate, inspire and direct members into carefully planned service projects. These projects emphasize four areas of service - school, community, nation and world."  I was speaking to the leaders of tomorrow (and possibly even today).  What a responsibility.  I believe greatly in the importance of my message and hope I communicated it effectively.



I remember back in March at the beginning of my year as Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2013, I thought speaking 15-30 minutes was ideal.  Now, when told I had 20 minutes to fill, I was afraid I wouldn't have enough time.  :)  This year has definitely seen an increase in my passion about my platform and comfort discussing it.

These students received a condensed version of my platform speech so we would have time to put the lessons into practice.  When I spoke at the training for K-State Extension Officers in August, we discussed ways to add a kinesthetic portion to my presentation.  This was the first chance I had to try it out.  http://mwks13.blogspot.com/2013/09/training-to-take-back-home.html

I had the students make two circles.  Each circle had a ball the students were tossing back and forth to each other.  They were working through the alphabet thinking of something they were thankful for that began with each letter of the alphabet.  Whoever caught the ball named something for the next letter in the alphabet.  They did an amazing job and even though some letters require a bit more thought or create a few more giggles, they were able to quickly complete this exercise.  We even had time for them to look at my presentation boards, ask a few questions, and write in my thankful journal.  This may not be the age for asking questions, but it seems to be the age for thought-provoking journal entries.

Thankful thoughts for today:
Fleece leggings
Hot chocolate
Book It
Kansas Association for Youth
Multiple forms of communication
Watching learning occur before my eyes


"There is always, always, always something to be thankful for"
                                                         Author Unknown

Those Who Knew Me When . . .

Throughout this year, I've found myself gaining more confidence and feeling more comfortable every time I speak in front of a crowd.  It doesn't seem to bother me whether the audience is 2 or 200.  I find myself responding to the audience reaction and my favorite part is always the question/answer part at the end whether the audience is 2 or 200.  I love open discussion even when speaking to a larger group.

However, I find myself a bit nervous whenever I speak in front of a group of people I know.  Especially when it is a group of people who "knew me when."  Especially when it is my village (or my church family from childhood).  These are the people who watched me grow up from birth until it was time to move on into adulthood in a different location.  These are the people who heard my first attempts at public speaking.  (This time was slightly longer than the 3 1/2 minutes of my first speaking experience.)  These are the people I continue to see on occasion as I visit my childhood home.  These are the people who know me well enough to ask pointed questions.  It's a good thing they are kind and I am open to questions.  They were so attentive and asked important questions about the last 10 years of my life and the Ms. Wheelchair Kansas program.  I am always thrilled when I get to talk about this amazing program and how I am privileged to spend my year as Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2013.  And, this time, I was prepared.  I could answer questions about how many appearances I'd made, different towns/cities I'd visited, and miles I have travelled.  Thank you Norton Lions Club for reminding me to make sure I always have that information at hand.

When I was done speaking up front, I had the privilege to speak to people as they exited the church and signed my gratitude journal.  I love hearing other people's stories as much or more than I love sharing my own.  Stories are an amazing way to share life lessons.  I'm always impressed by the stories I hear and thankful thoughts I get to read in my journal.  I treasure that journal and might just carry it with my everywhere I go for the rest of my life, not just the rest of this year.  :)

Thankful thoughts of the day:
The last warm day in the forecast
Exciting field trips
Advent
Christmas Decorations
Prepared and enthusiastic piano students

"There is a calmness to a life lived in Gratitude, a quiet joy."
                                  Ralph H. Blum

Swipe Out Hunger

I was so excited to get to spend an hour working with a great team of friends and my daughter packaging meals.  It's hard to explain how great this event is until you work it yourself.  Other team members were measuring rice, beans, and a cheese packet into the bag and then they would pass it to me.  My job on my side of the table was to weigh the bag and either add or remove rice until the bag was at the appropriate weight.  Then the bag would move on down the table to be sealed and then laid out until we had enough to fill a box.  Other team members would fill the box, seal it shut, and we would yell out the count.  Our team managed to fill 6 1/2 boxes during our shift.  What a great experience working together as a team to meet a common goal.

During our shift we were packaging meals for the Kansas Food Bank.  These meals will be used to feed hungry Kansans.  The second shift was packaging meals to be sent overseas to areas of need.  What an amazing experience to be a part of something so important.  This experience definitely increased my sense of gratitude for having food on my table every day.  My energy is not spent finding somewhere to get food.  My energy is spent on deciding which food to eat.  I am blessed.  May I never forget that.

To learn more about this event, check out  http://numanainc.com/

Before the event

Ready to package meals

Thanksgiving for today:
Smiles
Rapt attention
Erasing items off a white board
Sharing stories


"No one who achieves success does so without the help of others.   The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude."
                                                                          Alfred North Whitehead

Big Lakes Developmental Center

We got to head to Manhattan to the Big Lakes Developmental Center.  My time at the center began with my presentation to the case managers.  It was an amazing time spent giving my "Maintaining an Attitude of Gratitude" presentation and then getting to spend time talking with these incredible ladies.  They asked such wonderful, thoughtful questions specific to their work.  I knew that this platform would apply to all people of all ages, but I am constantly amazed by just how well it resonates with all the different groups I've had the privilege to meet with this year.  It is always my favorite time of every presentation when I get to sit and talk with the people in the room.  I love finding connections and getting to answer questions and learn as much from them as I hope they learn during their time with me.
With these ladies, we found an unexpected connection--many of them have Northwest Kansas roots.  :)

After the time spent talking with the case managers, I had the opportunity to tour the Center and meet some of the clients.  I had a chance to see several different areas and clients both working and eating lunch.  I even had the chance to speak to a woman working at her job as a janitor when I visited the bathroom.  We had a wonderful conversation about Ms. Wheelchair and my platform.  That just proves I should always be ready to share my heart no matter where I am.  You just never know where you will meet amazing people.  :)

Thankful thoughts for today:
Fresh ingredients
Meeting goals
Dr. Pepper
Cocoa Roast Almonds
Confirmation that I'm on the right track

"Make it a habit to tell people thank you.  To express your appreciation, sincerely and without the expectation of anything in return.  Truly appreciate those around you, and you'll soon find many others around you.  Truly appreciate life, and you'll find that you have more of it."
                                                                            Ralph Marston

Accessiblity for All

I had the opportunity to meet with the Trego County Ministerial Alliance and talk about accessibility needs in their churches and at community religious events.  What a great meeting format.  The members of the ministerial alliance get together and eat lunch at my favorite WaKeeney Restaurant--The Western Kansas Saloon.  The Saloon does not have a wheelchair accessible entrance, YET.  But, we have been talking about it, so we'll see what the future holds.  It is a great place to have a calm and respectful conversation about the needs of the community and opportunities in which the Ministerial Alliance plays a big role.

I had the chance to share about my platform and ways it can be shared in the community.  I also got to share about the Ms. Wheelchair Kansas program and what it is all about.  We spent most of my time to share talking about accessibility needs in their churches and offering to be available to come to their various locations to discuss specifics.  I also had the opportunity to discuss the need for community religious events to take place in a location that is accessible to all.  We discussed Lenten breakfasts in particular and possible locations that could provide the greatest accessibility so all of the community can participate.  I did find out the local Catholic church was in the process of building an accessible fellowship hall and had the opportunity to say thank you.  The priest was not present at this meeting, but maybe the other members will pass the thanks along.

All in all, I'm excited to work with these Ministerial Alliance members to help make WaKeeney religious opportunities as accessible as possible to all.  I passed out my business cards and can't wait for them to get in contact with me in the future.

Thanksgiving for today:
Portable X-ray
New crock pot spaghetti recipe
Aleve
Mighty bug hunter

"It isn't what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart."
                         Author Unknown

Lions Club--Giving Back

I was more nervous for this event than perhaps anything else I've done so far this year.  Why???  I was in a room full of people that knew me well--teachers, pastors, community members, and even some people I went to high school with.  This was my first presentation in my home town.  Now, I had read stories at story time at the library earlier this year, but reading stories to preschoolers did not cause the same case of nerves that speaking in front of a group of adults caused.  :)  These people knew me well enough to see right through any facade I would try to put up.

Because I knew this crowd, I wanted a chance to get to spend extra time talking and answering questions.  So, I gave them a shortened version of my presentation so we would have more time for q&a at the end.  This is always my favorite part of every presentation.  This time, the questions got a little more specific since they had previous knowledge of my life  before my time as Ms. Wheelchair Kansas 2013.  But, I always tell people they can ask whatever they want, so I guess I'm prepared for anything.  :)

I still had the amazing opportunity to tell a crowd--this time people I know--about the importance of "Maintaining an Attitude of Gratitude."  No matter what happens in life, you can always find a reason to be grateful.  I am constantly thankful that I get to share that message around Kansas with all kinds of amazing people.

Now, I'd like to think I don't ever put up a facade.  I try very hard to be real and an open book.  You can ask me anything you'd like.   But, I knew that even if I wanted to try to fake it, I couldn't with this crowd.  Not only are these people I've grown up with, they are Lions.  They make it a point to spend their time and money on community service.  I'm sure the Lions have touched my life in more ways than I can imagine, but here are a couple of the most recent.  The Scout House in WaKeeney was built by the Lions Club and a ramp was added to the building when I needed to get in to participate with my son.  Also, Lions Clubs across Kansas support KSDS and their training of guide, social, and service dogs.  This has definitely greatly impacted my life recently and I made sure to thank them for their support of that organization.  I am sure if you take a moment and look around your community, you will notice something supported by the Lions.  I challenge you to see what the Lions support and thank them for that.

"No one who achieves success does so without the help of others.  The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude."
                        Alfred North Whitehead

Thankful thoughts for today:

Write on/Wipe off Board

Skype

Watching kids learn important life lessons

Army of Volunteers

Paying it forward