A random act of kindness

Maybe it was the words you spoke

The hand you held

The tears you dried

Maybe it was the time you gave

The chance you seized

The price you paid

Maybe it was the simple act

The gift of flowers

The simple note

Maybe it was the smile you shared

The time you gave

The value you placed

Maybe it was the moment we shared

The shelter you offered

The food you gave

Maybe it was the words unspoken

The friendly wave

The seat you gave

 

Maybe it was

 

Your random act

 

That changed my day

 

 

Love is kind

Kindness is easy to show to those we love, but to everybody else?

Paul talks in Corinthians about the attributes that make love real and effective. As we read the list it is clear that if emotions were to rule the outworking of love, some of the attributes mentioned would certainly be cut from the list!

The love that God calls us to share is about our relationship with everyone, it does not filter or exclude, it is not optional or easy. In fact sometimes showing love actually means that we have to take time out and plan to do something if we are able to share this love with others.

As we focus on kindness this week, I remembered something that I came across on the internet whilst doing some background work for a lesson on the rights of a child. It struck me as being so simple and yet so effective. Yet also not something that comes naturally.

The challenge was to share acts of kindness randomly!

Randomly, not just to a chosen few, not just to the ones I know I love, but to anyone. Yes even a stranger!

If you want some examples of  what this looks like in practice, a quick search on YouTube, will bring up a whole host of videos that can inspire us.

So tomorrow in assembly with our year 6 classes I will be challenging them to do just that. To see how many different random acts of kindness they can come up with in the week.

But hopefully this won't be limited to just two classes, maybe the whole school will join in, maybe even you!

ICT Pioneers

 Today's focus was on the use of some amazing software called Morfo Booth. This enabled the pioneers to import pictures of characters relating to their current study of topic. Great names in history such as Charles Darwin or Queen Victoria. 

 Manipulation of the face, by selecting eyes, nose and mouth, enabled their chosen character to come to life.

Colour settings and lighting of the original photo enables shadows and facial blemishes to remain real.

 The finished result is that eyes move from side to side, voice recordings can by synced with the mouth and the face really comes alive.

 Even more creativity can be applied, but this is maybe slightly unfair to the great characters of history that the children selected!

 

Be the light!

 
Yesterday in our KS1 assembly we considered the way in which love can be demonstrated through patience. We thought about all the ways we can sometimes react when we have to show patience when waiting. The children’s re-enactment of some of these certainly made us laugh, although serious, their stamping, complaining, finger wagging and hand on hip stances certainly brought home the reality of some of the ways we might react!

 

We also considered that the most perfect example of patience is to be found in God. As we explored this a little further, we reflected on what God is also like in other ways and what difference this makes in our lives. 

 

My favourite was a reflection on the fact that God’s love and forgiveness feels like a ray of sunshine shining inside us. A wonderful warm feeling to take away at the end of our assembly.

 

Our final act was to give out candles to each class to take back to their rooms with the challenge to use these as visual prompts  to consider how they might be more patient and share God’s love with each other. May that light shine in our classrooms every day. 

 

I want to know what love is

For those of a similar age to me the lines from this song by Foreigner may bring back many memories. A quick reference to YouTube certainly got the nostalgia going!

'Love is all around us', is in so many songs and this was the focus for our school challenge last week:



How many songs can you find with the word 'love' in the title?

Of course the wonders of the internet could have made this an easy task, one search request and the list is complete. But we were amazed by the individual commitment to researching and writing the songs down by hand.

The lists were certainly worth reading, classic songs from classic decades and depending on your age and generation either first enjoyed on vinyl, a best of collection, or listened to for the first time via electronic download or even purchased from a car boot sale!

The winning hand written total was 260 individual songs, no repetition and all meeting the specific requirements of the challenge. An outstanding achievement and a worthy winner of the chocolates that were on offer.

All of this led me to thinking about what songs would come into my top 20 if I were faced with the same challenge. I wonder also what would make your top 20?

Love it would seem, has an enduring impression on us, however it is communicated.