Go, Go Lady..

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   Summer sinus junk; is there anything worse? Heat and humidity wreak havoc on nasal pressure and dripping. One doctor visit (I never visit the doctor), two shots and two prescriptions later I found myself knocked over and out of commission. Not good. After a weekend of this, my emotions and my inner timid soul surfaced.
    Monday morning brought with it a rebound of sinus headache and a list of things this week would demand. Face it- things don't stop just because we feel miserable. In it came the questioning; the small voice in my head that stirs fear and doubt. Why are you doing this? Is it worth it? Aren't you neglecting other things? Once she starts, she doesn't quiet easily.
     A deep breath; a teary sigh- I shared my fretful thoughts with Mr. Go. He shook his head and smiled; those blue eyes hinting a smile he always hides when we have this conversation. Go, Go Lady. Share the crazy and the creativity. With a nod and a hug I went on to work. It was going to take more than that to quiet the questions.
     God knows our needs even before we do. In the midst of a meeting He assured me in the one and only very way that works every time and never fails. A message came from a counselor we are working with. Some of her campers returned to summer camp today sharing stories of how they went home this weekend and cooked our recipes for their families. Imagine trying to contain the happy dance while sitting in a leadership meeting!
      There in my office he called me- Mr. Go heard the incredible news and once again reminded me, Go, Go Lady. Share the crazy and the creativity. I believe I shall!

Very Veggie Conversations

     Fresh vegetable tasting- an interesting and often challenging aspect of my program. Children and adults alike have rather strong opinions regarding their relationships with vegetables. Naturally, the great reveal of any given veggie often meets with the standard 'ewe', 'yuck', and other various noises used to get the point across. So how do we manage to get the veggies considered and tasted?

     1. Five seconds free opinion. Before I open the bag, students are given five seconds to make whatever reaction/sound they want. Once the time is up- no more negatives!

     2. Conversation observation. Whatever their opinion of the item, we need to figure out the why of it and see if it is a valid disagreement. What do we observe?
          A. Appearance. How does it look? Shiny, bright, dull.. tell me about the color, visual texture, shape, and what comes to mind when you look at it.
          B. Texture/touch. When you hold it in you hand, is it: soft, hard, firm, mushy.. what does it make you think of?
          C. Scent. Smell it. Does it have a fragrance? Does it smell sweet, savory, juicy? Does it remind you of something familiar?
          D. Taste. Finally, we taste it. How does it feel? Soft, hard.. does it crunch.. juicy? Is it a bright flavor or dull? What do you think goes well with this texture/flavor? What comes to mind with this flavor?

      3. Recall. Where have you seen this item before? What form do you generally find it: a sauce, raw, cooked.. is it generally alone or with other items?

      4. Give reason. What about this item did you like? (color, texture?) What would you change about this item? Do you think it would be better fresh or cooked? There are some things we just do not like and that is okay- the key is to know why or what we don't like about it, and to realize we may refer the item fresh over raw, cooked over raw, or even with other items but not by itself.

      While this seems intensive and rather cumbersome, it really isn't. In only a few minutes we have evaluated every aspect of a veggie and then share what you learned about the veggie and yourself. After tasting and evaluating, we get ready to prepare the item in a dish. By the time we complete the recipe, most are ready to try it in another way and see how it changed and what may have improved their opinion of it. Not everyone is won over, but many realized the reason this particular veg is or isn't their top pick. Seeing them investigate and evaluate is my absolute favorite part of the day!


    

The Curious Case of the Zombie Tomatoes

the picture just doesn't do them justice

   The idea was to make a basic tomato/cilantro salad; I don't do basic. To vamp up the activity, a variety of herbs and tomatoes was arranged on the cutting board peaking interest and sparking curiosity (yes!). Students arrived, scattering to the various stations to prepare.. but.. you never know what will happen when kids get in the kitchen.

    We introduce each variety of tomato: the beefsteak, the Roma, several color varieties of cherry and grape tomatoes. One particular tomato gets everyone's attention: the grape purple stripey. Purchased by Mr. Go, this tomato was an accidental arrival- or what is commonly known as "Mr. Go went shopping and this is what happened". Dark purple skin sports deep green stripes; when sliced, the inner seed gel is a vibrant almost neon green.
     From here the madness began with a fascinated proclamation: a zombie tomato! There were ooh's and ah's mixed with giggles and horror- they braved touching it and begged to taste it. Who knew you could get kids to eat tomatoes by completely grossing them out with zombie-like craziness?
     Eventually the herbs were touched, sniffed, and tasted. Eventually the actual salad was made, tasted and talked about. .. but.. the thing that made the biggest impression was the curious case of the zombie tomatoes!

A Testimony Without Words

   "It's a great thing you are doing there," a friend said to me. "Yes, but it isn't a ministry- it's a job," was my reply. Our conversation continued with her challenge to me- look for the ministry in the job. Though I politely smiled, there was doubt in my mind I would find it, after all, God isn't allowed in schools.
    As is my daily routine, prayers were lifted during my long drive- a 7:15 garden group would be waiting for me. The strong aroma of onion sets kept distracting me as I tried to focus on the road and my conversation. Could there be a ministry in the job? Doubtful, I unloaded garden tools and waited for the students to arrive.
    Gathered there in the drizzle, four young gardeners and I huddled over a pile of seedlings to separate them in preparation for planting. One per hole, hand width apart, single file along the edge of each bed- we planted dozens of onions for 'salsa gardens'. Kneeling elbow to elbow with a sweet little red head a conversation began with - I thought of you at church yesterday.
    There, frozen in a moment of time, I looked into her clear blue eyes in wonder of her comment waiting to hear more. In Sunday school we talked about how God made everything. Have you ever had a moment where the whole world disappeared and time stood still? She and I were all I could see as she continued- I told them I knew He made the broccoli and the peas we are growing here- He gave those seeds what they need to grow. He made the herbs and all the food we cook every day. A smile was all I could muster; amazement filled my heart.
     The truth is: we never know the impact our presence, our character has on another. I will never know how this inner connection works; how others are able to 'sense' God in us, but I will be forever touched and humbled by this simple encounter in the garden.

A Hard Lesson

    Weekly in-garden activities are the highlight of my week. Who wouldn't love 40 students squealing with delight over strawberries and ladybugs, tomato blooms and radish sprouts? My weekly garden adventures are usually full of wonder and excitement, but this week held a different lesson.
     You see, this week, our garden was trampled and destroyed. An unknown mischief maker felt the urge to stomp, kick, and uproot every plant, seedling and bulb.. leaving only the cinder blocks unturned. Much of our soil was kicked from the beds where footprints lay instead. Students were heartbroken and quite dismayed to find their hard work so hatefully demolished.
     Devastating and unfair as it may seem, it is a lesson that must be learned. Life is often unkind and generally unfair. Hard work will go unnoticed and unappreciated. Things we value may not hold value to others. These are things we cannot change, we cannot prevent, and we cannot take revenge for.
      Teachers were quick to guide and encourage.. we restored our beds as best we could; replanting anything that offered a glimmer of life. Conversation led to restoration and recovery instead of revenge and judgment. Students found comfort in the strawberries that seemed to escape the chaos, onions that seemed quite recoverable, and the reality that their fruit trees were untouched. In good faith I offered to seek out replacements as soon as possible that we might get them in before their testing schedule gets underway.
      It is a hard lesson learned, but one that must be learned. In the end, I believe we are each better for it. I saw a beautiful side to these children I might not have seen otherwise. The side of hope!

Just Between You and Me

    Right before a recent cooking demonstration, a shy, rather quiet, girl approached me. Her seriousness had me a bit concerned, but in the end the moment was priceless.

Hesitant, the student approaches- Ms. Go

I reassure her with a smile- yes

She leans in, questioning- Can I ask you something

A smile and a nod encourage her

Just between you and me

More seriously now, I nod.

A little closer this time- how long is your hair, really, like when you brush it all out

That question. I understand and reply- long enough to sit on

An endearing smile shares a quiet secret- mine too! but, just between you and me

I smile, lean in, and reassure her our conversation is sacred- just between you and me.

 We never know when the simplest thing can become a connection to a child's heart. Whether the 'secret' length of my hair, the motif of that day's crazy sock, or how many chickens I really have, it is my goal to be open to the little things.. the quirky moments that become jewels in my day.

Meet Them Where They Are

   Frustration hit me more than once as the reality of regular restaurant habits seemed to be hindering progress. Let's face it, some families exist on take out. Whether by 'necessity' or convenience, it has become a habit many homes live by. I have discovered there are children who base their geographical and their food preferences on which restaurant they have frequented lately. The constant conversation and comparison was driving me crazy. How on earth do our healthy recipes compete with drive thru routines?    Habits are formed by routine and exposure; children pick them up quickly. In a desperate moment of prayer, I realized fighting this force was futile and negativity toward their family's habits was counterproductive to my purpose. I needed to meet them where they are and work from there.
   That morning brought to the table the 'comparison conversation'- I only eat here, I only like this place's food, I won't try it. It was time to meet them where they were. Instead of trying to steer the conversation away from restaurants and take out, I opened the door for it.
   Where do you like to go? It quickly became clear to me locations were chosen due to cultural marketing: kids eat free; the dollar meal, and buffet lines. In reality, families fall victim to the appearance of a cheap and convenient meal. This isn't a battle I am able to fight- after all, the students were not necessarily making the decisions where the family would eat. So what decisions were in the hands of the children? Where could influence be given?
   What do you order when you are there? It seemed the students generally had a voice in their food order. From here the idea was to guide their thinking toward not ignoring their routine favorite, but making them recognize the ability to improve/balance their meal. For example, one student loves the local Chinese buffet and their noodle dishes are his favorite. What vegetables do you see in the noodle dishes? Are there vegetables there you recognize from our cooking sessions? They hadn't thought of that. Their habit was so ingrained they hadn't realized many of the same things they refused in class were right there in reach.
   What can you add to your favorite choice to make it more balanced? There in lies the challenge. Can you eat your favorite and improve your choice? Sure. Have the green beans or the carrots- realize there are snow peas in the noodles or tomatoes on your burger. We met where they are and encouraged small, attainable steps.
   Did it make a difference? I believe it did. Whether they actually ate vegetables or not I can't say, but the relationship and interaction with the students changed immediately. Conversation, interaction and even participation the next few classes has been wonderful.
   Everyday I face the task and privilege of teaching amazing and challenging students, but may I never forget that while I am teaching them.. they are teaching me.