Dear Reader:

I have a kindness website that pops up occasionally sharing random acts of kindness and also planned acts of kindness…this idea, today, falls under the latter. This is a story of an art teacher who came up with a creative way to make every student (she taught in her elementary school -over 700) feel special and unique.

Sharon Moyes started the art project as a kick-off to a new school year by reading all her students the story of a little fish who learned about the importance of individuality.

This elementary school in Indiana combined creativity and literature to create a beautiful piece of art that will encourage students for years to come to be true to themselves.

Students in grades K-5 at  Sharon Elementary School in Newburgh, IN painted rocks inspired by the book Only One You, by Linda Kranz to create a colorful stone lined path outside the school entrance.

Only One You is an inspirational children’s book about Adri, a little fish who is about to go explore the ocean on his own. His mother and father tell him some of the important lessons they’ve learned throughout their lives in hopes that it will help him on his journey. They remind him, “Always be on the lookout for a new friend,” and “Find your own way. You don’t have to follow the crowd.” The book stresses how everyone is unique, and that each of us have something to contribute to the world. “There’s only one you in this great big world. Make it a better place.”

Moyes shared pictures of her students painting the rocks and the final result of the project on the school’s art class Facebook page, where they’ve been shared over 18,000 times and counting. Parents and fellow teachers are amazed with the project, with many saying they want to petition their own local schools to follow Sharon elementary’s lead.

Each student painted their own unique rock inspired by the fish in the book using indoor/outdoor glossy acrylic craft paint. Moyes says she has approximately 740 students, enough to make a gorgeous path of brightly colored rocks outside the school’s main doors.

Kids grow so much in elementary school, not just physically, but in who they are as people. It’s the beginning of meaningful friendships and when kids start to navigate complex social situations on their own. Not only are these stones a colorful addition to a school, they can serve as a daily reminder to students that no matter what, they’re special and that they have the power to change the world. This art project uses simple materials, but its message is a hugely powerful one.

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This project reminded me of a sweet gift Anne passed onto me Wednesday when we had lunch to catch up from her Ireland trip. A friend of ours from church, Teddy Marcot, sent a copy of the book Everybody Needs a Rock to me. It is the story of a little girl, a special lover of rocks,  who creates 10 rules on how to pick the best rock to become one’s best friend. So sweet.  Thank you Teddy so much for the story!

Does anybody remember the rock named Ebenezer in the Bible by Samuel…it’s a good story!

How about “pet rocks”  from a the mid-seventies ..anybody else remember them? Everyone picked the perfect rock for themselves based on size,  smell, shape, color, texture/touch, silence, and place.

Today “faith rocks” with one word on them… like hope, beauty, faith, gratitude, courage, etc. are found at most gift shops. I have received several and put them in my pockets before going to a doctor’s appointment. We all feel more secure when we have our own adult “Linus blanket” (a.k.a. stone) in our pockets.

This is the stone I need to be holding right now. This week has been pretty stressful with my little blog and its complications with Facebook connections and loss of 713 followers associated with Facebook.

Thank goodness, with the help of John, and a wonderful “Happy Engineer” (Jorge Calle) assigned to me to help with my Facebook problem…I got Facebook re-connected but  had lost my Facebook password/username and couldn’t pull up my stats page to try to re-locate the lost followers.

And then this morning, when I turned on the blog…not only had the 700 followers reappeared…but even more  subscribers popped up for a total of 918. I will have to admit I cried…I had just about given up hope that the glitch with Facebook could be restored and then it just happened.

I think I need to get a “Miracle” rock because, out of the blue, it fixed itself. Except only it didn’t…I received a message yesterday afternoon (after finishing the blog) from Jorge that the problem had been a synchronization issue which he fixed. Hurrah Jorge…YOU are my miracle worker!

(However, he did warn me that starting August 1 Facebook is changing policies regarding personal blogs and public domain availability.

(*In addition, it is important for you to know that due to a change that Facebook is introducing to their platform you won’t be able to continue using a Facebook Profile starting August 1, 2018. The best option here will be to migrate to a Facebook Page.)

***So it looks like there are perhaps more hurdles to jump but I am tired right now from the past synchronization issue…I need time to rest and celebrate this small victory before starting to attack more “tech” challenges. I will wait and see how this all shakes out. Just wanted to give you a heads up.

Blogs are not about numbers…I know my little blog is pretty minute compared to millions of others out there in cyberspace…but I love and appreciate each new follower who joins our little family. In fact the best part of blogging is meeting new people… like so many of you reading today.

When I thought I had lost 713 of you…it felt like one’s family being torn apart. Today is a day for rejoicing!

So until tomorrow…. Mev, like you said yesterday, together “We Got ‘Dis”...(yours and Jimmy’s call to action over life’s problems.) And you are so right…as long as we have God…we all “got dis.”

“Today is my favorite day”  Winnie the Pooh

Thank you Anne for my Irish Linen…the colors are perfect in my kitchen!