What do you spread?

On May 19, 2008, my family’s lives forever changed. I had five days until kindergarten graduation, my husband, Marty, had just ended spring football, and being the athletic director/football coach, was working on the football field. The plans were for a new press box to be placed on the bleachers, and Marty was tearing down the old one. As best as we can tell, he was knocked off the 16 foot ladder by the last board, hitting the chain link fence below. He did not have any broken bones, but had 8 bruises and 5 fractures to his brain. We were told there was no hope of him surviving, and if he did, we needed to find a nursing home that would take him and take care of his needs because he would not be able to function.

After two months in a coma, seven months of rehabilitation, and many, many prayers, Marty did get his memory back, re-learning how to speak, eat, write, dress, and walk. He is truly a miracle, and our family learned many lessons through this experience.

One lesson that was brought back to us time and time again, is that everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle. Everyone struggles and has suffered or is suffering more than you know. Whether it be our students who come to school hungry, listening to fighting parents, dealing with alcohol or drugs in the home…to our teachers and staff dealing with sickness, a shortage of money to pay bills, and the list goes on and on.

Proverbs 16:24 tells us that “kind words are like honey…sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Wouldn't it be great if every student, teacher, administrator, maintenance and lunch crew received a kind word multiple times a day from us? For them to know that someone cares and knows their name? I would like to challenge you to go out of your comfort zone this week and not let a person pass you in the hall without a “hello” or “how are you doing?” Spread that honey generously!”

Debra Schumaker

Kinder