By Larry Stover

 

Summer break is winding down. Vacation trips and excursions have concluded.  For those of us with children and grand-children, the month of August is a whirlwind of activities getting ready for the start of the school year.

It began by securing the list of supplies for new grade levels. Parents and family members all across the area began converging on sellers of school supplies like a honey bee reunion at the family hive.

Not only have the school supplies been flying out the door, back to school clothing sales have been the focus of every retailer in the area.

Now it’s time to haul the supplies to school, meet new teachers, and begin the 36 weeks of school. May 2014 will be here before we know it.

Going back to school carries with it a bundle of emotions.

For a select few, students will be going back to high school for the last time as they anticipate graduating in the spring of 2014.  There will be tears shed and a 9 month array of activities and events that will mark the final time these are enjoyed by the “Class of 2014.”

There is another group.   It seems like just yesterday they were newborn bundles of joy.  Soon, they head off to Kindergarten. It will be a mixed bag of excitement, joy, tears and fears.

It won’t take long for those five-year-olds to meet new friends and come home sharing all the new things they have learned in school.

In between these two groups will be the vast majority of students returning for another year in the journey we call education.

There will be many challenges facing parents, grandparents and teachers as this new year begins.

For teachers, they will be learning new names and personalities of students they are called to teach.

For family members, it will be new challenges in helping their children with homework and assisting in the whole educational process.

From my Christian perspective, it will mean a lot of time praying for everyone involved.

With that in mind everyone is encouraged to mark their calendars. Prayer walks in the Valley Grande and Selma area will take place next Sunday, Aug. 18th.

We will begin at Dallas County High School at 2:30 p.m.  From there, we will travel to Martin Middle School at 3:30 p.m. and conclude at Valley Grande Elementary at 4 p.m.

Walks are also scheduled for J. E. Terry Elementary School at 3:30 PM and Morgan Academy at 5 p.m.

Check with your Pastors for other schools and get involved.

It makes life “Simply Beautiful.”