SHINE

Is is OK if I brag on Nadia? Just a little bit?

Each couple of weeks, the students at the girls' school learn about a new "virtue" - what it is, why it is helpful or important and how it can be demonstrated or lived at school and around the home. Then, each class votes on a member who best demonstrates or represents that virtue. Nadia, our "Miss People Person" and "Friend to All" has been chosen to win these awards several times during the course of the year, and most recently, her class selected her to win the certificate for ENTHUSIASM (seen below).

Her teacher wrote a comment on Nadia's certificate, explaining how she best demonstrated her zeal and passion - for school and for her classmates:

"Nadia has demonstrated enthusiasm when she uses her imagination to accomplish her work. Her enthusiasm for others shines brilliantly in her smile. She is wonderful."

This is not the first time her teachers have commented on her ability to relate to and encourage others. Her teacher made the comment at the end of the year last year that in all of his years of teaching, he'd never met a student like Nadia who was so good at caring for and being a friend to her friends and classmates. When I hear comments like this about one of my kids, it really just melts my heart - God is giving me small, but very concrete evidences of how He is working in my child's life, of how He is changing her heart and conforming her into the image of His Son. Is there anything more important? What more could I, as a parent, want for these precious children He's given to our family? And when teachers or parents make these sorts of comments, I have an opportunity to give the glory to God: Nadia acts this way because she wants to make Jesus happy and He is the one who helps her.

When I think of Nadia, the following verse pops right to mind:

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

I've seen Nadia's enthusiasm in another specific way around the house the past few weeks. She has turned into a reading maniac! In addition to keeping up with her homework from Ecole Alliance,

she has also read the following books - in the past two weeks!

Shadrach by Meindert DeJong

Danger Guys Hit the Beach by Tony Abbott

Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest by Ann McGovern

Encylopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies by Donald J. Sobol

Encylopedia Brown Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol

My Life as Crocodile Junk Food by Bill Myers

Remember My Name by Sara H Banks

The Door in the Wall by Marguerite de Angeli

When I asked her which one was her favorite, she said, "Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Two Spies," because it was the first time ever she'd read a mystery book and she really liked trying to figure it out before Encyclopedia. She liked this one better than the other one she read, because this one kept her guessing and thinking.

Thanks for celebrating Nadia with us for a few minutes today!