You are currently browsing the monthly archive for April 2008.
Chapter 18 – School Daze – page 97
When I was in elementary school (I guess it’s called grade school in the United States), I really enjoyed doing homework. I wasn’t a big fan of research projects but I enjoyed doing math or English exercises and I loved reading! I remember that most of the kids were allowed to borrow two books a week from the library but my friend Natalie and I, because we read so fast and always returned our books on time, were allowed to borrow seven. That was fun!
I didn’t like everything about school… I was shy and quiet so sometimes I felt intimidated by bigger kids, even though I was pretty tall for my age! I had skipped Grade Two, so I was always with kids about a year older than me.
But I enjoyed learning and liked most of my teachers. Out of all my years of school (I went as far as college), I think the elementary grades were the best!
What about you? Do you like school? Do you enjoy homework? What do you like best about school?
This week’s chapter in Designer Genes features a fun word puzzle and “Top Ten Ways to Do Well in School”. I hope you’ll take a look at those and remember to do the daily devotions, too.
Check these sites out, too, for fun but educational activities: Youth On-Line Club: Back to School and abcteach.
(By the way, sorry I don’t have any photos or graphics this time… I’m having difficulty uploading them on WordPress… gotta work on that!)
Have a great rest of the week… and I hope you enjoy your classes! 😀
Ann-Margret
Hey, you know what I just noticed? I’ve been posting these updates one day early for the past month and a half because there was no “February 29” in the book! Woooops! 😀
So, starting next week, I’ll post updates on Wednesdays instead, to go along with the dates marked in Designer Genes.
Chapter 17 – Dream On! – page 92
Do you ever find yourself sitting in class with your chin on your hand, staring out the window, and imagining what you will be when you grow up… or what you will do on summer vacation… or even what you’re going to have for supper? Do you create stories and “movies” in your head, with you as the star?
It’s perfectly normal to daydream! Of course, we have to make sure that we don’t get carried away with our “fantasies” — it’s possible to daydream about things that don’t please God, or to be so distracted that we don’t pay attention in class or hear our parents talking to us. But it’s okay to imagine and wonder. In fact, sometimes it’s a good way to keep our brain occupied when we’re bored (for example, on a long bus ride or waiting in line somewhere).
Tomorrow’s reading is Psalm 37:3-7. Verse 4 is one of my very favourite verses. It says: “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
I’d love to hear what it means to you! Please write to me at designergenes@annhovsepian.com at any time with your thoughts or questions. I’d love to hear from you, and I promise to write back! 😀
Ann-Margret
Chapter 16 – Feeling Dizzy? – page 87
I love all the different emoticons you can find on the Internet now. They’re really useful in e-mails and chats when you want to express what you’re feeling in a visual way instead of trying to describe it in words. For example…
“Ooh, I am so not happy right now!”
“Hey, I wish I was there to cheer you up. I care!”
“Booooring…!”
“Ewww, that is so NASTY!”
“Ohhhhhhhhhhh… I didn’t know that….”
I think I have more than 200 emoticons saved on my computer… but very often I can’t find one that perfectly expresses something I’m feeling. I think that’s because we humans have such a huge range of emotions that we can feel at various times.
One of the activities in this week’s chapter of Designer Genes encourages you to pay close attention to the emotions you experience throughout the day. How many times did you feel angry? Happy? Scared? Annoyed? Proud?
Worried? 
Disappointed? 
Embarrassed?
Feelings come and go, and sometimes they get us into trouble! I encourage you to do the daily devotions this week and to ask God to help you manage your emotions wisely. When you feel angry, God can help you to feel calm so that you don’t react in a sinful way. When you feel excited or proud about something, He can help you to still be sensitive to the feelings of others who may be going through a more difficult time than you are. When you’re scared, He can give you courage and peace.
I pray you’ll have a great week, and that you’ll get to know your Designer a little better as you read your Bible and share your feelings with Him.
Ann-Margret
Chapter 15 – Pushy People – page 79
Whether you go to a huge school or a small school, or even if you’re homeschooled, you probably know what a bully is. Maybe you’ve been pushed around by one. Or … (I hope not!) … maybe you’ve been a bit of a bully to another kid?
Bullying is a big problem wherever you go! People may bully others for different reasons and in different ways, as we see in this week’s chapter of Designer Genes, but it’s never right. Don’t be afraid to talk to an adult if you’re being bullied. And ask God to show you if you might be bullying others (for example, a young sister or a girl at school that others make fun of).
This week’s chapter isn’t just about bullies, though, it’s also about peer pressure. Sometimes it’s easier to go along with what our friends are doing even if we feel funny about it and know that it’s not really what God would want. I pray that each of you (and me!) will have the courage to stand up for what’s right when we’re feeling pushed or tempted.
Extra activities:
- A word search puzzle about bullying in schools (you can print it out and then solve it).
- If you haven’t seen it yet, try to watch the VeggieTales movie “Minnesota Cuke”. There’s a great lesson about bullying in there!
- Here’s a good quiz about what to do in different situations with bullies. It’s just four questions so it should only take you a minute or two.
Got any comments or questions? You can write to me at designergenes@annhovsepian.com.
Have a great week!
Ann-Margret
P.S. This has nothing to do with today’s subject but I wanted to share a VERY cool link with you. Check out what happens when you click or drag your mouse around the black screen. NICE! 😀
Chapter 14 – Who Knows You? – page 74
Quick! Name 10 people you think are popular.
How many singers did you name? Actresses? Cool kids at school? Famous athletes?
How many of them are rich? Beautiful? Outgoing? Successful?
How many of them do you wish you were like?
Isn’t it funny at how we look at the lives of famous people sometimes and secretly wish had a little bit of what they have? In this week’s chapter of Designer Genes, we’re taking a look at the difference between being popular and having a good reputation.
I don’t know about you, but I would rather have 10 people think I’m kind, patient, generous, wise, loving, respectful, responsible and thoughtful… than to have the whole world know who I am but not truly respect me or care about me. Think about it… I’m sure you’ll feel the same way, too!
This week, I pray that God will help you not to compare yourself with people who seem popular, but instead to focus on developing the beautiful designer genes He created you with and becoming a girl with a good reputation — a girl that people can trust and admire because God’s love shines through her!
Have a great week!
Ann-Margret
P.S. If you have PowerPoint, check out this neat little slide presentation: askthegeese.pps. It’s a good reminder of how being a good friend is a lot more important than being “number one”!
Designer Genes Devo 
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