What Are You Depositing?

              I think this quote from Pastor Charles Swindoll is so true!  As parents, we must remember that we are constantly making memories with our children.  What are you depositing in their memory banks?

            How often do you spend time with your children? Whether it is eating a meal with them, driving them to school or an activity, or reading bedtime stories to them, we spend quite a bit of time with them so we should be cognizant of the fact that we are depositing into their lives each and every moment that we are together.  And, being together includes not only physical presence, but also via the phone or internet.  

What are we depositing into their memories?  What will they remember of us?  What will they learn from us?  These are all very important questions that we should ask ourselves on a regular basis. 

If we think that we only deposit into their memories on special occasions, we are wrong.  Of course, special occasions are important, but it is our everyday deposits that will last the longest in their memories. 

I have adult children now and I still try diligently to continue to make good deposits into their memory banks.   And, I will continue to do that as long as I have breath!  Let’s continue to give our children, young or old, precious memories to remember!

Why Does As the Stars of the Sky Foundation Promote Literacy?

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Why does As the Stars of the Sky Foundation promote literacy? I found this quote by Kofi Annan, the former Secretary General of the United Nations, that expresses in a nutshell the answer to that question.  Of all the Secretary Generals, I believe that his work to promote literacy throughout the world was the most impressive.

Literacy is key to the successful life of every human being.  Without the ability to read, and read well, a child will not progress and reach his/her highest possibilities.  To be effective, reading should start from an early age, when the child is very young.  This gives the child the ability to learn language and cognitive skills that become of primary importance when starting school.  

Literacy fights poverty because a literate person has the tools to improve his/her life and earn a good living. A person who cannot read or read well is often left to do the low paying jobs and then struggles to support a family.  Poor healthcare unfortunately results as well.

            Literacy is the key to development of our towns and cities. Without a literate population, government services cannot be performed properly and as needed. 

            From a Christian perspective, literacy enables a child to reach his/her divine destiny.  I strongly believe that God has given each of us a divine destiny which He wants us to achieve.  Literacy is the means by which we will be able to do the work that we are called to do. 

            Yes, it is ultimately a bridge from misery to hope, as Kofi Annan states!